In simple terms, HIIT can be thought of as performing an exercise all out for a short period of time followed by performing the exercise at a very low intensity level for a slightly longer period of time, and repeating this cycle.

HIIT has many benefits and enables you to pack a lot of work into a short amount of time, which makes it very appealing. The catch is, that it does require a high amount of effort and drive to get through it and to push yourself. There are many ways to add HIIT exercises to you workouts and also ways to make your whole workout a HIIT style workout.

Some simple ways to add HIIT exercises to your workouts could be:

Sprints

Jog for a minute and then sprint all out for 30 seconds. That is one cycle. Repeat this cycle 5 times or do it for time and repeat the cycles for 10 minutes for example. 

Cycling

Similar to sprints, you can choose to cycle on a low intensity and for the 30 seconds of higher intensity work, be sure to cycle as fast as you can. You could also choose to rather than try to cycle as fast as you can, you can up the cycle resistance but keep the same speed to also work on some muscle strength.

Punching

For a perhaps more fun time, try punching HIIT style. Punch slowly and more form focused for a minute and then pick it up and punch faster for 30 seconds on a punching bag. Remember though, to learn proper punching form first to avoid injury, and to get proper gloves for you. Punch Equipment’s range of boxing gloves has a variety to choose from for example.

Battle ropes

There are many different battle rope exercises to try, using the ropes perform the exercise similar to how the sprints above are structured. Go all out for 30 seconds followed by a rest or low intensity of the exercises for 1 minute.

Incorporating HIIT into workouts

The above are specific exercises that you can add onto your existing workout, choosing one (for example sprints) and at the end or start of your regular workout doing it for a total of 10 minutes could be a sufficient mount of time. You can always build onto this or add to the intensity of each cycle.

Something to keep in mind is that these exercises can be quite intense so make sure you are resting and recovering adequately and do them sparingly.

If your workouts are more centered around weight training and you want to try incorporate HIIT principles into your workout, or you just want to increase the intensity of your workouts a few things you can do are:

• Reduce rest periods between sets.
• Incorporate supersets. Usually people superset antagonist muscles, but don’t be limited to only this. You can create a circuit style workout using a variety of exercises. For instance, a combination of the Bench press, jump squats, punches and bicep curls could be used to target a whole range of muscles while focusing on intensity and speed. 
• Alternate heavy and light weights on the same exercise, or use drop sets.

HIIT is a great way to train but it is intense on the body, so remember to ensure that you are sleeping and resting enough, as well as eating the proper foods and right amounts to facilitate growth and recovery. Ensuring this will help you perform at your optimal intensity.

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There are luckily some workouts that will aid in the process of shedding that fat, as well as being able to improve your overall health at the same time. We’ll touch on four intense workout routines that will boost your health and energy while increasing fat loss in the process.

HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) Cardio

High-intensity interval training consists of exercises focused around a steady pacing, and then suddenly switching to a higher intensity for a short period of time. This could be implemented with running, biking, swimming, or weightlifting.

According to research of ourfitness.life HIIT workouts have been proven to be the most effective method to increase fat loss in the gym. HIIT workouts improve insulin sensitivity, which results in increased fat loss over time. Low-intensity cardio, however, doesn’t see the same benefit, solely acting to burn calories at a lower metabolic rate.

In addition to improving insulin sensitivity, HIIT exercise also boosts your metabolic rate well after your workout has ended. Similarly seen with weight training, burning extra calories after your workout is over is a benefit you won’t see with normal steady-state cardio. Here is an example of a HIIT workout that you can implement for increased fat loss:

HIIT Treadmill Workout:

• Round 1: 90 seconds of a brisk walk/jog
• Round 2: 30-60 seconds of a sprint
• Round 3: 90 seconds of recovery with a brisk walk
• Round 4: 30-60 seconds of a sprint

*Continue repeating the rounds for a total of 15-20 minutes.

This workout can be adjusted to any form of cardio, with intermittent sprints in between slower-paced rounds. Some great replacements would be indoor or outdoor cycling, swimming, or rowing. Not only will HIIT cardio help to burn extra fat post-workout, but you will also be in and out of the gym in a fraction of the time.

