High-intensity interval training, better known as HIIT, does a lot in very little time.
“It’s what’s going to give [you] the biggest bang for your buck,” Gold’s Gym Fitness Expert Adam Friedman says. By combining a mix of total intensity and proper rest periods, you can burn up to 500 calories, build muscle and improve your cardiovascular health in less than half an hour.
We asked Friedman, a trainer whose clients include Olympic and Paralympic gold medalists as well as multiple professional athletes, to provide three HIIT workouts: one for beginners, one for intermediates and one for the most advanced HIITers out there. With each workout, you may notice an increase in the amount of oxygen you can take in over time — that amount, known as maximal oxygen uptake, or VO2 max, is the most widely accepted measure of cardiovascular fitness.
Because these exercises can be adapted to the outdoors — just use your bicycle or go running outside — they’re perfect for the fall or spring when the weather is cooler.
Pick one that matches your fitness level and try it out. You’ll like the results.
1. 12-minute beginner HIIT workout
Friedman suggests a bike workout for beginners because it’s simple to adjust speed and effort level. This specific workout helps build muscle endurance.
On a stationary bike:
• Sprint for 20 seconds with a perceived effort level of 9 or 10 (on a 1-10 scale).
• Recover for 10 seconds with a perceived effort level of 2 or 3.
• Repeat eight times, and then allow yourself to recover by going a full two minutes with a perceived effort level of 1.
• Repeat the entire sequence again.
2. 30-minute intermediate workout
For intermediates, Friedman says to head to the treadmill for a sprint exercise that will help increase mitochondria, the parts of muscle cells that are like power plants for your body.
On a treadmill:
• Sprint for 30 seconds with a perceived effort level of 9 or 10 (on a 1–10 scale) on a zero incline. This will be a flat sprint.
• Run for four minutes at a perceived effort level of 3 or 4.
• Repeat the entire sequence six times.
3. 32-minute expert workout
This is a five-step circuit. Think of it as an all-out effort for four minutes, followed by a four-minute period of rest and recovery. This workout will dramatically improve your VO2 max. (The higher your VO2 max, the more oxygen your body can consume and turn into energy.)
Set 1: Kettle bell swings
Stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart. Grab the kettle bell with both hands. Swing it up and out until it’s at shoulder height. Swing back down between your legs, and then back up again.
The goal: 10 reps, then rest for 10 seconds
Set 2: Box jumps
Start with a 12-inch box. (Experienced jumpers can use a 24-inch box.) Stand in front of the box with your feet shoulder-width apart. Drop your hips slightly, and then explode upward, landing on top of the box. Jump down to the floor, making sure that your knees don’t buckle in and your back stays straight.
The goal: 10 reps, then rest for 10 seconds
Set 3: Clean and press
For this move, you’ll use a straight bar with no weight. Stand with your knees shoulder-width apart. Bend down with a flat back and grab the bar in front of your feet. Lift the bar straight up while exploding up and rotating your shoulders around and under the bar so it’s resting on your shoulders. Pause, and then press the bar upward until your arms are straight up.
The goal: 10 reps, then rest for 10 seconds
Set 4: Jump rope
Jump as fast as you can while still maintaining an upright posture.
The goal: 10 reps, then rest for 10 seconds
Set 5: Split lunge jumps
Start with one knee forward, bent at a 90-degree angle, with the other leg back with the knee just above the ground. Jump up, switching leg positions. Land and steady yourself, and then repeat.
The goal: 10 reps, then rest for 10 seconds
Repeat the entire circuit for a total of four minutes. Rest for four minutes, and then repeat the entire sequence. Complete the entire circuit four times.
More workouts:
Starting Cardio? Try This Treadmill Workout for Beginners.
Summer Sizzle. Try This Resistance Band Workout
Back Progression: Strengthen Stability Muscles
