5 Fat Blasting HIIT Workouts To Do At Home

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5 FAT BLASTING WORKOUTS

5 different 16 minute workouts that you can easily do at home

In this post, I’m going to be sharing 5 easy HIIT (high intensity interval training) workouts that can each be done in 16 minutes at home.

These workouts are actually from the “quick workout idea” section from my Ebook (page 60), but I love doing them so much and so I really wanted to share them with you on the blog today.

Why 16 minutes?

Recent studies have shown that people who do a few minutes of high-intensity exercise a few times a week, are more likely to lose weight and tone up – compared to people who spend longer amounts of time performing low-intensity to moderate-intensity exercise, the same amount of times each week.

And with HIIT (high intensity interval training) 16 minutes is all that you need.

Studies have shown that high-intensity exercise done over a short period of time can result in exceptional physical and health benefits, more than low-intensity exercise done over long periods of time.

I have been doing these HIIT (high intensity interval training) workouts 2 or 3 times a week for years now and I absolutely love it!

It only takes 16 minutes to perform one of these workouts and then it’s over. Many people (myself and friends included) have seen exceptional results from doing this type of exercise. I have seen way more results (with weight-loss and toning) doing HIIT than I ever saw from long, endurance workouts (which I did for many years previously).

It’s best to perform one of these HIIT workouts every second day because studies have shown that when performed every day it does not add any more benefit to the body. The body needs roughly 48 hours to recover fully from a high intensity workout.

HOW TO DO A HIIT WORKOUT

Recommended intensity:

HIIT should ideally be performed at a high intensity. During a HIIT “sprint” you should ideally be sprinting at a 90-100% capacity (high intensity or as fast as you can), and then during the rest period you should be going at a 10-20% capacity (low to very low intensity – ie: walking).

Recommended time:

I generally recommend performing each HIIT sprint for 30 seconds and each recovery period for 90 seconds. It’s important to make sure that you rest for a minimum of 90 seconds during the recovery time. The total time of a HIIT workout session should generally take 16 minutes to complete.

Recommended speed:

HIIT is generally performed at a high intensity, meaning that during a sprint you will usually be moving (or sprinting) at a fast pace (as fast as you can go). However, it’s important to note that while for some people a 90-100% capacity means sprinting very fast, for other people a 90-100% capacity may mean running at a medium to high intensity – and in some cases it may even mean speed walking or jogging at a medium to high intensity.

Your speed during a HIIT “sprint” will be determined by your age, your natural speed ability, your current level of fitness and your current health. Your speed will also generally increase as your level of fitness increases.

5 HIIT WORKOUTS

Here are 5 examples of HIIT cardio workouts that will each take roughly 16 minutes to complete

HIIT workout 1 – 30 second sprints

STEP 1

Use the cardio equipment at the gym (the elliptical and the treadmill are perfect) or simply go outside with a stopwatch + Warm up (this does not have to be long, just until you feel warm).

STEP 2

Sprint (fast running) as fast as you can for 30 seconds and then slow down to recover until your breathing is back to normal (usually 90 seconds).

For example, if you ran during the sprint, then you will walk to recover.

STEP 3

Repeat this combination 8 times

STEP 4

Do a short cool down

Example:

Sprint as fast as you can for 30 seconds + recover 90 seconds x 8 times = 16 minutes. Workout over.

HIIT workout 2 – 30 second knee highs

STEP 1

Warm up (this does not have to be long, just until you feel warm)

STEP 2

For 30 seconds do as many high knee’s as you can (as fast as you can)

STEP 3

Rest for 90 seconds

STEP 4

Repeat workout 8 times

STEP 5

Do a short cool down and then your workout is over

Example:

Do as many high knee’s as you can for 30 seconds + rest 90 seconds x 8 = 16 minutes. Workout over.

HIIT workout 3 – 30 second steps

STEP 1

Warm up (this does not have to be long, just until you feel warm)

STEP 2

Use a stepper (like those small plastic Reebok steppers – not a machine) at the gym, or a set of stairs – and step back and forth, up and down one step (or two if you want to) as fast as you can for 30 seconds

STEP 3

Rest for 90 seconds

STEP 4

Repeat this combination 8 times

STEP 5

Do a short cool down and then your workout is over

Example:

Step as fast as you can for 30 seconds + recover 90 seconds x 8 = 16 minutes. Workout over.

HIIT workout 4 – skipping

This is the only type of HIIT workout that I perform for a longer period of time – where each sprint is longer than 30 seconds – because I find that with skipping a 30 second sprint is not quite long enough. If I do skipping for my HIIT workout then I usually do each sprint for 45-60 seconds instead of the usual 30 seconds. I aim for 60 seconds.

STEP 1

Warm up (this does not have to be long, just until you feel warm)

STEP 2

Using a skipping rope, skip as fast as you can for 45-60 seconds

STEP 3

Rest for 90 seconds

STEP 4

Repeat this combination 8 times

STEP 5

Do a short cool down and then your workout is over

Example:

Skip as fast as you can for 45-60 seconds + recover for 90 seconds x 8 = 18-20 minutes. Workout over.

HIIT workout 5 – mix it up

STEP 1

Warm up (this does not have to be long, just until you feel warm)

STEP 2

Sprint (fast running) as fast as you can for 30 seconds

STEP 3

Rest for 90 seconds

STEP 4

For 30 seconds do as many high knee’s as you can
(as fast as you can)

STEP 5

Use a stepper (like those small plastic Reebok steppers – not a machine) at the gym, or a set of stairs – and step back and forth, up and down one step (or two if you want to) as fast as you can for 30 seconds

STEP 6

Rest for 90 seconds

STEP 7

Perform as many jumping jacks as you can (and as fast as you can) for 30 seconds

STEP 8

Rest for 90 seconds

STEP 9

Repeat entire workout 2 times

STEP 10

Do a short cool down and then your workout is over

Example:

You will be performing a total of 8 high intensity 30 seconds “sprints”, and then you will be resting for 90 seconds between each sprint. 30 seconds + recover 90 seconds x 8 = 16 minutes. Workout over.

Please note that you should be in a fit and healthy state before you perform these workouts. It is always a good idea to consult with your doctor, medical practitioner or fitness coach to see if a new exercise program is suitable for you.

Photos by Ross Charnock and Liezl Jayne Strydom – for liezljayne.com