The health and fitness industry’s love of high intensity interval training (HIIT) is unlikely to abate any time soon, according to industry pioneer Phillip Mills, who says its ethos makes it the ideal fit for modern lifestyles.

Consumer demand for HIIT has been huge in recent years, but despite the cyclical nature of trends, the Les Mills CEO believes the training will enjoy further longevity, citing the popularity of Les Mills’ HIIT-themed GRIT classes as a prime example.

“HIIT is going absolutely insane for us and it’s all people seem to want at the moment,” he told Health Club Management at a recent briefing.

“I think it’s likely to stick around. It’s time efficient, delivers great results and poses a really intense workout that seems to motivate people – it almost gives class participants bragging rights.”

Pointing out the drastic shifts in fitness thinking, Mills noted that, historically, HIIT has been frowned upon as a training method. Mills recalled the dogmatic school of thought prevalent in the 1980s – that working at high intensity was wrong as you can only burn fat working at low intensity – as an example of how much the industry has since progressed.

“If you want a great physique – you want to do HIIT,” he added. “It’s great for our physiology to be carrying out a wide range of different movements. And participants are not just burning fat – they’re also getting a huge hit of hormones.”