Shadowing Practice: Dr. Stacy Sims: How To Do HIIT Without Spiking Your Cortisol - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
106 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
I think you've just split HIIT up into two broad categories.
2
EMOM or EMOM, every minute on the minute,
3
where it was kind of this four minutes of maybe not max intensity,
4
but you're working hard with these different exercises and then you're having a minute off.
5
So four minutes on, one minute off.
6
And you contrasted that with sprint interval training
7
or SIT where it's kind of 30 seconds on as hard as you can and two to three minutes off.
8
You've just been through the specific benefits of sprint interval training.
9
How does that compare to EMOM every minute on the minute?
10
Is it the same?
11
Is it similar?
12
Or are there, you know, some quite significant differences in the adaptations that we are going to get?
13
Yes.
14
So if we're looking at the HIIT interval, so high intensity.
15
Can I just pause you there, Stacey?
16
So I've got this clear in my head.
17
HIIT is the umbrella term, right?
18
Which there's many ways of doing HIIT.
19
One way of doing HIIT is sprint interval training.
20
Another way is EMOM.
21
Is that accurate?
22
B-mom is a type of workout in there.
23
High-intensity interval training is the umbrella term.
24
Sprint interval training is a subset of that umbrella term.
25
The other half of that is what people typically think of as HIIT,
26
where we are doing between one and four minutes of work at 80% to 90%
27
or an eight to nine on the scale of one to 10, and we have one to two minutes recovery between those intervals.
28
So another form of HIIT that is beneficial.
29
Yeah, okay, got it.
30
So when we look at that, it's more, you're spending more time in intensity, that's not quite as high as sprint interval.
31
So you have more of a calorie bearing, which people are concerned about for some weight loss.
32
You also are creating a greater time under stress that's going to improve mitochondrial health.
33
And we're also improving blood flow because we have more time of muscle perfusion.
34
So that means we're gonna get the impetus for building more red cell,
35
more plasma volume, and having better blood pressure control and actual change of blood flow.
36
So when we're looking at what's happening from a little bit lower intensity
37
and having more time under tension or more time under intensity,
38
it is truly a metabolic response for muscle perfusion.
39
So that means more blood flow to the muscle, more oxygen carrying capacity, more calorie burn.
40
And you're also building more lean mass in that time frame
41
because you need more muscle to be able to do the activity.
42
The other thing about that little bit lower intensity, longer duration is the post-exercise response.
43
So we look at post-exercise response.
44
This is the big thing that we hear a lot is perimenopausal, postmenopausal women shouldn't do HIIT training because it increases cortisol.
45
So there's a caveat in there.
46
If you're going to hit class, they try to fill the class up 45 to 60 minutes.
47
You can't hold proper intensity that long.
48
So you will get an increase in cortisol because cortisol is released during exercise.
49
But you won't get the post-exercise response that you need to bring it down.
50
Because in that 45 to 60 minute class, you really aren't doing high intensity work.
51
you're in moderate intensity.
52
You're in that gray zone.
53
So if I bring it back and say, we're going to do it properly, where we're doing two rounds of four minutes with one minute off,
54
and you're going to really work to maintain that intensity.
55
Post-exercise, you get a boost of growth hormone and testosterone, that drop cortisol.
56
So just like your resting heart rate starts to drop as you get fitter over three to four weeks,
57
your baseline cortisol drops over time.
58
So now you are not as sympathetically driven.
59
You can get out of that tired but wired state and have better ability to hit parasympathetic responses.
60
So this is where we have the nuance of what is
61
really high intensity interval training versus what is the fitness world projecting high intensity interval training
62
and that's why i'm like
63
when we're talking about it we have to be very specific in what
64
that intensity is and how long we're holding it
65
because a true hit class shouldn't be any more than 30
66
minutes you have a little bit of warm-up you do true intensity and recovery
67
and they have a little bit of a cool down a
68
true sprint interval session might be 10 minutes total where you
69
have a warm-up you do a couple of true intervals with the recovery
70
and a little cool down it doesn't take a lot of time
71
but they're both very powerful yeah this is great
72
because as we've already acknowledged many people many women feel time pressured and actually
73
a lot of your recommendations are very very time efficient um you know really time efficient
74
and i think there's a really interesting point
75
that i just want to highlight we're basically saying
76
that there are certain hormonal changes
77
that happen as a woman approaches menopause there are things
78
that you can do with specific forms of exercise to mitigate the effects off that.
