If you’re pressed for time, and want a calorie-burning, butt-busting, metabolism-boosting workout fit for a true fanatic try HIIT. High-Intensity Interval Training incorporates repeated sets of higher-than-usual-intensity sets immediately followed by short spans of recovery time, and has been found to be quite effective at burning more calories even after you’re finished exercising (we call that a bonus!).
Step 1: Warm Up
Before any exercise, we know stretching is important. It’s especially so with HIIT since you will be exerting those muscles at high intensity. After five minutes of stretching, add in a few of these simple warm-ups to get the blood flowing and your body ready for HIIT.
JOG IN PLACE – 30 seconds
You got this one, right?
HIGH KNEES – 30 seconds
High knees combine a typical running motion with exaggerated knee lifts.
BUTT KICKS – 30 seconds
Stand with your feet placed shoulder-width apart. Contract your glutes, jump up, then bring your heels up to your butt. And then back again.
JUMPING JACKS – 30 seconds
Gym class circa middle school. You’re on it.
Do one cycle of each, and then repeat.
Step 2: HIIT It!
This is the workout to get you revved up and pumped up. It will get your body to a state where it’s burning through calories faster than you can scoop that ice cream into your mouth! (Yes, we’re watching.)
REVERSE LUNGES x 20 reps total
Like a lunge, but in reverse.
STANDING TORSO ROTATION x 20 reps total
Twist your torso from one side and back again. Holding a medicine ball can help focus. *No ball? No problem! Using your body weight is very effective.
SIDE SHUFFLE to RIGHT and LEFT x 20 reps total
Your feet should be a little wider than shoulder-width apart. Next, bend your knees and then shuffle to the right and touch your right foot with right hand. Repeat on the other side.
SQUATS x 10-15 reps
If you don’t know squats, we’re sending you back to Go!
REACH UP and FORWARD FOLD x 10-15 reps
Adding a little yoga into the routine keeps you limber.
TRAVELING TWISTING LUNGE x 15 reps total
This incorporates a torso rotation with a lunge. We know you got this. *No ball? No problem! Using your body weight is very effective.
HIGH KNEES x 20 reps total
See above. Haven’t you been paying attention?
Step 3: Cool Down/Stretch
You’ll want to make sure you schedule in some cool-down time, so your body can readjust to your regular day-to-day. Plan on approximately 10 minutes, and we suggest:
INCH WORM x 10 reps
Like a plank, but you’re “inching” forward and back.
SIDE LUNGE x 10 reps total
A lunge to… can you guess? The side! So smart!
STATIC SIDE LUNGE STRETCH 1-2 minutes on each side
Static means you keep the pose still. No movement.
STANDING FORWARD FOLD 1-2 minutes
See above.
STANDING CAT for 30 seconds and STANDING COW for 30 seconds
There’s that yoga again!
STANDING HIP FLEXOR STRETCH 1-2 minutes on each side
We think it’s best you look at a video for this explanation.
STANDING CHEST OPENER STRETCH 1-2 minutes
Stretch your arms out to your sides, and then back while pushing your chest forward.
