High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has become one of the most popular forms of exercise, thanks to its efficiency and simplicity. This type of training combines short periods of intense exercise with moments of rest or low-intensity activity. This is one of the perfect exercise modalities for training at home, but in most cases, hardly any equipment is required. We present you 13 effective HIIT exercises so that you can design your HIT training routines at home and maximize the results.
How to progress on a HIIT circuit at home?
To create a complete HIIT routine for your home gym , we suggest a list of exercises. We advise you to choose between 4 and 6 of these exercises to design your HIIT routine for beginners. How do you do high intensity interval training? It's very easy: you just have to establish a period of activity followed by a period of rest.
For example:
- 30 seconds of exercise.
- 10 seconds rest.
Repeat these intervals several times in a row for each exercise. As an example, let's say you're jumping rope. You might do 30 seconds of jumping rope, then 10 seconds of rest, 30 seconds of jumping rope again, 10 seconds of rest, another 30 seconds of jumping rope, and 10 seconds of rest... This completes a HIIT or interval workout.
You can set the intervals you want for each exercise (not just the interval we recommended). For example:
- 60 seconds of exercise and 30 seconds of rest.
- 5 minutes of exercise and 1 minute of rest.
- 2 minutes of exercise and 30 seconds of rest.
How to do a 20-minute HIIT routine?
To set up a HIIT routine, simply choose the appropriate intervals until you complete the 20 minutes. For example:
- 1 min exercise + 30 seconds rest + 1 min exercise + 30 seconds rest + 1 min exercise + 30 seconds rest + 1 min exercise + 30 seconds rest. Total: 6 minutes.
- 1 min exercise + 30 seconds rest + 1 min exercise + 30 seconds rest + 1 min exercise + 30 seconds rest + 1 min exercise + 30 seconds rest. Total: 6 minutes
- 1 min exercise + 30 seconds rest + 1 min exercise + 30 seconds rest + 1 min exercise + 30 seconds rest + 1 min exercise + 30 seconds rest. Total: 6 minutes
- 1 min and 30 seconds of exercise + 30 seconds of rest. Total: 2 minutes.
As you can see, here is a circuit set up with a total duration of 20 minutes . You can choose a single exercise for the entire HIIT routine, for example, jumping rope. Or you can select one exercise for each part of the routine. Let's look at an example of the same circuit with 3 different exercises:
- Skipping : 1 min of exercise + 30 seconds of rest + 1 min of exercise + 30 seconds of rest + 1 min of exercise + 30 seconds of rest + 1 min of exercise + 30 seconds of rest. Total: 6 minutes.
- Burpees : 1 min exercise + 30 seconds rest + 1 min exercise + 30 seconds rest + 1 min exercise + 30 seconds rest + 1 min exercise + 30 seconds rest. Total: 6 minutes
- Push-ups : 1 min exercise + 30 seconds rest + 1 min exercise + 30 seconds rest + 1 min exercise + 30 seconds rest + 1 min exercise + 30 seconds rest. Total: 6 minutes
- Skipping : 1 min and 30 seconds of exercise + 30 seconds of rest. Total: 2 minutes.
And how to create a 30-minute HIIT routine?
Well, this is the same. You just need to fit the intervals into the 30-minute time frame. Here's an example of a 30-minute HIIT workout with 4 exercises:
- Skipping : 1 min of exercise + 30 seconds of rest + 1 min of exercise + 30 seconds of rest + 1 min of exercise + 30 seconds of rest + 1 min of exercise + 30 seconds of rest + 1 min of exercise + 30 seconds of rest. Total: 7.5 minutes.
- Burpees : 1 min exercise + 30 seconds rest + 1 min exercise + 30 seconds rest + 1 min exercise + 30 seconds rest + 1 min exercise + 30 seconds rest + 1 min exercise + 30 seconds rest + 1 min exercise + 30 seconds rest. Total: 7.5 minutes.
- Push-ups : 1 min exercise + 30 seconds rest + 1 min exercise + 30 seconds rest + 1 min exercise + 30 seconds rest + 1 min exercise + 30 seconds rest + 1 min exercise + 30 seconds rest. Total: 7.5 minutes.
- High Knees : 1 min exercise + 30 seconds rest + 1 min exercise + 30 seconds rest + 1 min exercise + 30 seconds rest + 1 min exercise + 30 seconds rest + 1 min exercise + 30 seconds rest + 1 min exercise + 30 seconds rest. Total: 7.5 minutes.
Easy! This is how you set up a 30-minute HIIT routine divided into four exercises lasting 7.5 minutes each (following the pattern of 1 minute of exercise and 30 seconds of rest).
What exercises can I choose for my HIIT routine at home? There are many options. Below is the list of exercises without equipment to make a HIIT training plan.
