Hello friends!
So I know far too well just how hard it can be to find a workout style that truly works and gets you the results you desire. I’ve tried A LOT of different workout styles and only one has really changed the game. That’s why today I want to talk about HIIT, or High Intensity Interval Training. It is by far my favorite type of exercise! If you are serious about reaching your fitness goal, HIIT is definitely worth a try! There are so many benefits to HIIT workouts and I’ve got some awesome examples and options to get you started!
But first, what is HIIT?
HIIT is High Intensity Interval Training and it has become very popular these days. And for a good reason. HIIT burns more calories in less time than other cardio workouts. This type of workout comes in many forms. It generally is designed in a circuit training format. HIIT features periods of intense effort and all out work, followed by short periods of rest.
5 benefits of High Intensity Interval Training
This way of working out has sooo many benefits! Though there are many to chose from, I’ve got some important ones listed here.
1. HIIT burns a whole lot of calories in a much shorter amount of time.
Interval training is the most efficient way to exercise. Rather than spend hours on the treadmill, you can burn more calories in 20-30 minutes of HIIT easily! With high intensity training your heart and lungs are working harder and need time to recover. Raising and lowering you heart rate makes you burn way more calories because it requires more energy (and calories) to constantly challenge your heart than steady state cardio where your heart rate stays more or less the same. A HIIT workout keeps your body guessing so that you put in more effort and get better results in a shorter amount of time!
2. HIIT causes EPOC and boosts metabolism.
EPOC, or excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, is the state where your body continues to burn calories long after your workout has ended! It can sometimes be called “afterburn” and happens during HIIT and resistance training. EPOC occurs because your body takes time to recover after intense exercise and your metabolism and oxygen consumption are still running high. The body needs time to cool down and refuel it energy stores. This excess calorie burning can go for as long as 16-24 hours after your workout has ended!
3. HIIT can help balance your blood sugar and can support cardiovascular health.
High intensity interval training also has some really important health benefits worth mentioning. HIIT has been said to help balance blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity. Controlling insulin levels is crucial to weight loss and fitness. High insulin levels encourage your cells to store blood sugar, which happens in the form of fat. If your insulin levels are constantly high, your body is forced to store more and more fat. HIIT helps you use that blood sugar for energy rather than be stored.
High intensity workouts also help support heart health. HIIT increases oxygen consumption and lowers blood pressure. Also the weight loss associated with HIIT can reduce risk of heart disease.
4. HIIT can be done anytime, anywhere and requires no equipment.
The great thing about HIIT is that it makes it so easy to get a workout in! You don’t need any equipment; no dumbbells or weight machines, just your own bodyweight. This means when you’re pressed for space or time or you’re traveling, you are able to easily fit in a workout and then go about your day. HIIT workouts are such an effective and efficient way to work out that there are really no excuses not to exercise. If you’ve got 20 minutes and the space of a yoga mat, you can workout anytime, anywhere!
5. HIIT is way more fun than steady state exercises and is perfect for anyone that needs a challenge.
Steady state exercise can get boring real fast. Spending an hour on the treadmill or elliptical is very uninspiring and just the thought of it can drain your motivation to work out. With HIIT those days are gone! You can literally do a new workout every day and never get tired of doing it. There is so much versatility when it comes to high intensity workouts. Whether you use equipment or your own bodyweight, HIIT workouts in come so many forms. This is perfect for anyone who is tired of the monotony and need a real challenge. There are so many different program options, so many different challenging routines, and so much variation to choose from. There is no better way to challenge yourself and get the most out of your workout than with HIIT!
My Top 3 Programs for HIIT Workouts
Now that you know how valuable HIIT can be to your fitness routine, you may be wondering where to start. Not to worry, friends, because I have three fitness programs for you to try. I still use all of them and they provide a lot of variety and cater to a different fitness levels.
Fitness Blender
Fitness Blender is the site that first introduced me to HIIT workouts. Created by husband and wife team Kelli and Daniel, the site offers over 500 videos featuring many styles of workouts. They have tons of HIIT videos that have a wide range of difficulty and length of time. I love this site because it is so well-rounded. You can do a different workout every day and never get bored!
Fitness Blender has some amazing routines that are super effective and leave me dripping after a short period of time. But my favorites are the 1000 calorie workouts that turn up the heat and bring out the athlete in me. Check below to try my favorite 1000 calorie workout.
