With time, new and exciting training methods and gadgets are born to make your body develop better and faster. The purpose of sports inventions is to find more effective ways to give your body an integral, safe and proper training with fast results. A training that has been popular over the past few years that doesn’t seem to be going nowhere is HIIT. This workout has great advantages for your body and it can completely transform the way you train every day. Keep reading to find out all you need to know about HIIT workout.
1. What is HIIT?
HIIT is described by the letters that mean High Intensity Interval Training. This type of workout combines movements of low, or moderate, intensity with those of high intensity. The purpose of this sudden change of intensity is to accelerate the heart beat and then take it down in a matter of seconds. These intensity intervals that make your body’s energy come up and down mean to boost your metabolism so that you can accomplish your fitness goals easier. HIIT has been around since the 90’s and, since its creation, it has shown amazing results in people’s bodies.
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2. Benefits of doing HIIT
HIIT is growing in popularity and it’s not hard to know why. The main, and most attractive benefit of HIIT is that it gets you in an alert state in the heart frequency, which results in a higher body fat burn – even being able to triple the amount of body fat you can burn with classic workouts. Better body fat burning means HIIT is the perfect activity for those that are looking to lose weight in a foolproof way. Moreover, HIIT has proven to be able to improve muscle tone and aerobic resistance. It is also an activity that keeps burning calories even after the workout’s completed. Another great benefit of HIIT is that it can be done in a matter of minutes, which makes it the perfect training for people with busy schedules or demanding jobs.
3. Best HIIT Exercises at Home
We didn’t mention this as a main benefit, but probably one of the most attractive things about HIIT training is that it can be done effectively without needing to use any sports equipment. HIIT is all about getting your heartbeat to reach sky-high levels and then drop it down, and there are many ways to do that without having to use a machine. In fact, the less complicated the exercise the better. Being a highly cardiovascular workout, HIIT can be completed within 5 minutes and 45 minutes, but a 20 minute session will do just fine.
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Jumping Jacks
Jumping jacks are one of the most effective exercises to complete a HIIT routine. Jumping Jacks simply consist of you starting with your feet well planted and together, and arms hanging at your sides. You take a powerful jump upwards while you spread your arms and legs and land with your feet apart. Without stopping, you jump again to close arms and legs and reach a starting position. You can complete 20 to 40 reps before moving on to the next movement.
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Star Jump
Very similar to a classic Jumping Jack, the Star Jump is a high intensity jump where you should start with your feet shoulder wide and your arms resting at your sides. You take an energetic jump upwards while you spread eagle your arms and legs to make the shape of an X or a star. Return to your original position so you land in the exact same way, with legs close and arms at your sides. Do as many reps as you can complete in 30 seconds.
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Squat Jump
This is another great example of a HIIT-approved exercise to get your heart rate up. Starting in a squat position (legs together, knees bent and buttocks pressed backwards) take an energetic jump upwards and make sure to land on the balls of your feet before shifting your weight to your heels and starting over. Squat jumps are great to exercise legs, glutei and core at the same time.
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Reverse Crunches
Laying on the ground completely straight including arms and legs, start raising your legs without bending them. Once your feet reach towards the ceiling, keep raising your hips until they are off the ground. Use your arms as support to improve the exercise. You’ll need to keep your core engaged and especially your lower abs to complete as many reps as you can do in 30 seconds.
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Plank
You might think planks aren’t the best exercise for HIIT since it’s a static position, but in fact keeping your core and muscles tight and engaged is way more effective than other movements. Lie facing downwards and rest on your feet and elbows, slightly hovering over the ground. Make sure you keep a straight line with your back, shoulders and glutei. Hold this position from 30 seconds up to 1 minute, if you can.
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Burpees
This is now a favorite movement for people who like to do HIIT. Starting on your feet, slightly apart from each other, bend your knees and place your hands on the floor. Kick your legs behind and extend them until you reach a plank position. Immediately jump back bringing your feet towards your hands and raise your hands and body towards the ceiling. Repeat as many times as you can in 30 seconds to exercise legs, glutei, core, shoulders and even some cardio.
4. Best HIIT Exercises at the Gym
If you already have a gym subscription and you hate it to go to waste, there are still plenty of HIIT movements and exercises you can do using equipment or accessories. HIIT workouts are the perfect way to start a longer cardio or strength routine, to get your body burning fat right away. Remember that a HIIT routine can last only a few minutes, so make sure to prepare all the necessary equipment and have it at hand before you start so you don’t have to stop while you wait for a machine to be free.
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Rope Jumping
Jumping a rope is one of the most known exercises among kids and professionals alike. Useing the rope is an integral exercise because it targets the calves, glutei, shoulders and upper back. Jumping rope can increase your core temperature and help you burn tons of calories, which makes it the perfect step in a HIIT workout. Jump rope for 30 to 60 seconds straight non-stop.
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Sprinting on a Treadmill
Running is the absolute best exercise for people who like to do cardio and burn calories. Get on your treadmill and set it on a high speed so you can sprint at high intensity and get your heart rate elevated. Do this exercise for 1 minute and then follow this with the rest of your HIIT routine.
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Stationary Bike
Stationary bikes are also very popular among people who want to burn calories and raise their heart rates. Doing exercise on a stationary bike also helps you tone the lower body. Stationary bikes help you tone also the upper body when it comes to fan bikes. Get on the bicycle and work out at high intensity for 60 seconds.
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Bodyweight Squat
To do bodyweight squats, stand up with your feet shoulder width and arms raised straight in front. A bodyweight squat well done can strengthen your glutei, quads and hamstrings, but if you do enough reps in 30 seconds you can also increase your heart rate enough to be part of a HIIT routine. If you want to do this exercise at the gym you could include some items such as ankle weights.
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Goblet Squats
Goblet squats done with very little weight can be the perfect movement to incorporate in your HIIT routine. Simply hold a kettlebell like you’d hold a goblet cup between your hands in front of your chest. Do your squats very carefully but try to do more reps than you usually would in the course of a minute. This movement is great for legs and chest alike, and if done at the right pace it’s also a good cardio.
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Kettlebell Swings
Even though it involves great muscle strength (such as hamstring, glutei and back), this exercise is actually great for circuit training because of its vascular conditioning or aerobic features. To do some kettlebell swings, take a kettlebell with both hands while you squat almost to the ground, where the kettlebell is placed. Your back should be straight and knees well bent. Raise and swing the kettlebell between your legs while you raise it as high as you can. Do as many reps as you can do in 30 seconds before you rest.
HIIT workouts are the perfect way to create cardiovascular resistance, increase your physical endurance and improve your body in both performance and appearance. Now that you know how HIIT exercises work it’s time to add them to your workout routines and see your body transform into one that looks like a professional athlete.
