5 Quick HIIT Workouts for Beginners

What is HIIT?

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) means you work out as hard as you can for a short period of time, rest and repeat. Not only is it a fast, effective workout, it’s also a fun one.

We talked to Nadia Clarke Cordick, owner of Repetitions Fitness Studio in Stouffville, Ontario to find out which quick, high-intensity workouts are most effective, whether you have 10 minutes, 30 minutes, or anything in between.

If you have 10 minutes

It’s a weekday morning. No one else is up yet, and you have a blissful 10 minutes to yourself. Instead of sitting down with your cup of coffee, put it in a to-go cup and use those 10 minutes to do a quick, effective HIIT workout. Cordick recommends the following when you have 10 minutes to spare:

• One minute of jump squats. Start in a regular squat position, than engage your core to jump up. Land, with control, back in a squat position to complete one rep.
• One minute of push-ups
• One minute of burpees

Cordick recommends resting for 20 seconds after completing all three exercises, then repeating the sequence two more times, for a total of three rounds.

If you have 15 minutes

Set your alarm 15 minutes earlier than usual and you’ll have time for this heart-pumping HIIT sequence to start your day right. Cordick recommends three minutes each of the following exercises, with 45 seconds of rest after each one.

• Jumping jacks
• Kettlebell swings
• High knees jog
• Squat thrusts

If you have 20 minutes

Dinner is in the oven, and the timer is set to go off in 20 minutes. Instead of browsing Facebook while you wait, sneak in a workout and work up an appetite.

“Complete 25 to 30 reps of each with 30 seconds rest in between,” says Cordick. “Repeat this sequence as many times as you can in 20 minutes.”

• Jump squats
• Bicep curl/shoulder press combo
• Mountain climbers
• Spiderman pushups
• Jump lunges

If you have 25 minutes

Feeling tired at the end of a long day? Before you get cozy with your favourite Netflix show, consider skipping just one episode. You’ll have time for this 25-minute workout that’s sure to boost your energy and still leave time for popcorn on the couch.

To reach the 25-minute mark, Cordick recommends repeating this sequence four or five times. Don’t forget to rest for 35 seconds in between each exercise.

• 40 alternating lunges
• 40 glute bridges
• 50 star jumps
• 25 tricep dips
• 50 plank jacks
• 45 weighted Russian twists

If you have 30 minutes

It’s your day off, your partner took the kids to the grocery store, and you have some extra time to spare. This 30-minute workout will get you feeling fit and strong. Cordick recommends resting for 40 seconds after each exercise. “Repeat the sequence five times, or more if time permits,” she says.

• 40 scissor kicks
• 50 sit-ups
• 50 pushups
• 30 wood chops with a weight
• Skipping (50 times)
• Rows from plank (25 on each side)
• Side lunges (30 on each side)