HIIT is on course to become a recognised sport in 2020

Although HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) has been around for a while, but it feels like the workout regime is undergoing a seismic shift of late.

An increasing number of gyms are adding HIIT classes to their schedules. And even more open-air bootcamps use HIIT to blast the body.

It’s easy to see why the participant numbers have swelled. It’s fun, quick and, importantly, it works. But the biggest indicator that HIIT is about to become huge is that global sportswear brands are suddenly making gear for it.

Serious workout

As we alluded to when Reebok recently announced its HIIT range of clothing and footwear there’s a big chance it will turn into a legit sport. You just have to look at Crossfit as the example.

Reebok came in with its apparel and sponsorship and Crossfit was a sporting juggernaut. Millions tune in online to watch the competition finals, and millions more are out copping the Reebok branded clothing to get involved.

A day after the news broke, Nike announced its Super Rep sneaker. The footwear is supportive and comfortable enough to handle the rigours of the intense workouts, and thus the war for “owning” HIIT began.

The real battle will be to see which sports brand can put the pieces together and build a unifying competition element. Right now, working fast with maximum effort is about as complex as it gets with HIIT, so some rules for a tournament will have to be drawn up.

The perfect storm is building. With its growing popularity and sportswear giants looking to capitalise, it’s surely only a matter of time before HIIT sprints towards becoming a recognised sport.