Fitness Friday - HIIT Workout

I have to admit it I was getting a bit bored with my old tired workout routine. I am also interested in gaining a bit more muscle and shedding about 5-7 pounds so I thought it was time to try something new!

And let’s face it when the warmer weather starts to HIIT I like most people start to look for something to ramp up their workout routine!

I still don’t have more than about 2 hours a week to dedicate to working out due to my work schedule and taking care of my daughter so I was looking for something to help me tone up and “shape up” for those summer days and do it in the shortest time possible!

The current trend in fitness right now is called a “HIIT” workout. I have done these HIIT workouts before and had great success with them in the past, so I thought now would be a great time to reintroduce them into my workout routine! You can find a variety of these workouts on YouTube ranging from beginner to advanced and can also choose a short 5 minute HIIT workout or if you’re feeling energetic a 45 minute one!

But what's a HIIT workout you ask?? Well let me tell you! HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training and is a workout technique where you give 100% full effort for short bursts of intense exercise, usually 30 seconds to 1 minute, followed by a short recovery (break) period (10-60 seconds). This type of training allows you to burn more fat in a shorter amount of time because it keeps your heart rate up really high! Another thing I discovered when I started doing my HIIT workouts is that they engage most of your major muscle groups which gives you a full body workout. It’s definitely more than just a cardio burn!

I have tried various different HIIT workouts for about 3 weeks now and here is what I have found:

• I definitely sweat… I mean the sweat is pouring off of me by the time I am done my 20-30 minute HIIT workouts

• It is definitely a full body burn and I was feeling pretty sore in the morning

• You have to be very careful when doing some of the moves, if you are rushing or half a$$ing them you can injury yourself. I actually hurt my shoulder on my very first day because there were a lot of exercises which incorporated shoulder movements

• My stamina improved by incorporating these HIIT workouts into my weekly routine

• My strength improved as well

• I think I am seeing more muscle definition, but its only been a few weeks

• I felt excited and more motivated to workout and I am feeling super energized at the end of the workout

I am not exactly where I want to be but I am getting there :-)

Here is a sample of my workout – I do this workout 3 times through, 30 seconds for each exercise and a 10 second break in between each exercise.

• Squat Jump (30 seconds)

• Break (10 seconds)

• Jumping Jacks (30 seconds)

• Break (10 seconds)

• Burpies (30 seconds)

• Break (10 seconds)

• Lunge jumps (30 seconds)

• Break (10 seconds)

• Mountain climbers (30 seconds)

• Break (10 seconds)

• High knees (30 seconds)

• Break (10 seconds)

• Push up to side plank (30 seconds)

• Break (10 seconds)

• Bicycle crunches (30 seconds)

• Break (10 seconds)

These HIIT workouts will:

• Help you lose fat without losing muscle

• They are great for the health of your heart

• They improve both your cardio and your muscle strength and tone

• You don’t have to invest a lot of time or money into a workout

• And once you learn a few routines you can really do them anywhere.

Also if you do a HIIT before your strength training exercises you get an added after burn affect which means you continue burning calories longer then a regular cardio workout!

You have nothing to lose and everything to gain! Why not give a HIIT a try!

Simply Truly Jenny...