What’s going to be the hottest fitness trend of 2014? According to the American College of Sports Medicine, it’s going to be high-intensity interval training (HIIT).

HIIT workouts involve short bursts of intense exercise followed by short recovery periods. A HIIT workout can include a variety of exercises—such as sprints, bodyweight exercise, plyometrics, weight training, and more. If you’ve ever suffered through a Tabata workout, you’re familiar with HIIT.

Why the sudden surge in popularity? Because it works. HIIT workouts are effective—they can supercharge your metabolism, get you fit faster, and transform your body. Think less time, more results.

Of course, this type of exercise isn’t for everyone. HIIT is incredibly intense and challenging—which means it carries a higher risk for injury. The best candidates for this type of workout already have a solid fitness base.

HIIT isn’t just trendy—there’s a lot of science behind it. Researchers from Colorado State University have found that HIIT boosts metabolic rate, resulting in as many as 200 extra calories burned in the next 24 hour—from only 150 seconds of intense exercise. What’s more, HIIT may be good for your brain. Researchers from the Montreal Heart Institute found that people scored significantly higher on cognition tests and boosted their brain oxygenation after doing just two HIIT workouts a week for four months.

If you’re already active and fit and want to see results fast, then you might want to try HIIT. You’ll work hard—extremely hard—but you’ll also see bigger results in less time. In fact, most HIIT workouts take less than 30 minutes.

Because HIIT produces such solid results, this “trend” is probably here to stay.

Want to try HIIT, but don’t know where to start? Our trainers can help! Sign up for a private session or a clinic and get ready to work hard and see results!