79
One of those things is this high intensity type work.
80
But if you're not careful, you won't do it correctly and you'll end up in moderate intensity.
81
So moderate intensity is not giving you the stimuli that you are wanting from the high intensity.
82
And I guess relating to what what you just said, because I think a lot about the stress load of exercise in an already busy,
83
stressed out population.
84
I know for me, for example, and we'll probably get to zone two in just a minute,
85
one of the things I enjoy doing is doing one hour on my indoor carol bike at very low intensity.
86
I might listen to a podcast, I might prepare for a podcast, I might whatever, because I know it's a very low stress load on my system.
87
It keeps me pretty parasympathetic and doesn't drive me into sympathetic and it doesn't take me long to recover from that.
88
but what was really interesting what you said true hit true
89
high intensity although it feels very intense actually is not driving you into
90
that sympathetic overly stressed state after the workout it's helping you come down into parasympathetic into
91
that relaxation state that's a kind of critical point i think for people to understand
92
because it's this whole you know stressed out, we're tired and wired, we can't switch off.
93
High intensity is actually going to potentially help with that, isn't it?
94
Absolutely.
95
And that's the thing, that's a messaging that gets mixed up when we talk about it in the fitness world.
96
Because there's this big push for high intensity interval training, because we see that gives the best body composition outcomes.
97
But when it's not done correctly, we see so many women that get overstressed, they get injured, They maintain that tired but wired.
98
They don't see results.
99
But when you pull it back and you actually hit it hard when you need to hit it hard, recover properly from that, then hit it hard again and recover,
100
then you do get that post-exercise response because your body's like, whoa, that was a really strong stress.
101
I need to be able to overcome it.
102
So I need to repair the tissues, drop the inflammation, drop the oxidation,
103
and I need to be able to fully relax to garner that adaptation.
104
So we see women who are doing true HIIT training, then subsequently sleep better.
105
If you sleep better, then everything gets better.
106
Thank you.
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
AI PronunciationScore every sentence
IPA PracticeMaster every sound
VocabularyBuild your word bank
Vocab GameLearn while playing
📺 Same Channel
C1Why Women's Strength Training Differs From Men's After 40 #Shorts
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
C13
This Exercise Changes How Women Store Belly Fat
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
C15
Dr. Stacy Sims: The Exercise Your Brain Needs Before Perimenopause
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
C14
Why is Bone Health Important in Women? | The Diary Of A CEO
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B2Why You're Not Seeing Results (Even Eating Right) #Shorts
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
C1Are Women Undereating Carbs? Why Low Carb Backfires for Muscle, Hormones and Energy
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
C1Dr. Stacy Sims: How Much Lifting A Week? What One Study Found
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
C1Sleep, Exercise, Nutrition: The One You Can't Get Wrong #Shorts
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B2Dr. Stacy Sims: The Weekly Workout Plan Women Need After 35
Business EnglishWorking Adults
C1Dr. Stacy Sims: Women don't respond to Zone 2 training the same way men do
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
C1Dr. Stacy Sims: Why She Can't Lose Weight Eating Like Her Husband
Business EnglishWorking Adults
✨ Recommend Video
C12
508 sentences
Essentials: How to Assess & Improve All Aspects of Your Fitness | Dr. Andy Galpin
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
C122
40 sentences
Doing Hard Things Rewires Your Brain | Mel Robbins #shorts
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
C13
264 sentences
Simple Science to Burn Fat Like a Pro
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
C1174
17 sentences
How exercise benefits your body
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B21
154 sentences
Why You Can't Focus: Is It ADHD or Just Stress?