The best thing about Fitness Blender is that all the workouts on the site are completely FREE. They are available on their website or YouTube and can be accessed anywhere. They also have workout plans which you can pay for that provide a schedule of daily workouts to fit your needs and take the guess work out of picking routines.
Though they have many workouts that incorporate weights and other equipment, most of their routines are body weight workouts that require no equipment at all. All you need a space the size of a yoga mat and you are ready to go!
Overall, Fitness Blender is an amazing resource if you are new to HIIT and need a place to start. Check below try out my favorite videos today!
Insanity
If you’re looking for the ultimate challenge, look no further! Insanity is the best program to really test your limits and push you out of your comfort zone. The Insanity program is pure HIIT like you’ve never experienced before and can truly transform your physical fitness.
Shaun T has created an amazing program where you are your own competition. It is a 60 day program that provides several videos to do throughout the week. Let me be clear: this is not for the faint of heart. Insanity is HARD. But that’s the beauty of it! You are constantly pushing yourself and you will have the results to prove it.
Insanity is the perfect way to reshape your body and get in the best shape of your life. You can tell just how challenging it is by watching the people in the video doing it with you. They are all struggling and dripping with sweat, which shows just how difficult this program can be.
The great thing about Insanity is that there are two levels to choose from. The first level is VERY difficult to be sure. However, on the off chance that it becomes easy for you or you are looking to turn up the heat, there is a second level that really lights your muscles on fire. I’ve stuck to the first level so far and still keep going back because the burn is just too good!
Though it’s not free, Insanity is a great resource because you get a fun, effective workout every time you do it and you will most likely never get bored with it. It is great to do the fit test every month or so to see just how much your strength and endurance have changed. It truly is a great program and if you really put your all into it every time, you will have amazing results.
Tone It Up
I gotta say it: I LOVE TONE IT UP!! The sheer variety of the workout styles is amazing and I want everyone to know about it! But….let me back track…Tone It Up is a fitness company founded by best friends and trainers Karena Dawn and Katrina Scott. Tone It Up is more than just a fitness program; it is a community of like-minded women with a common goal of becoming their best selves.
The TIU program provides everything you need to begin your fitness journey. It features the Tone It Up Nutrition Plan that provides all the guidelines and recipes that take the guess work out of healthy eating. As a member I can tell you that having the plan has helped change my relationship with food completely.
But the cornerstone of why I love Tone It Up so much has got to be the Studio Tone It Up fitness app! Hundreds of workouts at your fingertips so that you never get bored! It caters to all styles of workouts and is perfect for those who like variety. The workouts vary in length and intensity, so that you can mix and match your favorite routines every day. The Studio features a lot of different trainers and workout styles and they are constantly adding more and more workouts to the app.
Of all their workouts, my favorites are the HIIT routines (surprise surprise) because they are soooo much fun! There are so many to choose from, taught by several different trainers so that your workouts are always new and exciting. TIU is definitely the best thing to happen to my fitness journey. Whether you use weights, booty bands or just bodyweight, Studio Tone It Up is all you need! Though it is not free, it is cheaper than most gym memberships and is worth every penny!
So are you’re ready to start ASAP? If you’re ready to begin pushing yourself to new limits, then check out 20 of my favorite HIIT workouts that you can do TODAY!
20 HIIT workouts you can try today!
1. StairMaster HIIT workout
30-45 minutes of interval training on the StairMaster: 60-90 second sprint followed by 30 second slower paced rest.
2. Click here for the Fitness Blender video Brutal HIIT Workout Game: Fat Burning Ladder, Pyramid and Tabata HIIT at Home!
3. Quick HIIT
60 seconds of Burpees
10 seconds rest
60 seconds of Jump lunges
10 seconds rest
60 seconds of Mountain climbers
10 seconds rest
60 seconds of Jump Squats
Repeat for a total of 3-5 rounds
4. Click here for the Tone It Up video Hump Day HIIT!!
5. Quick HIIT
60 seconds of burpees with tricep push-up
10 seconds rest
60 seconds of skater jumps
0 seconds rest
60 seconds of plank jacks
10 seconds rest
Repeat for a total of 3-5 rounds
6. Click here the Tone It Up video Totally Toned Workout ~ HIIT + Sculpting!
7. Tabata Circuit Training
Do each exercise for 20 seconds and rest 10 between exercise. Do each round 2 times.
