Hey guys! Hope everyone crushed their Mondays. I'm back today with that at-home, no equipment necessary, workout I promised you! Get pumped for some HIIT!
First off, what is HIIT? HIIT stands for high intensity interval training. That means we are getting the heart rate up HIGH in short bouts of high intensity exercise, followed by a rapid decrease in heart rate during a recovery/rest period. For today's workout, we are keeping the rest to work ratio the same, meaning you will work for 30 seconds and then rest for 30 seconds throughout the entire set of exercises. Once you complete a round, you will rest a full two minutes before starting the next round.
Why should I do HIIT? HIIT is great, because these types of workouts are short, typically 30 minutes or less. That means you are getting the most bang for your buck on time! Everyone has 30 minutes to spare, even with the busiest schedule! Plus, that high intensity effort you are putting in is helping you burn tons of calories during your short workout period, as well as keeping your metabolism high and helping you continue to burn more calories even after you finish!
Alright let's get to it! Here is today's HIIT workout. *Remember to always check with a doctor before beginning a new exercise routine! ***If you are new to exercising, I do not recommend starting with a HIIT workout. However, you could modify this workout to work at a lower intensity for 30 seconds at a time and rest as needed between movements. There are modifications to all movements listed below!
How it works + movement descriptions:
Start a timer and work for 30 seconds straight as fast as possible (This is the high intensity part, so make it count!). At the 30 second mark, stop working and rest for the next 30 seconds. Continue in this fashion until you complete all movements. Once you finish all movements, rest a full 2 minutes before beginning back at the high knees. Keep the clock running and continue moving through the circuit for 3-5 rounds.
High knees- This is essentially jogging quickly in place, while trying to raise your knees up as high as possible with each stride. Modify to a normal jog in place and/or lower your intensity on the movement.
Jumping Squats- Start with a normal squat, feet should be hip distance apart, knees should track over the toes (not past them), heels should remain flat on the ground. Keep your chest up tall and core tight, as you lower your butt back and down. After reaching the bottom of your squat, drive through the center of your foot and jump up from the ground. To modify this movement, simply perform body weight squats without the jump.
Burpees- Standing tall, lower your body completely to the ground by jumping or stepping your legs back. Lay flat on the ground at the bottom of a push-up position, and use your arms to push yourself back up, jumping or stepping your feet in towards your hands, come back to standing, and perform a jump. To modify, you can take the jumping out of the movement all together, or take the push-up portion out of the burpee. You can also perform a burpee to a raised surface like a bench or chair instead.
V-ups- Lying flat on your back with legs straight out and arms straight overhead, sit-up while simultaneously moving your legs upward to meet your hands at the top (body creates a V shape at the top). To modify this movement, perform regular sit-ups instead, or hold a 30 second plank each round in place of the v-ups.
Mountain climbers- In push-up position with back and hips remaining flat (avoid sticking your butt in the air or letting your hips sag), alternate moving your knees in towards your chest, one after the other, returning to push-up position after each rep. (See starting position below) To modify this movement, elevate your pushup position, by putting your hands on the edge of a bench. You will still alternate moving your knees up towards your chest, one at a time, returning them to the starting position each time as described above.
Let me know if you tackle this one today and what you think! Happy sweating!!