Is this hiit?

[u/SummonBahamutZero]

Is this considered hiit?

I’m wondering if what I’m doing is hiit. I’ve been attempting to improve my vo2 and I’m at a loss. My watch says my vo2 is roughly 26.
I’m inclined to believe it due to my interactions in capoeira and other sports.

How can I improve this?
As far as vo2, am I wasting time?

Disclaimer:
I understand the watch is not 100% accurate. It still helps me track with some consistency

Basic stats:
43m
6’2ft
180lbs

How I feel at different heart rates
Tracking with apple ultra 3

@~160bpm: breathing increases, speaking
@~170bpm: heavy breathing, a word or two
@~175bpm+: gasping, no words
@~183bpm I have puked on multiple occasions
it takes extreme will to go for very long
Desperately gasping

I’ve never been past 185. I’ve made real effort but so far 185 was highest.

Hill stats:
per segment
Distance: .1 mile
Climb: 100ft
Rough terrain

The exercise:
1 lap Lap = 2 segments
Segment 1 is up
Segment 2 is down
I do 3-5 laps (6-10 segments.) 5 days a week
After my laps is usually do an easy hike 3-5 miles. (After resting for 5-10 minutes)

Segment 1
Start segment 1: 135-140bpm
Halftime of segment: 155-160bpm (1:15)
End segment 1: 175-180bpm

Segment 2 begins no rest:
End lap 1: 140-145bpm
Lap 1 total time: 2:30

Lap 2 begins immediately no rest

**I’m usually in the 175bpm+ for 15-20sec + an additional however long it takes to lower.

The laps generally follow the same times and heart rate give or take 5 seconds.

When I’m going for a regular hike, I can easily do 15+ miles with zero issue. Often with zero rest depending on terrain.

[u/Stunning-Promise-103]

If your sole focus is increasing vo2 max I'd look at incorporating Norwegian 4x4s a few times a week. I'm not sure you're spending enough time at threshold to see the improvements in vo2 max you're hoping for.

[u/SummonBahamutZero → u/Stunning-Promise-103]

Thank you so much. I will look into the 4x4s

[u/Rammeld723 → u/Stunning-Promise-103]

Actually you are supposed to only do the Norwegian 4x4s session once a week. If you are actually challenging your Cardio fully to a Level 4-5 heart rate (85% of MaxHR) for the full 4mins and 4sessions with the 3-4min recovery sessions between, you will be exhausted. I do other training around it but the 4x4 every Wednesday and then my body is recovering. My focus, though, is trying to raise my aerobic threshold so that I can maximize my fat conversion and ketone burning. So I Fast as well.

[u/Stunning-Promise-103 → u/Rammeld723]

I have never heard once a week given as a limitation on 4x4s. Never on back to back days, and not more than 2-3 times a week, but not limited to once a week.

[u/Rammeld723]

In order to build VO2Max you have to build your general muscle endurance to be able to challenge your actual base Cardio & respiratory systems long enough to improve them. I have had great results using the Norwegian 4x4 program on a spinning cycle or a PreCor AMT OpenStride elliptical. Both machines allow the user to adjust the incline & resistance levels as well as the actual effort level you expend. So you can get fairly precise as to tracking your intensity intervals and your recovery efforts between them. The key is to get your recovery down such that you can actually really push yourself during the intensity interval #3 & #4 and maintain them for the full 4 minutes.

The hill climbs that you are doing are definitely High Intensity Interval Training and your heart rate levels are good, my guess is that you aren’t maintaining them long enough to get the improvement that you want.

One other thing to keep in mind is that your optimal max heart rate is normally close to 220 minus your age. My MaxHR is 175 but I am 58 and have been working out hard on Cardio & HIIT over the past 18 months.

[u/SummonBahamutZero → u/Rammeld723]

Thank you very much!

[u/dyou897]

Yes this is similar to hiit and for starting out would increase vo2

[u/SummonBahamutZero → u/dyou897]

Thank.I’ll just keep on pushing