Metafit, the HIIT workout that trains you like a soldier

A snackable session, to be consumed in half an hour, but so intense that in a few weeks it manages to reshape the physiognomy of the body: this is it Metafita regime of HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) trainingwith influences from the military world, which comes from England and was designed to boost the metabolism in a short time, with high-intensity, equipment-free exercises alternating with recovery sessions with activities inspired by Pilates and functional training.

They were the ones who created it Renata Perini, Metafit Master Trainer and founder together with David Melton, with the technical direction of Justin Corcoranformer military trainer of special commandos, who added that touch of military discipline, which focuses the mind on the objective, learning not to waste energy.

Metafit is not new in the world of fitness worldwide, but it is in Italy, where it is still a little-known type of training, «but we are training more and more trainers. In fact, ours is a specialization that can be added to those who already have a degree in physical education or already have a qualification as a personal trainer – explains Renata Perini – Our courses cannot be followed independently online, but only in person: it is in fact necessary that the coach tari training tailored to the client, in order to avoid overloads of work that the body cannot bear”.

Present during the latest edition of Rimini Wellness, we therefore asked Renata Perini how Metafit differs from other types of training and what benefits it has for psycho-physical health.

How does a Metafit workout take place?
«One lesson lasts approximately 20 minutes of intense work, plus another 10 divided into initial warm-up and final cool-down. The central moment, in which training comes to life, actually consists of old school exercisessuch as squat jumps, sprints, planks or lunges, all without equipment, free body, performed to the rhythm of music, lasting approximately 20 seconds each exercise, with some repetitions. Are approximately 8 types of exercise to class, with one final sprint in which they are repeated in bursts, to give a nice boost of energy to the participants, before stretching.”

What is the added value of the instructor?
«Exactly this: what he is trained to be more like an instructor than a coach. Its job is to bring customers to execute the technique perfectly, to the best of your ability, but encouraging you not to give up: even when it seems that the body is about to give out due to fatigue, there are mental resources that are activated, if stimulated in the right way. Here, the instructor is there for that: for study together a progressive workload based on the starting level, but once the training is planned, the aim is to discipline the mind to achieve the goal. Just like in the military world, the instructor shows the exercise once and then goes around among the course participants, to motivate and correct posture or execution».

Can everyone take part in a Metafit class?
«I had students who were in their 70s and handled every lesson very well! It really depends on the level of training a person has, but everyone can participate: from the young person who wants to shape their body, to the boy who is still in the growth and development phase, up to the adult, who wants to recover physical fitness and mental well-being.”

Speaking of psychophysical well-being, what benefits does Metafit have?
«The physical results that can be achieved in just a few weeks are incredible, but it’s not so much that, but rather the mental change: we noticed in our students that after a few weeks, they had a more positive attitude towards life, they released daily tensions more easily, negative thinking had almost disappeared. This is because when you are performing a workout of this type, in which the mind invites you to give up the shot, faced with an apparently unsustainable workload, having someone who encourages you and pushes you to move forward helps bring out unimaginable abilities; especially on a physical level, the production of dopamine and adrenaline help to release a slow-release euphoria, that lasts all day.”

How many times is it advisable to do Metafit in a week?
«It depends on everyone’s training level: 2 times per week, with an interval of at least one day between one workout and the next, is the minimum dose. The general recommendation is alternate one day of Metafit training and one of rest, to allow the body to recover.”