We all strive to be the best us we can be. That includes staying fit and active. But that is easier said than done. Life gets busy, other obligations pop up, you get burnt out, and all of the sudden you haven’t worked out in over a month. And that is where HIIT workouts come in.
If you are a busy person that would like to squeeze in some exercise, you might want to consider doing HIIT workouts, rather than your usual workout.
Especially if you are looking to also slim down.
If this applies to you, I will walk you through what a HIIT workout is, the great benefits you can get from it, and a 20-minute full body beginner HIIT workout with directions on how to preform each exercise.
And if you are looking to make sure you keep up with your workout routine, check out my post 12 Tips to Make You Stick to Your Workout Routine, to ensure you don’t quit
Define HIIT Workout
HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training.
That means you are doing high intensity exercises for short periods. You have short rest times and it incorporates some low intensity exercises.
This is meant to exhaust you.
I love HIIT workouts because they do not take long to do, and I feel like I got a really great workout in. I haven’t found any other exercises that don’t take up a lot of time and give that same feeling of accomplishment.
If you have never done a HIIT workout, I highly suggest trying it with the understanding that if you have not worked out in a while, this can be very exhausting.
Do not get discouraged if you can’t do everything in the workout. Just work towards doing more the next time.
HIIT Benefits
- You can burn a lot of calories in a short amount of time
- It helps you lose fat
- You could gain muscle
- If can reduce your heart rate and blood pressure
- Your metabolic rate is higher for hours after a HIIT workout
- It can help you to improve oxygen consumption
HIIT Workout for Beginners
Now we get into the actual workout. I think it is vital to mention again that this is a high intensity interval training workout. That means it can be hard!
If you are a person that does not do a lot of cardio, it might feel impossible while you are doing the exercise because it is fast paced, and the breaks are pretty short.
Do not feel bad if you have to take a little bit longer of a break or can’t do an exercise for the allotted time. You can always improve the next time.
I do guarantee you will feel like you had an amazing workout in just 20 minutes!
So, let’s get to it.
Warmup
Arm Circles- 20 sec.
Start with your arms stretched out in front of you. Bending them at the elbows, bring your hands in front of your chest with your wrists pressed together.
Keeping your wrists touching, rotate your hands down, towards you, and push them back out in front of you.
Forward Elbow Circles- 20 sec.
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Place your hands on you shoulders. Set your elbows at shoulder level, pointing out.
Slowly make circles as big as you can with your elbows. Remember to keep your hands touching your shoulders.
Lateral Hops- 20 sec.
Hop from side to side in place, keeping your upper body tight. Swing your arms to help keep balance and the momentum going.
Workout Part 1
Plank- 30 sec.
Start by laying on your stomach with your arms under you. Once you begin, push up on your forearms and tippy toes.
Your arms should be shoulder width apart, feet together. And make sure to keep your body in a straight line.
If you want to know more about the plank exercise, read Benefits of the Plank Exercise and How to Perform It.
Good Mornings- 10 reps.
Put your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing straight out. Your feet should be shoulder width apart.
Keeping your back straight and your knees slightly bent, bend forward as low as possible.
Rest- 30 sec.
Body Saw Plank- 30 sec.
Start in the plank position as before. Tighten your core and move your body forwards and backwards. Use your toes to push you forward and your forearms to push back.
Box Squat- 7 reps.
Squat down to rest on the edge of a chair. Use your legs and tighten your glutes to stand.
Rest- 30 sec.
Body Saw Plank- 30 sec.
Start in the plank position as before. Tighten your core and move your body forwards and backwards. Use your toes to push you forward and your forearms to push back.
Jump Squat on Toes- 12 reps.
Start with your feet shoulder width apart. Go into a squat position on your toes. Swing your arms up to jump.
Make sure to keep your entire body tight when landing and bend your knees to reduce the impact.
Rest- 30 sec.
Workout Part 2
Beginner Burpees- 10 reps.
Keep your feet shoulder width apart. Squat down and place your hands on the floor. Kick your legs back to land on your toes, holding your weight on your hands.
Pull your feet back in and jump up with your arms in the air.
Repeat.
Keep in mind you are meant to go as fast as you can with this one.
Rest- 20 sec.
Side to Side Plank- 24 reps.
Begin in a high plank position, meaning a plank position but resting on your hands with your arms fully extended, feet together. Move your left hand and your right foot to the right, at the same time.
Then move back to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
Move your left hand and your right foot to the right, at the same time. Then move back to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
Rest- 10 sec.
Beginner Burpees- 10 reps.
Keep your feet shoulder width apart. Squat down and place your hands on the floor. Kick your legs back to land on your toes, holding your weight on your hands.
Pull your feet back in and jump up with your arms in the air.
Repeat.
Keep in mind you are meant to go as fast as you can with this one.
Rest- 20 sec.
Butt Kicks- 40 sec.
Place the backs of your hands against your butt. Keep your back straight. Bring one heel up at a time to touch your hand. This should be done at a jogging pace.
Rest- 20 sec.
Jumping Jacks- 30 sec.
Stand with your feet together and your hands at your sides. Jump up and move your feet out to the sides, while bringing your arms above your head.
When you bring your feet back together, your arms return to your sides.
Do this as fast as possible.
Rest- 20 sec.
Lunge with Twist- 6 reps.
Take a step as far as your can forward. Keep your back leg extended and your front leg bent. Touch your elbow to the ground, next to your front leg.
Then twist your torso and extend your arm up. Bring your hand back to the floor and switch legs.
Rest- 30 sec.
Lateral Hops- 30 sec.
Hop from side to side in place, keeping your upper body tight. Swing your arms to help keep balance and the momentum going.
Rest- 45 sec.
Knee Pushups- 8 reps.
Put your knees on the ground and cross your ankles. Place your hands shoulder width apart. Bend your elbows until your chest rests on the ground.
Lift your hands off the ground for a second, then put them back and push up.
Repeat.
Rest- 45 sec.
Cool Down
Forward Elbow Circles- 20 sec.
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Place your hands on your shoulders. Set your elbows at shoulder level, pointing out.
Slowly make circles as big as you can with your elbows. Remember to keep your hands touching your shoulders.
Calf Stretch Right Leg- 30 sec.
Stand against a wall, with your hands flat against it. Step forward with your left foot, into a lunge, with your left toe touching the wall.
Extend your right leg back, being sure to keep your heel on the ground. Lower your hips to feel the stretch in your right calf.
Calf Stretch Left Leg- 30 sec.
Stand against a wall, with your hands flat against it. Step forward with your right foot, into a lunge, with your right toe touching the wall.
Extend your left leg back, being sure to keep your heel on the ground. Lower your hips to feel the stretch in your left calf.
Recap
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) can be a great workout for those that want to feel the burn without spending hours working out.
There are many additional benefits you can experience from choosing HIIT workouts. These include burning a lot of calories in a short amount of time, losing fat, and lowering your heart rate and blood pressure.
The 20-minute full body beginner workout is a good place to start if you have never done a HIIT workout before. But it is always important to remember that it can be hard and exhausting for you, but you should never get discouraged by it.
Stick to it!
If you are looking for what to eat before and after your HIIT workout, check out this post.