American AccentBusiness EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
C120
38 sentences
Tools to Set Your Cortisol Rhythm
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
C118
160 sentences
Stop Walking 10,000 Steps/Day (do this for 10 minutes instead)
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
C11
153 sentences
In 9 minutes, you’ll understand breathwork better than 99% of the planet
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
C111
257 sentences
Move Like This After Eating (It Changes Everything)
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
C12
188 sentences
I wish I'd learned this mental exercise in medical school
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
C12
132 sentences
The Best Full UPPER BODY Workout For Max Muscle Growth (Science Applied)
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This C1 speaking lesson is built on the video “Dr. Stacy Sims: How To Do HIIT Without Spiking Your Cortisol”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: intensity, interval, training, Hiit, exercise. This video has 106 sentences and 1292 words to shadow. The speech runs for 9:07. The speaker talks at a steady 142 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 83% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| interval noun | /ˈɪntɚvəl/ | A distance in space. |
| sprint noun | /spɹɪnt/ | A short race at top speed. |
| cortisol noun | /ˈkoɹ.tɪˌsɔl/ | A glucocorticoid steroid hormone produced by the adrenal cortex that mediates various metabolic processes (such as gluconeogenesis), has anti-inflammatory and… |
| distress noun | /dɪˈstɹɛs/ | Physical or emotional discomfort, suffering, or alarm, particularly of a more acute nature. |
| parasympathetic adjective | /ˌpɛɹ.ə.sɪm.pəˈθɛt.ɪk/ | Of or relating to the part of the autonomic nervous system that inhibits or opposes the effects of the sympathetic nervous system. It consists of nerves… |
| umbrella noun | /ʌmˈbɹɛl.ə/ | A cloth-covered frame used for protection against rain or sun. |
| perfusion noun | /pəɹˈfjuʒən/ | The act of perfusing, the passage of fluid through the circulatory system. |
| calorie noun | /ˈkæləɹi/ | A non-SI unit of energy, equivalent to 4.184 kilojoules, that can raise the temperature of a kilogram of water by one degree Celsius. This is the unit normally… |
| sympathetic adjective | /ˌsɪm.pəˈθɛt.ɪk/ | Of, related to, feeling, showing, or characterized by sympathy. |
| adaptation noun | /ˌæd.æpˈteɪ.ʃən/ | The process of adapting something or becoming adapted to a situation; adjustment, modification. |
| workout noun | /ˈwɝk.aʊ̯t/ | An exercise session; a period of physical exercise. |
| caveat noun | /ˈkæviɑt/ | A warning. |
| hormonal adjective | /hɔɹˈmoʊnəl/ | Pertaining to hormones. |
| impetus noun | /ˈɪm.pə.təs/ | Anything that impels; a stimulating factor. |
| injure verb | /ˈɪn.d͡ʒɚ/ | To wound or cause physical harm to a living creature. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| cool down verb | /kuːl ˈdaʊn/ | To become cooler; to be reduced in temperature. |
| stress out verb | To become stressed. | |
| warm up verb | /ˌwɔː(ɹ)m ˈʌp/ | To become warmer. |
| get out of verb | To leave, exit or escape from; to become free of. | |
| mix up verb | To mix or blend thoroughly and completely. | |
| switch off verb | To stop or disable a device by turning a switch or a lever. |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 40 contractions and reduced forms, such as we're, you're, doesn't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: parasympathetic /ˌpɛɹ.ə.sɪm.pəˈθɛt.ɪk/, sympathetic /ˌsɪm.pəˈθɛt.ɪk/, sympathetically /sɪmpəˈθɛtɪk(ə)li/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: perfusion /pəɹˈfjuʒən/, adaptation /ˌæd.æpˈteɪ.ʃən/, oxidation /ɒksɪˈdeɪʃ(ə)n/, relaxation /rᵻˌlækˈseɪ.ʃən/, inflammation /ɪnfləˈmeɪ̯ʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: parasympathetic /ˌpɛɹ.ə.sɪm.pəˈθɛt.ɪk/, sympathetic /ˌsɪm.pəˈθɛt.ɪk/, adaptation /ˌæd.æpˈteɪ.ʃən/, mitochondrial /ˌmaɪ.təˈkɑːn.dɹi.əl/, oxidation /ɒksɪˈdeɪʃ(ə)n/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like interval, sprint, cortisol.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.