The acronym "HIIT" stands for "High-Intensity Interval Training." It is an interval programmer that alternates a short period of high-intensity exercise with a period of less intense rest till fatigue.
This is not a workout for the faint of heart. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) should be approached with prudence. If you're just starting out on your fitness adventure, this workout is a good place to start because it can be tailored to any "body" type. Once you've mastered the format, it's one of the greatest methods to incorporate into your weekly regimen.
Benefits of HIIT
Including HIIT workouts at home in your regimen has numerous advantages. It is the most effective technique to increase your metabolism, shed pounds, gain strength, save time, and make constant progress on your fitness quest.
When you are limited on time at home or while traveling, adding a 10 to 20-minute bodyweight HIIT workout to your week is useful. To get quick results and avoid wasting time, activities should be flexible to your fitness level, daily needs, and current life scenarios.
What to Expect While Performing a HIIT Workout
Any workout program will raise your heart rate, therefore if you have been out of shape for a while, always see your doctor before beginning any fitness program. It is also advisable to begin slowly and gradually increase your endurance.
If you're just getting started, your rest period may be a little longer at first, but with time and consistency, you'll get stronger, allowing you to endure shorter rest periods and more intervals at a higher intensity. Expect to give your all for the first few intervals.
Keep in mind that this is your fitness journey, and everyone's experience will be unique. The most essential thing is to meet yourself where you are and to be consistent so that you can start to see benefits.
Let's get started.
30-Minute HIIT Workout
Here's a simple 30-minute HIIT workout that you can perform anywhere, at any time. Maintain good form throughout the program by moving at a tempo appropriate for your fitness level, and always begin and conclude with a stretch.
To assess my intensity, I use the RPE scale, which stands for Rate of Perceived Exertion. If you do not have a heart-rate monitor, this scale will help you determine when you should reduce or raise your intensity.
How do you feel on a scale of 1 to 10? 1 implies extremely light effort with a regular breathing rhythm, and 10 means all-out peak effort where you can't hold a conversation. Throughout the video, I will share recommendations and tweaks to assist you in adjusting your levels as needed.
This at-home HIIT workout will consist of one circuit of five exercises with three rounds each, 35 seconds of effort, and 10 seconds of recovery. After each round, take a 30-second to 1-minute break.
Begin each session with a dynamic warm-up to prepare the body for more strenuous movements. Once you've mastered each exercise's technique, challenge your body by adding another set and increasing your speed.
5-Minute Dynamic Warm-Up
With this 5-minute active warm-up, you'll reduce muscle tension while increasing flexibility and mobility around the joints.
(1 x 10 repetitions per move)
1. JUMPING JACKS
Place your feet together and your arms by your sides. Simultaneously, hop your feet apart and raise your arms overhead. Jump your feet back together and lower your arms. Rep until the target number of reps is reached.
2. HAMSTRING CROSSOVERS
Start at the far end of your mat. Cross your right leg over your left, bowing or folding forward from the hip crease and reaching for your toes. Rep on the opposite side, walking to the right. Return to your feet and repeat five times while walking left.
3. WALKING QUADRICEPS
Face forward from the back of your mat. Bend your right knee and take hold of the top of your right foot, pushing your heel to your glutes. Move your hips forward until you feel a stretch at the front of your thigh. Alternate with your left foot and complete five reps on each side.
4. WALKOUTS WITH LOW LUNGE HIP STRETCH
Place yourself at the rear of your mat. Sweep your arms up overhead and inhale. Exhale, then fold forward towards your toes. Walk out to a high plank position. Bring your right foot up to the outside of your right pinky toe. Keep your left hand on the ground and extend your right arm straight up into the sky. Twist. Return to the plank by lowering the right arm. Change to the left side. Return to the plank and walk your hands back to your feet. Return to standing and repeat.
5. CAT-COW
Get down on your hands and knees. Inhale, raise your gaze, and lower your belly to the mat, forming a gently arched back. Exhale, tuck the chin, pull the belly in, circle the spine five times, and repeat.
6. T-SPINE
Continue to be on your hands and knees. Put your right hand behind your back. Twist your body from the right elbow to the left thumb. Rep 10 times more, then switch sides.
7. BEAR CRAWL TO DOWN DOG
Tuck your toes under and stay on your hands and knees. Lift your knees an inch off the ground. Inhale to prepare, then exhale as you straighten your legs and elevate your hips to form an inverted "V." To feel the stretch in your calves and hamstrings, peddle your feet, bending one knee first, then the other.
HIIT Exercises
Here are some HIIT exercises you may practice at home. Remember to rest for 30 seconds to one minute after each cycle.
1. SQUAT WITH KICK
Start by standing with your feet slightly wider than your hips and your toes pointed out. While keeping your core engaged and your chest proud, proceed to engage your glutes and sit your hips back and down as if you were sitting in a chair. Continue to engage your glutes and legs as you drive through your feet to stand. Maintain balance on your left leg while kicking your right foot out. Assume you're breaking down a door. Squat down again for 35 seconds, then switch sides.
2. HIGH PLANK SHOULDER TAP TO PUSH-UP
Begin in the position of a High Plank. Lift the right hand to the left shoulder while keeping the core firm. Replace it and repeat on the other side. Alter three times per side, then finish with three push-ups. Repeat this pattern until 35 seconds have passed.
3. LATERAL LUNGE TO SINGLE-LEG HOP
Begin by stepping to the right with your right foot. Maintaining a straight left leg, bend towards the right knee and sit the hips back and down. Return to the starting position, step the right foot up, and hop on the left foot, driving the right knee to the chest. Repeat for 35 seconds before switching sides.
4. SIDE PLANK REACH THROUGH
Begin in a side plank position, placing your weight on your left elbow and elevating your lower body off the ground. Assemble your shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles. Raise your right arm straight up into the air. Bring your right arm down and underneath your body, forming a twist. Untwist it and raise it to the skies. After 35 seconds, switch sides.
5. SINGLE LEG KNEE DRIVE
Support your weight with your right leg while extending your left leg to the side. Raise your arms and bend your right knee. Simultaneously, bend your arms at your sides and bring your left knee in towards your chest, then straight out to the side. Continue in this manner for the next 35 seconds, then switch sides. Move at a pace that is appropriate for your level of fitness.
Takeaways
Home HIIT workouts are an excellent complement to your weekly routine for increasing your fitness level and changing your body composition. Increasing the intensity as you go will give you the confidence to keep going.
Listen to your body to choose what is best for you, and be aware of your limitations. The more devoted you are to incorporating these workouts into your program, the sooner you will notice the benefits.