1. Jumping Jacks
Description:
Jumping jacks are great warm-up exercises that activate the entire body.
How to do it:
- Start standing with your feet together and your hands at your sides.
- Jump by opening your legs and raising your arms above your head.
- Return to the starting position and do another repetition.
Benefits:
This jumping exercise improves circulation, increases body temperature, and prepares the muscles for other activities. It is an ideal movement among HIT exercises for beginners .
2. Burpees
Description:
The burpee combines several movements into one exercise: a squat, a push-up and a jump. This makes it a complete workout.
How to do it:
- Standing, lower your body into a squat position.
- Place your hands on the floor and jump back into a plank position.
- Perform a push-up, jump forward back into a squat position, then jump back up.
Benefits:
You'll strengthen your entire body, improve your endurance, and burn a lot of calories. If you want to do quick HIT workouts at home , do burpees!
3. High Knees
Description:
Here is another excellent exercise to improve your cardiovascular endurance and leg strength.
How to do it:
- "Run" without moving from the spot, raising your knees as high as you can.
- Keep a fast pace and use your arms to support yourself.
Benefits:
Knee raises are good for increasing your heart rate and toning your legs. You can do this as a HIT cardio workout at home .
4. Mountain Climbers
Description:
Mountain climbers are ideal for working the core, shoulders and legs.
How to do it:
- Start in a high plank position.
- Next, bring one knee toward your chest and then quickly switch legs (it should look like you're climbing).
Benefits:
This activity increases endurance and improves the stability of the abdominal area. The best thing is that you can do these HIT exercises without equipment .
5. Squat Jumps
Description:
Squat jumps add a plyometric element to traditional squats.
How to do it:
- You have to start in a squat position.
- You just need to explosively jump up to land softly back in the squat position.
Benefits:
Use the squat jump to increase leg power and burn a lot of calories. This is one of those great HIT exercises to lose weight at home. .
6. Push-Ups
Description:
Yes, these are conventional push-ups, a classic exercise for the upper body, arms and core.
How to do it:
- Get into a plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart. Take a breath.
- Now, lower your body keeping your back straight and come back up. Exhale as you go up.
Benefits:
This strengthens the chest, shoulders and triceps. It is one of the effective HIT exercises at home .
7. Plank Jacks
Description:
Plank jacks combine the plank exercise with the jumping jack movement (the first exercise we explained).
How to do it:
- You start in a plank position.
- Jump, bringing your feet out and in, but maintaining the plank position.
Benefits:
A fantastic move to work your core and improve cardiovascular endurance. It is suitable for HIT training in small spaces .
8. Lunges
Description:
Lunges are great for leg strength and stability.
How to do it:
- Start standing and step forward with one leg, while lowering your back knee toward the floor.
- Return to the starting position and alternate legs on each repetition.
Benefits:
The lunge strengthens the quads, glutes and improves balance. This is one of the HIT exercises for beginners that we recommend.
9. Bicycle Crunches
Description:
Bicycle crunches are effective for working your abs.
How to do it:
- Lie on your back with your hands behind your head.
- Bring one knee toward your chest as you rotate your torso to touch the opposite knee with your elbow.
Benefits:
Bicycle crunches strengthen the core and improve coordination. This movement is essential in HIT training plans for busy people . You can include them during breaks in any work schedule.
Are you interested?:
10. Tuck Jumps
Description:
Tuck jumps are another high intensity plyometric jumping exercise.
How to do it:
- Start standing and jump as high as you can bringing your knees towards your chest.
- Land softly and do another rep.
Benefits:
Use this movement to develop your power and agility contributing to your quick HIT workouts at home .
11. Russian Twists
Description:
Russian twists focus on the obliques and core.
How to do it:
- First, sit on the floor with your knees bent.
- Then, lean back slightly and rotate your torso from side to side, touching the floor with your hands during each repetition.
Benefits:
Improves your abdominal strength and stability. Another perfect move for no-equipment HIT exercises .
12. Skaters
Description:
Skaters imitate the movement of a skater to work their legs and improve cardiovascular endurance.
How to do it:
- Jump to the side, landing on one leg.
- Bring the other leg back and repeat on the other side.
Benefits:
Strengthen your legs and improve coordination. If you are looking for HIT exercises to lose weight at home , start doing skaters.
13. Shadow Boxing
Description:
Throwing punches in the air is a typical boxing and contact sports workout, but it can also become your favorite calorie-burning activity at home.
How to do it:
- Throw punches in the air to work your cardio and arms.
- This exercise can be done without any equipment, but also with a home punching bag and gloves.
