5 reasons you're still tired after swapping HIIT for weight training
Forever tired after exercise? Whether you've pushed yourself by lifting heavier weights or doing more reps, a strength session should never leave you feeling burnt out. But nor should a HIIT workout. Women's Health Collective expert trainer, Izy George, tells us why there's no need to train to the point of exhaustion - ever - and what to do instead.
First, let’s bust a myth: neither HIIT nor weight training should be exhausting. It sounds like you routinely find HIIT tiring, and while its high-intensity nature could leave you more susceptible to lethargy, you don’t have to grin and bear it.
Research published at the Swedish School Of Sport and Health Sciences suggests that three 30-minute sessions per week, at 90% of your max heart rate, is enough to reap the rewards of HIIT (such as enhanced strength, improved immunity and reduced inflammation), without succumbing to downsides including fatigue, disrupted sleep and mood disturbance. Here's what you could be doing wrong.
5 reasons you're feeling tired after weight training
1.You're doing too many sessions per week
Thrice-weekly sessions of any form of training may be excessive if you’re new to it – and starting a strength routine can feel particularly taxing on your body.
While both HIIT and weight training use your anaerobic energy system – typically performed at 80 to 90% of your max heart rate (anaerobic means ‘without air’; your body produces energy without oxygen)– weight training requires more muscular endurance than HIIT. This could manifest as muscular fatigue in strength-training novices.
2. You're doing too many sets or reps
If you’re still shattered a few months in, I wonder how hard you’re pushing yourself – and how much time you give your body to recover. Depending on your experience, you should be aiming to complete 15 to 25 total sets per session: so roughly three sets of five to eight exercises.
3. You're not resting enough during workouts, and between workout days
And rest is required during sessions, as well as afterwards. Start by resting for two to four minutes between sets, performing each movement slowly. Given that strength training breaks down your muscle fibres before they repair themselves and grow back stronger (this is called hypertrophy) and rest facilitates this process, you’ll also need to schedule one full rest day between each session.
4. You're not eating enough, or eating the right macros
Think about how you fuel your sessions, too. To benefit from weight training, your body needs moderate carbs for energy expenditure, and high protein (about 30% of your daily caloric intake) for muscle building and recovery.
5. You're training fasted
If you’re already feeling fatigued, you should certainly avoid fasted training; research shows that eating before exercise could improve aerobic performance, meaning you’ll be able to go for longer without flagging. Try a fast-release carb such as a banana, about 20 to 30 minutes before hitting the gym, and see how your energy fares.
Workout inspiration:
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