Did you know that certain types of exercises can create an “afterburn” effect that continues boosting metabolism for hours after exercising? Want to know how to achieve it? Club Name, the best gym in Tokyo, believes that knowledge is power — and we continually challenge our members to learn about body mechanics and fitness. Read on to discover how high intensity interval training (HIIT) launches your metabolism to higher levels of performance! HIIT and Afterburn The afterburn effect is more accurately described as “excess post-exercise oxygen consumption.” The basic idea is that after certain types of exercise, such as HIIT or rigorous circuit training, the body’s metabolism increases to replace energy burned during exercise. The advantage of the afterburn effect is that you keep burning fat for up to several hours after your workout is complete – even when sitting in front of the computer! Better yet, HIIT workouts generally take less time (and burn more calories) than standard cardio or strength training workouts. Less time for better results? That’s a win! How Afterburn Works When you perform a HIIT workout, your heart rate goes up near its maximum level. The surest sign is breathing hard; that’s because you’re burning so much energy in a short burst that you are depleting blood oxygen to fuel your muscles. And since that is insufficient to fuel such intense activity, your muscles tap into quick energy sources already stored in your muscles. Between sets and for hours after working out, your heart rate remains elevated as your body pumps oxygen to muscles. Your heart is the strongest muscle in your body, and as long as it’s pumping hard, you’re burning tons of calories. In addition, the blood-borne oxygen is being used to break down fat and turn it into energy to be stored in your muscles.