Power your way through 20-minutes of high intensity interval training (HIIT) using the Australian protocol (00:08/00:12) and then dance your way into 20-minutes of aerobic training with some spicy choreography. HIIT & Salsa Splash with Mimi Rodriguez Adami features an optimal blend of HIIT and aerobic training for high quality fat burning.
The high intensity interval training (HIIT) protocol used in this workout is based on the Australian method of 8 seconds of work followed by 12 seconds of rest. There are four 5-minute HIIT segments, each with 15 work/recovery cycles. This is some SERIOUS HIIT training and intended for more intermediate to advanced participants. The aerobic recovery used after the HIIT training features Latin-inspired choreography broken up into four songs with an emphasis on merengue, salsa, cumbia and mambo.
HIIT & SALSA SPLASH: WORKOUT-AT-GLANCE
Warm-up
The warm-up in this workout serves the purpose of rehearsing the choreography used in the 12-second recovery segments. The choreography used in the recovery segments can then be used in the steady-state aerobic portion, which is how Mimi usually does this workout. However, in this video I asked Mimi to do her Salsa Splash choreography. Mimi was one of the original developers of the Aqua Zumba® Fitness program and I wanted to showcase her passion for Latin dance.
HIIT Training
20-minutes total time
Four HIIT segments – each 5-minutes
Each HIIT segment includes 15 cycles of 8 seconds work and 12 seconds rest (Three cycles = 1 minute)
Australian Protocol
Tabata (00:20 work and 00:10 rest) is the most widely recognized HIIT protocol, but there are many HIIT protocols to choose from. “I love experimenting with the various protocols and since I work with the same clientele in Rome every day, I make sure I vary the routines so they never get the same kind of workout more than once every 2-3 weeks,” says Mimi. As detailed in an online article in March 2013, Australian scientists at the time claimed to have discovered the exercise technique that burns the maximum amount of fat with the least amount of work. The research was performed with exercise bikes and participants had to pedal with hard sprints for 8-seconds, followed by 12 seconds of slow pedaling. The researchers claim that the subjects lost as much weight with this single hour of exercise per week as they would have with five to seven hours of jogging. Watch Mimi explain more about the Australian HIIT Protocol.
Interested in those Catecholamines? Read more about Exercise Related Hormones.
Salsa Splash Aerobic Training
Life can’t just be all about hard work and rest. There has to be time to dance and play. Mimi dances her way out of the 20-minutes of HIIT into some of her vintage Salsa Splash choreography. This segment includes four songs, each around 4:30, for a total of 18 minutes of traditional Latin dance, featuring merengue, salsa, cumbia and mambo. Mimi advises playing with the moves in the water and adapting them to whatever feels good to you in the water. “Stay big in the movements and use the arms to help with the traveling moves – and make sure you have fun,” she advises.
Note: If salsa choreography isn't your thing, consider pairing the Aussie HIIT segment with one of the shorter aerobic workouts in Workout Waves 1
Proper Depth
The salsa choreography is rather intricate and requires a healthy amount of gravity. That means you don’t want to get in water too deep. Once water crosses the area of your lungs (upper chest), the body becomes too buoyant to control movements. The best depth for this salsa portion is stomach to mid-chest. The movement is fairly dance oriented and low impact and it shouldn’t feel harsh on the joints to get a little shallower in this portion. Check out the NEW PoolFit Tips section for information on Exercising in the Proper Depth.
An American-born European living in Italy since 1975, Mimi Rodriguez Adami has been active in training fitness professionals in land and water fitness for over 35 years. She has several degrees and certifications in fitness and life coaching and loves spreading energy and joy through movement and music. Fitmotivation extends a big THANK YOU to Mimi for traveling to Florida for filming and sharing her robust passion and decades of experience. Check out Mimi’s other PoolFit video – Mimi’s IT Workout.