high-intensity interval training

noun

: a form of interval training that alternates very brief periods (such as 20 to 40 seconds) of intense exercise at maximum effort with periods (such as 15 to 30 seconds) of less intense exercise
High-intensity interval training has massive benefits, but it can be daunting (hence the intense).Cosmopolitan
… scientific studies have shown that exercising exclusively in the anaerobic zones (high-intensity interval training) is the best way to decrease body fat and increase muscle mass.The Billings (Montana) Gazette

called also HIIT

Examples of high-intensity interval training in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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James Gladstone, the chief of sports medicine at Mount Sinai’s Icahn School of Medicine, told me that tennis resembles high-intensity interval training, which has been shown to improve cognitive function and memory in healthy older adults. Alexandra Moe, The Atlantic, 24 Aug. 2025 Muscle Growth and Exercise Performance Creatine is most useful for activities that demand short, intense effort: sprinting, weightlifting, and high-intensity interval training, to name a few. Boutayna Chokrane, Wired News, 13 Aug. 2025 Moderate activities include brisk walking, cycling or swimming; vigorous are jogging, running or high-intensity interval training. Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Aug. 2025 Extraverts were linked to higher aerobic fitness, more powerful cycling performance, and greater enjoyment of intense workouts such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT). New Atlas, 8 July 2025 Drawing from insights into physiology, this might be the moment to adopt a cognitive high-intensity interval training. Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 22 June 2025 Consider alternating your strength training session with high-intensity interval training, which has been shown to be especially effective in managing blood sugar for people with pre-diabetes and Type 2 diabetes. Hilary Achauer, New York Times, 19 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1984, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of high-intensity interval training was in 1984

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Cite this Entry

“High-intensity interval training.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/high-intensity%20interval%20training. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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