That’s right- you can get fit with HIIT in 30 minutes!
Here’s the deal with cardio- it’s an essential part of any balanced training program. The problem with cardio is once you’re finished running on a treadmill, that’s it. No more running, no more burning calories. 60 minutes of work and you only burn calories while you’re working.
Fair… but… how does that saying go?
Oh, right… “Work smarter, not harder!”
Cardio is great- but if you could work out for less time, burn more calories and keep burning calories once you’re finished, would you?
YES.
HIIT is a style of training that alternates bouts of high-intensity work with minimal rest periods resulting in EPOC, or Excess Post Oxygen Consumption. We want EPOC. Why? Consuming oxygen takes a lot of energy… which means the body burns calories trying to catch back up to its original oxygen levels even after you’ve finished working out. In fact, EPOC can last anywhere from 24-48 hours, depending on how intense you train. YES- you can burn tons of calories for up to 48 hours even after you’re done working out. That’s why you can do HIIT 3-4x/week and see killer results!
Plus, HIIT should only take about 30 minutes. Finish a workout in only 30 minutes AND see bombshell results?! No wonder this newly appreciated style of training is taking off so fast! Yes- HIIT is amazing- but be aware, IT IS NOT EASY! The name says it all: HIGH-INTENSITY interval training. You should be working at your maximum effort for the majority of your time doing these intervals. If you want the most bang for your buck, so to speak, then pushing yourself through a HIIT workout is essential. That being said, it’s not for those who lack the motivation to push themselves. By the end of a HIIT session, you should be sweating bullets, and whatever body part you’re focusing on should be so dang tired you couldn’t possibly do another round without it giving out.
Sounds like fun, no? Hahaha- no, but seriously, HIIT benefits go far beyond burning tons of calories. Long bouts of steady state cardio have been proven to be too taxing on the body and can cause serious injuries. In addition, steady state cardio has been shown to break down muscle, where HIIT has been shown to build muscle. Muscle burns more than fat, so yay for muscles and yay for HIIT! Those who practice HIIT also enjoy the benefits of balanced hormones sans prescriptions. An all natural way to balance the body, reduce fat, gain muscle, use oxygen efficiently, and promote heart health? Let’s HIIT it! (Get it?!)
AMRAP
There are many different styles of HIIT. You can do sprints on the treadmill, you can practice Tabata drills, or you can try this AMRAP style (there are many, many more styles).
AMRAP stands for As Many Rounds As Possible. Pretty simple… You set a timer for a specific amount of time, you pick 3-5 exercises to do and a set number of reps for each exercise, then you try to complete as many rounds of those selected exercises as possible before the timer runs out! It’s challenging, fun, and can be designed to work the whole body or a specific body area, like upper body, lower body, arms and abs, legs and glutes, etc. You can use weighted exercises, but that would only be recommended for those who are extremely experienced and have perfected their form so they don’t injure themselves. Also- this routine will be difficult enough without weights!
|ROUTINE
This AMRAP routine is a full-body focus and it can be done anywhere, even a hotel room! Get ready to torch some calories. Be sure to have your protein shake ready when you’re done- you’re body will be craving fuel to heal your muscles and make you stronger for next time!
AMRAP HIIT
Set a timer for seven minutes. Complete each exercise in Set A for the specified number of repetitions before moving on to the next with no rest between exercises. When the timer is up, take up to one-minute rest, then complete Set B. That’s one Round. Complete 2 Rounds total. The less you rest, the more calories you burn!
FEEL THE BURN. LOVE THE BURN. BE THE BURN… and remember to have fun!
Set A- 7 Minutes
•Burpees x10
•Walking Lunges x12 (one lunge on each side = 1 rep, you should perform 24 lunges total, 12 each leg)
•Jump Squats x16
•Plank Taps x10 (one tap on each shoulder is one rep, you should perform 20 taps total, 10 on each arm)
Set B – 7 Min
•Jump Lunges x8 (one jump lunge on each side is one rep, you should perform 16 jump lunges total, 8 on either leg)
•Push-Ups x12
•Ice Skaters x12 (one ice skater on each leg is one rep, you should perform 24 ice skaters total, 12 on each side)
•Plank Hip Dips x10 (one hip dip on the right and left is one rep, you should perform 20 dips total, 10 each side)
Here’s a list of the exercises and how to do them properly!
