Try These Fun and Free HIIT Workouts for an Effective At-Home Workout
Try These Fun and Free HIIT Workouts for an Effective At-Home Workout
HIIT (high intensity interval training) has gotten quite popular over the past decade. Gym-loving celebs always tout the method as one of the more efficient ways to improve your fitness, and science says they ain't wrong.
The boom began in the early 2010s, when several studies revealed that shorter workouts that alternated intense bouts of anaerobic exercise (like a sprint) with recovery periods could improve cardiovascular health just as much as—if not better than—moderate, steady-state style workouts (like a long jog). This meant that we didn't have to spend an hour on the elliptical to get in the benefits of cardio such as improved blood flow, lower blood sugar, less chronic inflammation, and feeling great in our own skin.
However, most of the HIIT workouts you'll find on YouTube won't actually be high intensity interval training at all—and honestly, that actually might be a good thing. Because once you understand how intense HIIT is, you may not want to put it on your workout schedule five times a week.
"True HIIT is very much the standard for pushing your upper training limits," says Allison Tenney, CSCS, a fitness coach based in Austin, TX. It's not just about "getting your heart rate up" as some influencers say; it means that when you're in the middle of those work intervals you are busting your butt to hit 85% of your max heart rate, according to Tenney. Frequently going all-out could lead to extreme soreness, injury, fatigue and overall discouragement. That's why some researchers claim that you should only do up to 30-40 minutes of "true HIIT" a week if you like to ramp things up.
But if you don't, no worries. "Not everyone needs to push those absolute limits to make progress," says Tenney. When it comes to getting results, its about choosing workouts that fit your schedule and that you enjoy, she adds.
And that's exactly what I love about these HIIT-like interval workouts below. They may not all push you to the max, but they are quick, fun, and inspiring. Do one according to your fitness level and observe how badass you feel.
1) HIIT Step Workout
Level: beginner to intermediate
Time required: 30 minutes
Equipment required: dumbbells and a step platform
What to expect: Try not to fall in love with Crystal's throughout this video. I dare you. With all of her encouragement, she even makes step-up hops feel kind of fun. In this workout, she combines faster cardio moves with strength and core finishers. She leads you through an extensive warm up and pauses to explain the movements. She doesn't provide a lot of modifications, though, so if you are super new to working out, you may want to stop and rewind to make sure you get the moves down. There's a lot of jumping, so if your joints are feeling achy, you can step-up instead.
2) Bodyweight HIIT Workout
Level: intermediate
Time required: 25 minutes
Equipment required: none
What to expect: This one will be having your legs, arms, and core sore the next day. The hardest part is definitely the burpee into pushup combo in the middle so prepare yourself. There are a lot of squat jumps in there, too, so if you're joints are particularly sensitive, you might want to wear sneakers or hop on a yoga mat. Toni Mitchell doesn't do a ton of instruction so the workout may be more favorable for those who are familiar with the exercises. But you can always try and learn as you go.
3) Train Insane HIIT Workout
Level: beginner to intermediate
Time required: 8 minutes
Equipment required: none
What to expect: Holy abs! This one was tough on the core—which is to be expected from Ms. Blogilates, a pro Pilates instructor. A fair warning: Cassey Ho just jumps right into the workout, so if you're new to working out with her, you may want to watch the whole video first. Luckily, it's short so there's not a ton of ground to cover. The intervals are relatively long (50 seconds) and incredibly short (10 seconds). So you're working hard with not a lot of time to catch your breath or grab water. She only goes through one round and suggests that you do two or three more. Although you don't have to "train insane" if your body isn't feeling it. Trust me, one round is work.
4) Hip Hop HIIT Workout
Level: beginner to intermediate
Time required: 30 minutes
Equipment required: none
What to expect: If you like music from Jagged Edge, Cardi B, and Missy Elliott you're going to be jamming throughout this whole workout—doesn't matter if you don't got rhythm. This workout alternates fast, yet simple, dance choreography with slower grooves for recovery. Coach Ashley won't have you out of breath, but the variation in music and choreo keeps you entertained for the entire 30 minutes.
Skip the gym, go at your own pace, and still improve your fitness?