Meet MIIT: HIIT released for pregnant women! – GOOD SHAPE

Do you love HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) but had to take a break because of pregnancy? We present to you the MIIT!

The acronym stands for Moderate Intensity Interval Training, which in free translation means moderate intensity interval training. That is, it also uses the interval structure, but the stimuli are not as “heavy” as those of HIIT – despite being stronger than those of a traditional workout.

“The objective is to make the heart rate (HR) remain between 55 and 75% of the maximum HR during the stimuli, and between 45 and 50% in the recovery”, explains the physical education professional Guilherme Micheski, Technical Manager of Smart Fit.

The breaks are also active, that is, you don’t rest completely still (take a walk, for example).

To clarify better, the expert gives an example:

4 sets of 4 minutes with HR between 55 and 75% of HR Max; 4-minute recovery periods at 45 and 50% HR Max; Total session time: 42 minutes, including warm-up.

WHO IS MIIT SUITABLE FOR? AND WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

According to Guilherme, the practice can be a good strategy for beginners, for those who already have a very intense training routine (as a parallel activity) and even for pregnant women who already do exercises. “It’s important to remember that MIIT, because it doesn’t have the same intensity as HIIT, can be done more times a week, as mentioned in a study”, he adds.

With regard to the benefits, the professional highlights the reduction of blood pressure, improvement of the cardiovascular (breathing, heart, veins and arteries) and metabolic systems (use of fat as a source of energy; as well as the release of endorphins and other hormones responsible for the feeling of pleasure.

HOW TO DO THE MIIT?

Each stimulus needs to be between two and four minutes long. In addition, you will need to calculate your maximum HR:

220 – age = 100% HR

For example, for a 35-year-old, HR Max will be 185 (220 – 35) beats per minute (bpm). So, during exertion, your heart rate must reach up to 138 bpm (75% of your HR Max), while at rest, this number cannot exceed 92 bpm (50% of HR Max).

“For this, it is recommended to use a frequency meter or smartwatch that performs this marking. With time of practice and knowledge of the body, the practitioner can follow the perception of effort and perform training at the correct intensity without using markers.”

I’M PREGNANT AND I WANT TO TAKE THE MIIT. WHICH CARE?

The first of them is to respect your personal guidance and rely on medical follow-up. This is because Guilherme emphasizes that the goal, in this period of his life, should not be fat loss or hypertrophy. But the quality of life and pain prevention.

In addition, some adjustments are important, such as avoiding torso flexion and extension movements (the famous traditional sit-ups). Instead, the core region must be stimulated in another way (with rotations, stabilizations and isometrics, for example).

“It is also interesting to monitor the intensity of training (cardio and weight training) and perform exercises for the pelvic girdle and adductors.”