Want a great start to your mornings with an effective workout that revs up your metabolism, blasts fat, and energizes your day? You can get a brutal burn in minimal time with a HIIT workout.
You may have heard of the popular fitness buzzword “HIIT”, which stands for High Intensity Interval Training. It’s a proven training method to stimulate your body and see excellent results in minimal time.
WHAT IS HIIT?
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is any workout that alternates between intense bursts of activity and short periods of less intense activity or rest.
Here are some great examples of how to use the HIIT formula:
- Run/ walk intervals: Run as fast as you can for 1 minute, then walk to recover for 2 minutes. Repeat this cycle for a period of time or sets.
- Strength intervals: Perform strength exercises for a set period of time (30, 45, 60, or 90 seconds), rest for 15-30 seconds, then repeat the interval with the same exercise or choose a new one.
- Strength & cardio intervals: Perform a variety of strength exercises and cardio drills in a sequence for a set period of timed intervals (45-60 seconds). Keep the rest period short (15-30 seconds).
The beauty is that all workout styles can be performed anywhere, with or without equipment, and in minimal time using the HIIT method!
EFFECTS OF HIIT TRAINING
Planning to work out first thing in the morning will help you in more ways than just getting an active start to your day. The HIIT format allows you to maximize your training efforts in the little time many of us have in the morning.
Benefits of HIIT:
- Increases energy
- Boosts metabolism
- Burns fat & extra calories post workout
- Sets a positive mood
- Makes customizing a workout simple
- Can be done anywhere, anytime, with minimal equipment
- Combining resistance and cardio training will target weight loss from stored fat first, and not from the muscles.
- Trains your body both aerobically and anaerobically for a healthier heart
- Motivates and challenges you as you’re freshest in the AM, so get up and sweat to it!
- Your body feels great all day!
WAKE & HIIT A WORKOUT
This workout provides you the flexibility to create a routine that will best suit your fitness goal. The exercises are grouped into different categories – warm-up, cardio, and strength. Apply the HIIT formula to train for your fitness goal with the amount of time you have in the morning.
The cardio and strength exercises listed challenge every major muscle group in all ranges of motion.
FORMAT:
High Intensity Cardio &/or Strength Training
GOAL:
Perform a quick & efficient A.M. routine that produces results
PLAN OF ACTION:
Based on your specific fitness goal(s)…
- Strength: if you goal is to develop strength, muscle definition, & power; perform all of the strength exercises listed.
- Cardio: If your goal is primarily weight loss and toned muscles; perform all of the cardio exercises listed.
- Combination of both: If your goal is to get an overall total body workout that burns calories and defines your muscles; choose a combination of exercises from each list and vary these exercises every workout.
EQUIPMENT:
Total Gym, interval timer app or stopwatch
Optional: Cyclone trainer, stepper attachment
MUSIC:
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Choose your favorite tunes that make you happy and want to move!
DIRECTIONS:
- Begin with a ‘Dynamic Warm-up’ to get your muscles moving in all angles.
- 1 minute per exercise
- Choose a combination of exercises based on your goal.
- Set a continuous timer to track when you switch between exercises.
- Perform each move for 45 seconds, with 15 seconds of rest in between. (Just enough time to change exercises!)
- Perform in circuit format, one exercise after the other, until completed.
- End the workout with a quick stretch to lengthen and recover your muscles.
DURATION:
- Each exercise will take roughly 1 minute to complete. Therefore, plan your workout based on which exercises to add to your circuit, and how many rounds, or circuits, you have time to complete.
- For example, if you only have 10 minutes to complete your workout, then choose 10 exercises for 1 circuit, or 5 exercises for 2 circuits.
FREQUENCY:
- Aim to perform a HIIT routine 3-4 days a week along with your current fitness routine.
- Vary the exercises during each workout to challenge your muscles
A.M HIIT EXERCISES
Listed below is a combination of exercises that you can interchange and mix up to create a challenging HIIT workout. Whatever your goal is, you have the opportunity to perform the best exercises that meet your training needs by using the HIIT method.
DYNAMIC WARM-UP
- Lateral toe touches, waist twists & side bends, & 1 jack (8 count move)
- Side to side squats + hops
- Plank, spider lunge + hops
CARDIO EXERCISES
All drills target the cardiovascular system & all major muscle groups
* GB = Glide Board
- Total Gym Stepper
- Cyclone bike
- climbers (floor or GB)
- Plank jacks (floor or GB)
- Burpie plank slides
- Donkey kicks (floor or over GB)
STRENGTH EXERCISES
- Squat knee ups (quads, hamstrings, overall balance)
- Bridge press with single leg (glutes, hamstrings, thighs, core)
- Hi-Lo surfer row (upper, middle and lower back)
- Fly circles (rear deltoids, triceps, upper and lower back)
- Static bicep curls & tricep presses (biceps, triceps, core)
- Knee tucks & pushups (core, upper body)
STRETCH
End your HIIT workout by performing a series of stretches to lengthen the muscles worked. This will help your body recover quicker, prevent injury, and prepare you for your next workout!
Be sure to check out the video to see how these HIIT exercises are performed!
Give this challenging AM HIIT workout a try to torch fat and maximize your most impressive muscles!!
Go strong, and good luck always!
Maria