HIIT Workouts for Beginners
Updated January 2024
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For burning calories and losing unwanted fat, few workouts are more effective than HIIT. The variety of workouts available can keep your exercise regimen fun and interesting, and the combination of intense bursts of activity and short periods of rest fire up your metabolism.
The concept is similar to other cardio workouts; the difference is in the intensity and the distribution of effort. Rather than having an extended workout session, HIIT allows you to accomplish more energy burning in a shorter session. Not only is it great for burning unwanted fat, but it’s also ideal for increasing energy, gaining stamina, and clearing your mind in an exciting, highly active workout session.
If you’re looking for a fun and exciting way to switch up your workouts, and you don’t mind giving a little extra intensity, HIIT could be your next favorite routine!
What is HIIT?
HIIT stands for “high-intensity interval training.” It’s a way to add extra power to your fat-burning cardio workouts! In a HIIT workout, you alternate between quick blasts of challenging cardio activity alternatives and short breaks.
A HIIT workout usually lasts between 10 and 30 minutes with sets of movements or exercises performed in time increments. A basic HIIT workout would include five to six sets of activity performed for 30 to 60 seconds each, with 30-second rest periods between sets.
The result is a fast-paced, high-energy workout that torches fat, strengthens your heart and lungs, and boosts your mood. And because you’re continuously shifting between activity and rest, the workouts are over before you know it!
What are the Benefits of HIIT Workouts?
Because HIIT workouts vary in length, there’s a tremendous benefit in fitting them into a busy schedule. You may not have time for an hour-long run or bike ride every day, but if your routine includes HIIT, you can certainly fit a 15- or 20-minute-long session in, maximizing both your schedule and your workout.
Studies have shown that your resting metabolism works at a higher rate after HIIT workouts than it does with other workout modes. Because you’re working harder during a HIIT session, the extra exertion is strengthening your heart and lungs, which compounds over time. This means that your endurance for HIIT workouts will increase over a period, preparing you for more challenging workouts and greater fat-burning potential with each workout.
There are a few things to be wary of with HIIT workouts. Though the movements involved require dynamic motion, “high intensity” doesn’t necessarily mean high impact. High-impact movements like running and jumping that are involved in some HIIT workouts can cause pain and injury to your spine, ankles, knees, and hips.
Intense workouts have been found to increase overall workout injuries in recent years. If you have joint issues to begin with, high-impact movements should always be avoided. But even if you have healthy joints, regular HIIT workouts can have a negative effect if you aren’t working out cautiously. Luckily, because there are so many different exercises that can be used in a HIIT workout, you have a wide range of options to choose from.
There are combinations of calisthenics, bodyweight movements, weighted routines, and more! You can begin with simpler movements and gradually work your way to a more complex combination. You can also add complexity and challenges to simpler movements to give them greater impact.
Is HIIT the Best Form of Cardio?
There are fitness fanatics who swear by HIIT as being the best form of cardio, both for the physical benefits and for the time management aspects of having a quick, intense, and easy-to-execute workout in their regimens. There are others who find it difficult to maintain the level of intensity required or who respond more favorably to a less dynamic form of cardio.
From a physiological perspective, the combination of aerobic (working out) and anaerobic (resting) calorie-burning benefits makes it a definite winner. Medical professionals have proven that there are HIIT workouts that provide health benefits for people with certain cardiac issues, which is a tremendous plus! However, it is important to keep in mind that your workout routine should still always be discussed in detail with a physician before you engage in the activity regularly.
Depending on your fitness goals, HIIT can be a high-energy form of cardio to add to your exercise routine. If you’re a fan of variety, HIIT is a great way to incorporate a broad selection of movements into your regimen. But because to adjust and maintain intensity levels to keep achieving your desired results, some people may find HIIT too fussy for their liking. Your physical condition may also determine your compatibility with HIIT workouts; if you’re at the beginning of your weight-loss journey, you may find the movements or the intensity too taxing as an initial program. A better approach might be to reach a goal using less strenuous cardio exercises and work your way up to HIIT.
