High-intensity interval training (HIIT), also known as burst training, is becoming a preferred fitness routine for busy individuals that want strong, toned muscles and good cardiovascular health without the investment of hours spent at the gym. Marcy Hess, who recently moved The Perfect 10 Strength Training studio to The French Quarter condominium community in Olde Naples, has been ahead of this recent fitness trend, which helps the body to burn fat better and faster.

Hess, who opened her first HIIT studio in Naples in 2005, has been personally training individuals how to use the six pieces of fitness equipment designed to build and maintain lean muscle. “A chest press works the pectorals and triceps. The pull-down machine works the muscles in the shoulders and back, as well as the biceps and triceps. A leg press works all leg muscles, while the abdominal machine works the abs more effectively than crunches, and without injury. The lower lumbar machine works the low back muscles that cannot be worked on any other equipment or using free weights. The neck machine strengthens the neck muscles to reduce tightness and tension in the upper back and shoulders,” explains Hess, who uses her degrees in health education, nutrition and exercise physiology to counsel clients regarding their diet and lifestyle.

Although do-it-yourself individuals might easily couple four to eight minutes of high intensity exercise with one or two minutes of active recovery time by sprinting up hills or stair steps, Hess has found that teaming up with a personal trainer produces better and faster results. “Exercise works best when it’s done properly,” she advises. “A certified personal trainer lends the benefit of accountability, shows you how to exercise correctly and observes your movements to make sure you are building lean muscle without physical injury. Leaner muscle requires more oxygen and helps the cardiovascular system work at its peak performance, 24/7. The more lean muscle you have, the more calories you burn and the leaner the body becomes,” advises Hess.

Hess’s quick and convenient 20-minute workout is intense. “Some people see and feel the difference quickly,” notes Hess, adding that HIIT is also good for building bone density. She cites an example of one 60-year-old client diagnosed with osteopenia, a condition in which bone density is significantly lower than normal. After several months of HIIT exercise, she returned to her physician and was informed that her condition had significantly improved.

“HIIT on my equipment, which was developed for elite athletes, also works well to rehabilitate muscles and to improve flexibility and balance,” comments Hess.

The Perfect 10 Strength Training is located at 501 Goodlette Rd. N., Ste. C 208, in Naples. For more information, call 239-231-6028 or visit ThePerfect10StrengthTraining.com.