Two HIIT exercises with equipment
Below we will also explain two more HIIT exercises that require basic equipment: a jump rope and a set of weights. These two options require inexpensive equipment and are also excellent. We recommend them!
Skipping
Description:
This exercise is great for cardio and coordination. Here's a brief explanation.
How to do it:
- Equipment : You'll need a jump rope that fits your height. Basic jump ropes are made from rope, plastic, or rubber.
- Starting position : Start standing, with your feet together and the rope behind your heels.
- Movement : Twist the rope over your head and jump slightly as the rope passes under your feet. Ideally, keep your elbows close to your body and use your wrists to twist the rope.
- Breathing : Breathe in a constant and rhythmic manner while jumping.
- Tips : Start with simple jumps and as you get more comfortable, try variations such as single leg jumps, double jumps or crossing your arms.
Are you interested?:
The following video is an excellent example of a HIIT-style cardio routine with jump rope. In this case, an active rest (walking) is chosen after each intensity interval (jumping).
To control your activity and rest intervals, you can use an app like Interval Timer . Download the app directly to your mobile phone.
Barbell Clean and Press
The clean and overhead press is an excellent compound exercise that works multiple muscle groups. Here's a brief explanation of the movement.
Description:
Starting position :
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Grab a barbell or dumbbell in front of your thighs with an overhand grip (palms facing you).- Clean : Slightly bend your knees and hips as you lower the weight toward the floor. Explosively extend your hips and knees as you bring the weight toward your shoulders. As you reach your shoulders, rotate your elbows forward to engage the weight in a front squat position.
- Overhead Press : From a front squat position, push the weight up until your arms are fully extended above your head. Make sure to keep your core tight and your back straight throughout the movement.
- Lowering : Lower the weight in a controlled manner back to the front squat position, then return the bar to your thighs to complete one repetition.
For this exercise, you can use a Body-Pump kit.
Did you know that many Body-Pump exercises can be used in a HIIT session?:
Tips:
- Breathing : Take a breath before doing the clean and exhale as you bring the weight overhead.
- Safety : Keep your back straight and avoid arching it during the pressing movement.
- Progression : This exercise should be started with light weights until you master the technique before increasing the load.
This exercise is ideal for a HIIT workout because it combines strength and cardio. Thanks to this activity, you will quickly raise your heart rate. You can include it in your HIIT routine with intervals of 30 seconds of effort and 15-20 seconds of rest.
Conclusion and benefits of HIIT training
High-intensity interval training, known as HIIT, offers numerous benefits for our health and fitness. A HIIT routine at the gym can be a great option to improve muscle strength and endurance. In addition, a fat-burning HIIT routine is ideal for those looking to reduce their body fat percentage.
If you're just starting out, a beginner HIIT routine is a great way to get into fitness without having to spend long hours training, as HIIT workouts are short. This type of training can also be adapted to focus on strength. It's possible to combine resistance training with high-intensity intervals.
HIIT is very versatile and can be performed with a variety of equipment and modalities. For example, a HIIT jump rope routine is perfect for improving coordination and cardiovascular endurance, while a running HIIT routine can increase aerobic capacity, speed and provide a fun outdoor workout. For those who prefer to train at home, a home HIIT routine can include exercises such as burpees, squat jumps and mountain climbers, providing a complete workout without the need for equipment.
You can also try the HIIT routine on a stationary bike , which is perfect for those looking for a low-impact workout that burns a lot of calories. The workouts and exercises are suitable for everyone: a beginner HIIT plan can incorporate shorter intervals and less intense exercises. This will allow for a gradual progression in the intensity of the workout.
In terms of fat burning , it is said that half an hour of HIIT burns more calories than an hour of conventional cardiovascular exercise (such as running at the same pace, for example). Therefore, HIIT is recommended for people who want to burn a good amount of calories in much less time, making it an ideal workout for people with busy schedules. Various studies also report that the body continues to burn many more calories at rest (and throughout the day) after a good HIIT session. This is due to the great activation we achieve with these exercises. We will have accelerated our metabolism so much that we will be able to continue burning more fat even after the session has finished!
In short, HIIT is an extremely effective form of training that is adaptable to different fitness levels and goals, whether in the gym, at home, or outdoors. Incorporating these 13 HIIT exercises into your routine will not only improve your fitness, but will also allow you to burn calories efficiently. You can combine several of the moves you’ve learned into a circuit or choose your favorites for a quick HIT workout at home . Don’t forget to warm up properly and listen to your body while you train! You need to warm up your body before you start and also cool down your muscles after your workouts to avoid injuries. HIIT workouts are highly customizable, so feel free to mix up the exercises to stay motivated. The key is to push yourself during the high-intensity intervals and enjoy the benefits of a quick and effective workout at home!
