HIIT: The Ultimate Workout for Busy People

No matter how busy your lifestyle is, health and fitness is always a top priority. In addition to a healthy diet, exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. If you think keeping fit requires hours at the gym, rigorous training, and lots of fancy equipment.

You might be wrong!

HIIT or High Intensity Interval Training is a type of workout that really suits people who have very little free time.

What are HIIT workouts?

HIIT is a type of workout that combines short bursts of intense exercise with less intense recovery periods. The fast-paced HIIT workouts have been shown to burn tons of calories in a short amount of time, so you don’t need to spend hours in the gym. This exercise is also suitable for everyone, even beginners.

What will you do in a HIIT workout?

There are loads of different workouts, suitable for people at different fitness levels.

Here are two HIIT workouts you can try:

HIIT Workout 1: 3 rounds, 20 sec work, 10 sec rest (total: 10 minutes)

You can do this set in the middle of your busy schedule. The best thing is you don’t need any equipment to jump right in. Start every session with a warm up, and end with a cool-down.

1. Jab, cross, front (right-left side)Stand with the right foot in front of the left, hips facing to your left side. Bring your arms up into a boxing position. Jab (punch) forward with the right arm, then throw a “cross” punch with the left arm, letting your body rotate as your left arm crosses over your body to the right. Bring both arms into the body, and back to the starting position. Repeat on the left side.
2. Jumping jacksStart by standing upright with your feet hip-width apart and your arms at your sides. Jump your feet out while raising your arms. Repeat as fast as possible.
3. Sumo squatsStand with your feet a little more than hip-width apart, and point your toes out at a 45-degrees angle. Keep your back flat, chest upright, and your weight in your heels. Lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Push back to the start position and repeat.

HIIT Workout 1: 3 rounds, 45 seconds intervals, with a 15-second rest interval after each (total: up to 20 minutes)

1. PushupStart in a high plank position with your hands firmly placed on the ground. Ground your toes into the floor to stabilize your lower half. Lower your body (keeping your back flat and eyes focused about three feet in front of you to maintain a neutral neck) until chest grazes the floor. Don’t let your bottom dip or stick out at any point during the move, your body should remain a straight line from head to toe. Draw shoulder blades back and down, keeping elbows tucked close to your body. Keep your core engaged and exhale as you push back to starting position. Do as many reps as possible during the 45-second interval.
2. Squats
   Stand with your head facing forward and your chest held up and out. Place your feet shoulder-width apart or slightly wider. Extend your hands straight out in front of you to help keep your balance. Sit back and down like you’re sitting into an imaginary chair. Lower down so your thighs are as parallel to the floor as possible, with your knees over your ankles. Keep your body tight and push through your heels to bring yourself back to the starting position.
3. High knees running in placeStand in place with your feet hip-width apart. Drive your right knee toward your chest and quickly place it back to the ground. Follow immediately by driving your left knee toward your chest. Continue to alternate knees as quickly as you can.
4. Side lunges

   

   Start standing with legs slightly wider than shoulder distance apart and toes pointed toward. Shift your body weight to one leg, bending the knee until it reaches a 90-degree angle and the other light is straight. Return to center and switch sides.

5. Jumping jacks

During periods of intense exercise, your body needs more oxygen than usual. This leads to an oxygen shortage, which causes your body to ask for more oxygen during the recovery period. This process is called EPOC—excess post-exercise oxygen consumption. This is the key to burn more fat, as it keeps your heart rate high and causes you to burn more calories than you would in a regular workout.

HIIT workouts aren’t just convenient for super busy people, they also have many amazing benefits, such as:

• Increasing endurance
  This is especially if you take part in another sport, such as running or cycling. There’s a good chance you’ll notice an increase in your endurance after completing HIIT workouts.
• Burning more calories
  As we have discussed above, HIIT workout allows your body to burn calories even after you’ve stopped exercising.
• Promoting healthy blood circulation
  Pushing yourself to exercise until your heart rate increases is good for heart health and promotes healthy circulation.

HIIT workouts may seem easy to do, but it’s still an exercise that does carry some risks. Only choose exercises that you can carry out safely, and avoid pushing yourself too hard. If in doubt, ask a professional for advice before attempting a new workout.