QUICK ANSWERS
Quick answers
Short answers to common questions about HIIT, Tabata, rounds, rest and heart rate, each with its sources
Each answer starts with the short version, then explains it, citing the studies and guidelines behind it. For the longer reads, see the guides.
- Quick answerWhat is HIIT?High-intensity interval training in plain words: what it is, what it does and how to try it
- Quick answerHow long is a Tabata workout?One block is 4 minutes. A full workout, with a warm-up and several blocks, usually takes 20 to 40
- Quick answerTabata vs HIITTabata is one kind of HIIT. Here’s how it differs from the rest, and when to pick each
- Quick answerEMOM vs AMRAPTwo of the most common workout clocks: how each one works, and when to use it
- Quick answerHow long is a boxing round?Three minutes in most boxing, with a minute of rest. Here’s how it varies, from amateur bouts to MMA
- Quick answerHow often should you do HIIT?Two or three times a week works for most people. Here’s why, and what to do on the other days
- Quick answerIs 20 minutes of HIIT enough?Short sessions work, if they’re hard enough and you do them regularly
- Quick answerDoes HIIT burn belly fat?It can help reduce belly fat, including the deeper fat around your organs, but not on its own and not only there
- Quick answerHIIT for beginnersStart with more rest than work, keep the moves simple, and let the timer do the thinking
- Quick answerHIIT over 50Intervals work at any age. Studies of people in their 60s and 70s show how to do them well
- Quick answerHow long to rest between setsThe right rest depends on your goal: here’s how long, why, and how to keep to it
- Quick answerWhat is a good heart rate recovery?How fast your heart rate drops after exercise, what’s a good number, and how to use it in your workouts
- Quick answerWhat is VO2max?The most oxygen your body can use, why it matters, and the training that raises it
- Quick answerZone 2 vs HIITEasy aerobic training or hard intervals? Most people do best with both, in the right mix
- Quick answerHow long should a warm-up be?Five to ten minutes for most workouts, longer before hard intervals, and what to do in them
- Quick answerHow to set an interval timer on iPhoneThe Clock app can’t switch between work and rest on its own. Here’s how to set real intervals in a minute
- Quick answerCan an interval timer play over your music?Keep Spotify, Apple Music or a podcast playing, and still hear every change
- Quick answerHow to start an interval timer with Siri or the Action ButtonStart a saved workout with your voice, one press or a tap on the back of your iPhone
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Cero is a timer, not a medical device. If you’re new to hard exercise, are pregnant or have a health condition, check with your doctor first, and stop if you feel unwell.