20 Minute Low-Impact HIIT Workout
A low-impact HIIT workout can deliver huge calorie-burning benefits without causing joint pain or damage by working around impact moves. It’s great for someone just starting out on their weight loss adventure. Try the following routine for a fat-torching 20-minute workout that keeps the impact low but the energy high!
Push-ups
Perform a standard push-up with your arms shoulder-width apart. Your back should be straight, with your stomach held in tightly and your shoulders held back as you push. If you find standard toe-grip push-ups challenging, rest on your knees for the duration of the movement instead.
Speed Squats
Start in a standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands at your side. Quickly but without losing balance, drop to a curtsy squat position while raising your hands in front of you as if you’re getting ready to catch a ball. Then, return to a standing position.
Front Kicks
Assume a fighting stance with your left foot forward and your right foot back. Keep your arms raised in front of you for balance. Pivot your hips as you bring your right foot forward and straighten your leg as if you’re kicking a ball. Then, return your right foot to its beginning position and repeat. Be careful not to snap your leg too quickly, as this can cause knee pain.
Side-Cross Reaches
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands on your hips. Swivel your waist and reach upward diagonally to the left with your right hand, then return your right hand to your hip and repeat the movement with your left hand, reaching toward the right.
Stationary Run
Crouch into a runner’s stance as if you’re at the starting line of a race with your right foot forward and your left foot back. Keep your balance as you pump your arms forward and back as if you’re running but without moving your lower body. Maintain your footing and your stance as you pump as quickly as you can.
Perform the exercises for 30-second intervals with a 30-second rest after each until you’ve completed four full circuits.
10-Minute High-Impact Workout
If you’re confident in your abilities and your joint strength, you can try a high-impact workout that takes less time while burning maximum calories and sending your energy levels through the roof. Don’t be fooled by its simplicity; the movements may seem basic, but this workout is definitely a challenge!
High Knees
Run in place at a high rate of speed, pumping your arms as you bring your knees up as high as you can.
Jumping Jacks
Perform a basic jumping jack, jumping your feet outward to shoulder-width and bringing your hands to meet above your head. Jump your feet back together and bring your hands down to your sides.
Burpees
Begin in a standing position, then drop into a push-up position before maneuvering back into a standing position. Some burpees include a jump at the top of the motion; this is entirely optional for this workout.
Mountain Climbers
Assume a push-up position with your hips bent upward at a 45-degree angle. Bring your right foot forward as if you’re running in place against the floor, and then move it back to the starting position and bring your left foot forward. The motion should be a smooth switch between the left and right foot.
Jumping Lunge
Begin in a lunge stance, with your right leg forward and your left leg back. Crouch down and explode up, switching leg positions as you come back down into a lunge stance again. Repeat the motion rapidly, switching legs each time.
Perform each exercise for 30-second intervals with a 30-second rest interval in between. Complete two rounds for a full workout.
Final Thoughts
More than any other reason, HIIT workouts are a favorite for many because they actually work! The combination of aerobic and anaerobic exercise gives you an optimum advantage in your efforts to create a leaner, more efficient physique. The possibility of changing up your workouts easily and in an exciting way whenever you reach a plateau means you have a never-ending combination of routines to try.
Also, if you are choosing to only exercise at home, be sure to consider our list of recommended at-home workout equipment (affiliate link) to add variety and resistance to your routine!
The potential for beginning with a simple workout and advancing to something more complex as you become stronger and more capable is an exciting prospect that feeds your mental state as well as your physical. The idea that you can tailor the length of your workouts to fit your schedule and adapt them as needed allows them to be a perfect fit for busy fitness folks on the go with unpredictable daily timelines. If any of this sounds like your kind of workout, give HIIT a try…and don’t be surprised by how great the results are!