PPL (Push, Pull, Legs) Circuit Training

Breaking up workouts into specific body parts is a normal part of the fitness and bodybuilding workout regimen. The most common of which is the Push/Pull/Legs split. This means focusing on pushing movements one day, pulling movements the next day, and then leg exercises on the final day. Examples of each of the movements include:

Pushing Movements

• Bench Press
• Flat/Incline Dumbbell Press
• Tricep Extensions
• Dumbbell Shoulder Press
• Skull Crushers
• Pushups

Pulling Movements

• Lat Machine Pulldowns
• Bent Over Rows
• Bicep Dumbbell Curls
• Bicep Hammer Curls
• Pullups

Leg Movements

• Leg Press
• Squats
• Hamstring Curls
• Leg Extensions
• Lunges

While normal weight lifting can act to boost your metabolism post-workout (similarly to HIIT above), it doesn’t have the same cardiovascular aspect necessary to really kick your fat loss into high gear. Implementing circuit training into your weightlifting can increase your overall heart rate, burning more calories and speeding up the fat loss beyond what is possible with a normal weight training session. Selecting four or five main exercises, rapidly switch from one to another without rest. Optimally you should perform the exercises at about 70-80% of your normal strength limit.

Here is an example of a ‘Push’ circuit training session:

• Dumbbell Press: 10-12 repetitions
• Tricep Rope Pushdowns: 10-12 repetitions
• Dumbbell Flys: 10-12 repetitions
• Overhead Dumbbell Press: 10-12 repetitions
• Pushups: 15-20 repetitions

*Rest and repeat this circuit 3-5 times

You can implement the same strategy with both pull and leg days, and then take your scheduled rest day and repeat. Try to avoid implementing this workout during busy hours at the gym, as you will need access to a number of pieces of equipment simultaneously.

Full Body Circuit Training

Similar to the circuit training method mentioned above, this workout strays slightly and includes a selection of exercises encompassing the entire body. These are a great option if you have limited time during the week, letting you attack your entire body in one fell swoop. An example would be:

• Bench Press: 10-12 repetitions
• Squats: 10-12 repetitions
• Overhead Dumbell Press: 10-12 repetitions
• Bicep Dumbbell Curls: 10-12 repetitions
• Dead Lifts: 10-12 repetitions
• Dumbbell Rows: 10-12 repetitions

If you are someone who prefers to workout from home, you can also implement bodyweight exercises to the same effect. An example of this would be:

• Pushups: 15-20 repetitions
• Lunges: 15-20 repetitions
• Crunches: 15-20 repetitions
• Closed Grip Pullups: 15-20 repetitions
• Wide Grip Pullups: 15-20 repetitions

Again you will be repeating either of these circuits 3-5 times, with little to no rest in between exercises.

HIIT Weight Training

A combination of the strength-building benefits of heavy weight training and the cardiovascular benefits of HIIT, these workouts can build and preserve muscle while simultaneously burning fat. Because of the combined benefits of muscle gain and fat loss, HIIT weight training proves to be one of the best workouts for body recomposition.

These workouts mainly focus on one or two muscle groups, switching between lighter and heavier weights for varied repetitions. An example of this would be:

Chest and Triceps

• Dumbbell Press: 12-15 repetitions at 40% of your max weight, followed by 6-8 repetitions at 60% of your max, followed by 12-15 repetitions at 40%
• Dumbbell Flys: 12-15 repetitions at 40%, 6-8 repetitions at 60%, 12-15 repetitions at 40%
• Skull Crushers: 15-20 repetitions at 40%, 12-15 repetitions at 60% , 15-20 repetitions at 40%
• Rope Pushdowns: 12-15 repetitions at 40%, 6-8 repetitions at 60% , 12-15 repetitions at 40%

*Repeat each exercise 2-4 times, with sufficient rest between sets.

This workout can be adjusted for each body part, or in conjunction with a whole-body routine. To achieve maximal fat burning during your gym routine, the main goal should be to increase your overall tempo. As mentioned above, weight training and HIIT exercises will also see increased metabolic effects after your workout, so these will be the most effective routines.

Whether it is bodyweight exercises, dumbbell routines, full-body workouts, or isolated movements, maintaining high intensity with your workout will be your best bet in burning excess fat and maintaining muscle mass.

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