Exercise training provides a wide range of physiological benefits that help maintain cardiovascular health. Although most people acknowledge the benefits of exercise, many people do not exercise, often due to the time commitment involved in regular training. A recent review describes the cardiovascular benefits associated with short-duration high-intensity interval training.

High-intensity interval training, often referred to as HIIT, is a popular form of exercise involving short bursts of intense aerobic exercise interspersed with periods of rest or lower-intensity exercise. A classic example of HIIT is combining sprints (high-intensity) with jogging (low-intensity). During a typical HIIT session, exercisers typically achieve 80 to 100 percent of their VO2max (a measure of respiratory function) or maximum heart rate. Most HIIT workouts are brief, lasting just 15 to 30 minutes.

An abundance of research has demonstrated that short bouts of HIIT improves cardiorespiratory fitness, metabolic function, and body composition, among other effects, even in the absence of clinically significant weight loss. The mechanisms that drive these effects are thought to be related to improvements in muscle tissues' oxidative capacity, enhanced insulin response, and improvements in heart function (specifically, left ventricle ejection fraction) and vascular compliance (an indicator of blood vessel elasticity and storage capacity).

Short bouts of HIIT elicit many of the same health benefits that longer bouts of HIIT or traditional forms of exercise (sometimes to a greater extent) and are considered safe, even for inactive people. The authors of the review posit that such types of activity offer a means to improve cardiometabolic health in inactive people, requiring little time commitment and modest effort.

• Link to study abstract.

• Watch this clip in which Tim Ferriss discusses his HIIT routine.