•Burpee:
1. Jump straight up with your hands reaching towards the sky.
2. Land with feet hip-width (or a little wider) apart and lower yourself down into a squat position.
3. Place hands firmly between feet, then jump the feet back into a plank position.
4. Jump feet back to the outside of hands and raise yourself back into the squat position.
That is one repetition. From the squat, you jump straight back up and repeat the process until you complete your set amount of repetitions.
•Alternating Front Lunge:
1. Start standing with feet hip-width apart, spine in a neutral position with abdominals engaged, hand on hips, and shoulders pulled own and back away from your ears.
2. Step your right foot out in front of you, and soften the knees until you are in a right lunge position- both knees bent at 90°.
3. Push through your right foot heel to propel yourself back into the starting position.
4. Repeat with the left leg.
That’s one repetition. Continue until you complete your set amount of repetitions.
•Jump Squat:
1. Start with feet slightly wider than hip apart. Your feet should be slightly turned outwards away from each other. Keep the abdominals engaged, shoulders pulled down away from ears, and don’t let your back drop forward.
2. Slowly lower yourself into a deep squat bringing your arms in front of your chest. Remember not to let the knees cave in towards each other.
3. From the deep squat position, push down through your heels while squeezing the glutes together to propel your body up into the air. That is one repetition.
4. Land with soft knees to prevent injury and repeat until your complete your set amount of repetitions.
•Plank Taps:
1. Start in a push-up position: Hands shoulder width apart, arms straight (but joints not locked), shoulders pulled down the back away from the ears, neck in neutral position (don’t look down under your tummy, look straight down and slightly forward), forming a straight line from the crown of your head to your heels, weight should be evenly distributed between your hands and balls of your feet. Your bum should be tucked and your abs should be engaged.
2. Transfer the weight from the left hand into the right keeping the body as straight as possible while shifting weight. Bring the left hand up to the right shoulder and tap it. Bring your left hand back down to its starting position and get back into that neutral push up position.
3. Do the same thing with your right arm. You want your hips and torso to move as little as possible- that means no dipping hips or rocking onto the sides of your feet while switching from arm to arm.
3. That’s one rep. Continue until you complete your set number of repetitions.
•Jump Lunges:
1. Start in a lunge position with your right leg forward.
2. From here, push through both feet to propel your body into the air.
3. Switch leg positions in the air before landing with soft knees.
4. You should land in a left lunge position.
5. Do the same thing again, switching your left leg so your right leg ends up in front. That’s one repetition.
6. Continue until you complete set of repetitions.
•Push Ups:
1. Start in a push-up position: Hands shoulder width apart, arms straight (but joints not locked), shoulders pulled down the back away from the ears, neck in neutral position (don’t look down under your tummy, look straight down and slightly forward), forming a straight line from the crown of your head to your heels, weight should be evenly distributed between your hands and balls of your feet. Your bum should be tucked and your abs should be engaged.
2. From here, slowly bend the elbows keeping them tucked in towards the rib cage as you lower your chest to the ground- or as close as you can get before you lose proper form.
3. Press your body up away from the ground through the fingertips and palms of the hands straightening your arms. Do not allow any other part of your body to move- keep your body as straight as a bored!
4. That’s one repetition. Continue until you complete your set of repetitions.
•Ice Skaters:
1. Start in a right curtsey position- similar to a right lunge but the back leg is crossed behind the front. Most of your weight should be on the front (right) leg, using the back (left) for balance and support.
2. Sweep the back leg out to the left while pushing off the front leg to propel you straight up into the air and towards the left leg.
3. Land on your left foot with soft knees and bring the right leg across behind the body.
4. Repeat on the opposite side. That’s one repetition.
Continue until you complete your set number of repetitions.
•Plank Hip Dips:
1. Start in an elbow plank position: Just like a push up starting position, but you rest on your forearms.
2. while keeping your shoulders as still and straight as possible, rotate the hips towards the right until the right hip touches the ground (or as close as you can get to the ground without compromising form).
3. Rotate the hips back into the neutral starting plank position.
4. Repeat on the left side. That’s one repetition.
Continue until you complete your set number of repetitions.