Walk, sprint, walk, spring

[Songwriter]

The nearest gym is 30 miles away. I like to walk and take tough hikes in the hills, too. Pretty good workout. I keep reading about HIIT. I have a place I can go (that is flat, though) and it's 2 miles one way, 2 miles back. Clean air in the country! Could I simple walk, sprint, repeat? How far do you go with each?

Any other simple exercise program one could do without belonging to a gym?

I do it to slim down / keep slim and also because I feel better with exercise, plus the vanity factor... looking better with a trim physique.

Maybe I can find a book at the libary like Slow Burn.

[nole1984]

The place you describe sounds great... My bro -in-law, ex football player has my sister doing exactly what you described and she has lost 20 pounds since the first of the year and she only has 15 more to goal. How about some exercise tapes or DVD's , no high school track around?

[Songwriter]

There is a track here, yes, but I'd rather go to the country. Nobody out there except me and the coyotes and hawks and deer.

Problem is, I have no clue what to do. Like, how far or how long to sprint and how far or how long to walk.

[Rachel1]

I've heard short intervals are best .... 20 seconds sprinting and 10 seconds resting (standing still), repeat 8 times. Well, obviously that won't take you the full four miles, but it may be worth a shot a few times a week. The routine is called "tabata" - try Googling it, if you're interested. It's a HIIT routine.

I'm thinking of trying it myself, if I can get up the nerve - I'm not much of an athlete.

Rachel

[Songwriter]

The routine is called "tabata" - try Googling it, if you're interested. It's a HIIT routine. I'm thinking of trying it myself, if I can get up the nerve - I'm not much of an athlete.

Thanks, Rachel, this is exactly the type of info I seek. Never heard of this one but wow, this looks interesting. I like saving time, that's for sure. I am going to ease into it as recommended toward the end of the article below.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1608/is_5_20/ai_n6011850

I read another article that said you could do this with push-ups, chin-ups, squats, sit-ups. Any exercise that you can do full-out till exhaustion.