Round 1
Burpees
Jumping squats
Bicycle crunches
Jumping jacks
Walking plank
Pop squats
Round 2
Ski abs
Sumo squats
Suicides
Russian twists
Globe jumps
One two three Heisman
Round 3
Butt kicks
Push-ups
High knees
Jumping lunges
Jack knife sit-ups
Mountain climbers
8. Click here for the Fitness Blender video Fat Burning HIIT Cardio Workout!
9. Treadmill Intervals
30-45 minutes of interval training on the treadmill: 60-90 second sprint followed by 60 second jog/walk rest.
10. Click here for the Tone It Up video BOBBY CALL HIIT Couples Routine!
11. 10 Minute HIIT
Mountain Climbers- 45 seconds
Rest- 15 seconds
Triceps Dips- 45 seconds
Rest- 15 seconds
Plank- 45 seconds
Jumping jacks- 45 seconds
Rest- 15 seconds
Crunches- 45 second
Rest- 15 seconds
Jumping Lunges- 45 seconds
Rest- 15 seconds
Burpees- 45 seconds
Rest- 15 seconds
Plank- 45 seconds
Rest- 15 seconds
Power Squats- 45 seconds
Rest- 15 seconds
Wall Sit- 45 seconds
Rest- 15 seconds
Push Ups- 45 seconds
Rest- 15 seconds
12. Let’s play cards
You’ve got 52 cards and 13 cards each suite. Draw one card at a time and do each exercise for 30 seconds.
Hearts: Burpees
Spades: Jumping Jacks
Diamonds: Squats
Clubs: Mountain Climbers (suggestion sliders)
13. Click here for the Fitness Blender video Brutal HIIT Workout – Bodyweight Only HIIT Workout to Burn Fat and Build Endurance!
14. HIIT Cardio Workout
30 Butt Kicks
30 Jump Squats
30 Push Ups
30 Jump Ropes
30 Mountain Climbers
30 Crunches
30 Burpees
30 High Knees
30 Jumping Jacks
30 Jumping Lunges
15. Click here for the Tone It Up video HIIT Workout! Bikini Series ~ Sandy Sweat!
16. HIIT Pyramid Workout
Perform each exercise (A-D) one at a time for each time interval with 10 second rest in between each interval.
A. Burpees
B. Pop Squats
C. Push Ups
D. Mountain Climbers
10 seconds
20 seconds
30 seconds
40 seconds
30 seconds
20 seconds
10 seconds
17. HIIT and Sculpt Workout
Complete each sculpting round twice for 20 reps each. Then, perform each round of cardio for 60 seconds. Complete the whole workout 2-3 times through.
1.Biceps Curls
2. Triceps Dips
3. Upright Rows
4. Shoulder Presses
Cardio round- Burpees
1.Back Lunges
2. Sumo Squats
3. Deadlifts
4. Side Lunges
Cardio round- Jumping Jacks
1. Double Crunches
2. Russian Twists
3. Push Ups
4. Bicycle Crunches
Cardio round- Jump Rope
18. Click here for the Fitness Blender video 1000 Calorie Workout for 4 Million Subscribers!
19. Challenging HIIT Workout
Round 1: Complete the following exercises for 45 seconds each:
Plank walks
Squat jumps
Sumo squat pulse
Pushups
Cardio Burst:
2 rounds of 10-second sprints
Burpees
Jump Squats
Rest for 60 seconds, then repeat the sequence three times.
Round 2: Complete the following exercises for 45 seconds each
Crisscross Mountain climbers
Side lunges
Core toe touches
Donkey kicks
Cardio Burst:
3 rounds of 10-second sprints
Burpees
Rest for 30 seconds, then repeat the sequence three times.
20. Pyramid Elliptical Workout
Perform sprints on the elliptical for the given time intervals in the pyramid with 15 seconds of rest between each interval. Complete the pyramid for 3-5 rounds.
30 seconds
60 seconds
90 seconds
2 minutes
90 seconds
60 seconds
30 seconds
So there you have it; 20 HIIT workouts you can do right NOW. You will truly enjoy pushing your body past its limits and you will find a side of yourself you didn’t know existed. The results alone will motivate you to keep going and the amazing feelings it bring will make you never want to stop. SO what are you waiting for? The warrior in you is ready to come out!
Always remember, You are capable of amazing things and You are worthy of your wildest dreams!
Until next time friends!
XOXO
~~Valerie~~
