Sometimes you just don’t have time to spend an hour at the gym. That is where these 5 effective HIIT home workouts come in handy!
These workouts will make you super sweaty and get your heart rate up.
Also, they will work your whole body, so you get a mix of cardio and resistance training.
Along with this, they are not boring like other forms of cardio such as running, swimming, and biking.
HIIT workouts can help raise your metabolism after exercise, therefore you are burning calories both during the workout and afterwards.
Before we get into the HIIT workouts, let’s talk about what HIIT is and why it’s important.
What is HIIT?
HIIT stands for high intensity interval training.
High intensity refers to the fact that the workout will bring up your heart rate more than moderate intensity exercise such as walking.
Intervals refer to the fact that you will be doing an exercise for a certain amount of time, resting for an amount of time, and then exercising again.
You will transition from high intensity movement to rest to high intensity movement to rest.
The way I like to structure my HIIT workouts is to gather 5-6 exercises and create a circuit.
The workout may look something like this:
Exercise 1: 30 seconds
30 seconds rest
Exercise 2: 30 seconds
30 seconds rest
Exercise 3: 30 seconds
30 seconds rest
Exercise 4: 30 seconds
30 seconds rest
Exercise 5: 30 seconds
30 seconds rest
(Repeat 3 times)
This structure is easy is follow and will really give you a nice and sweaty workout!
Now that we know what HIIT is, we can jump into the workouts!
HIIT Workout #1
This workout is an absolute killer! Plus, it can be completed in a small space, such as a corner of a room or an apartment balcony.
It should take about 15 minutes to complete this one.
- Exercise 1: X-jumps
- Exercise 2: V-ups
- Exercise 3: Squat to tippy toes
- Exercise 4: Shoulder tap to push up
- Exercise 5: Knee up to curtsy lunge
Perform each exercise for 30 seconds, rest for 30 seconds, then move on to the next exercise.
Repeat 3 times for a total of 15 minutes.
Check out these videos for demos of each exercise:
HIIT Workout #2
Do you have access to a wide open area such as a field or track?
You may want to try out this awesome workout if you enjoy running or sprinting.
You’ll also want to set a timer on your phone to ensure you don’t miss any intervals!
I recommend this app for HIIT workouts.
This workout will be a total of 20 minutes.
Repeat each exercise for 20 seconds, and then rest for 40 seconds. Move onto the next exercise.
Repeat the circuit 4 times.
- Exercise 1: Walking lunges
- Exercise 2: Sprint
- Exercise 3: Jumping squats
- Exercise 4: Sprint
- Exercise 5: Lateral squat walk
HIIT Workout #3
The next workout can also be completed in a small space.
Plus, you do not need any fancy equipment. Just your body!
The lower body moves are intense, so don’t be surprised if you are a little sore the day after this workout.
This workout should take 15 minutes to complete.
- Exercise 1: Squat pulse to jump
- Exercise 2: Butt kicks
- Exercise 3: Squat tap to cross over
- Exercise 4: Cross punches
- Exercise 5: Knee taps
Complete each exercise for 30 seconds, take 30 seconds rest and move on to the next exercise.
Repeat this circuit 3 times for a total of 15 minutes.
Check out these videos for exercise demos:
HIIT Workout #4
Next up to a great HIIT workout for beginners.
It is not super high intensity, but it is enough for anyone to get their heart pumping.
This is also a good workout if you do not want to disturb your neighbors since it involves no jumping.
This workout is 18 minutes long.
Repeat each exercise for 40 seconds, with 20 seconds rest, then move onto the next exercise.
Repeat the circuit 3 times.
- Exercise 1: Squats
- Exercise 2: Kneeling push up
- Exercise 3: Reverse lunges
- Exercise 4: Tricep dips
- Exercise 5: Glute bridges
- Exercise 6: Crunches
HIIT Workout #5
This workout is a fun workout that involves some light resistance.
If you have light weights, that’s perfect, but if you don’t, do not fret!
Grab something from around your house, such as cans, water bottles or books.
Use them to complete this circuit.
This one is going to be 16 minutes long.
Complete each exercise for 30 seconds, take a 30 second rest, and move onto the next exercise.
Repeat this circuit 4 times.
- Exercise 1: Squat into shoulder press
- Exercise 2: Forward lunge into bicep curl
- Exercise 3: Glute bridge into chest press
- Exercise 4: Romanian deadlift into back row
Check out this video for exercise demos:
How do I create my own HIIT workout?
That’s a great question. It’s actually quite simple!
Simply think of 4-6 exercises that work each body part.
Typically I choose 2-3 lower body exercises, and 2-3 upper body exercises.
Then I think of how long I need to perform the exercise to get a good sweat. For me, that’s about 30-40 seconds.
I then add rest time to add up to a minute. For example, if you do exercise for 30 seconds, add 30 seconds rest. If you do exercise for 40 seconds, add 20 seconds rest.
Then simply repeat this circuit until it reaches about 15-20 minutes.
And that is it!
Use these sample workouts to begin with, and then start experimenting with your own exercises and styles.
If you have a hard time thinking of exercises, check out this website.
In the end, HIIT is a great way to boost your heart rate and get in a sweaty workout in a short amount of time.
Feel free to contact me at tasteitwithtia@gmail.com with any questions or concerns. Also, follow my fitness instagram @liftitwithtia for fitness tips and workout ideas!
