High-Intensity Workouts You Can Do at Home

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts are getting more traction as more people adopt them for their fitness goals. According to recent studies, these exercises yield better results and are easy to execute even at home. But before we delve into HIIT exercises, let’s shed some light on this mode of workout.

In high-intensity interval training, the exercises involve short yet intense bursts where the participant goes all out, but for a short period. The exercises alternate with less-intense active recovery workouts to boost heart health and accelerate fat loss, among other benefits. Overall, they are better than traditional cardio and strength training.

High-Intensity Workouts That Require No Equipment

Fitness experts and researchers believe there are high-intensity workouts that you can do at home, even without any equipment involved. HIIT yields better results for cardio fitness than other longer stretches or moderate-intensity exercises. It also works better for people with heart disease.

The following are high-intensity workouts you can implement at home even without any equipment:

Burpee

This high-intensity exercise involves standing with your feet hip-width apart. The next step involves squatting down and placing your hands on the floor while jumping your feet back to stay in a plank position. Perform one push-up and jump your feet back to your hands. From the crouched position, jump as high as possible.

Jump Squatting

In this HIIT exercise, you need to stand with your feet slightly wider than the hip-width distance and your toes spread out. Lower yourself into a squat position until your butt is below your knees. Jump back quickly and land softly back into a squat, keeping your knees apart.

Plank and Hollow-hold Combo

Start by getting in a high plank position keeping your shoulders over your wrists. Create a straight line from the shoulders to the heels. Engage your core for 20 seconds and rest for 10 seconds before you go into a hollow hold.

Lie down with your face up, legs fully spread, your arms overhead, and one palm stacked on top of the other. Start engaging your abs by rounding your spine. Lift your head, neck, shoulders, and legs off the floor and create a C-shape with your body. All the while, keep your arms extended by your ears.

High-Intensity Workouts with Dumbbells

In addition to high-intensity interval training without equipment, you can engage in the following HIITs with dumbbells. HIIT experts recommend five rounds of a 3-minute AMRAP (As Many Reps As Possible) using a 15-12-9 plan. Start with 15 reps for the first exercise, then 15 for the next.

After finishing a set of 15, proceed to the 12th set and the 9th set. When your timer hits three minutes, you can rest for three minutes and start from where you left off. After reaching the ninth set, work back until you finish the fifth 3-minute period. This workout requires medium-weight dumbbells.

Dumbbell deadlift

Begin by standing with your feet spread slightly wider than the hip-width distance. Hold dumbbells with your arms straight in front of your thighs and your palms facing inward. Bending your knees slightly, push back your hips and slide the dumbbells down your legs to the floor. Keep your spine straight and push through your heels to return for one rep.

Burpee-over-dumbbell

This high-intensity interval exercise involves doing a burpee in front of your dumbbells. One rep involves jumping the weights to the other side. Repeat the process while jumping in between each rep.

Dumbbell press

This exercise involves standing with your feet spread hip-width. Hold dumbbells at shoulder height with your palms facing inward. Extend both arms overhead and exhale while pressing the weights upward. Repeat to start for one rep.

Hand release push-ups

Stay in a standard push-up position and lower your body towards the floor. Lift your hands off the ground for a second, exhale, and press your body all the way up. You can modify the exercise by dropping to the knees, as this equally counts as a high-intensity workout at home.

Plyo Push-ups

Stay in a push-up position and lower your body to the floor. Push your body off the floor and lift your hands off the ground before resuming the push-up position. Modify it by dropping to the knees.

Russian twists

Start by sitting on the floor with your heels or lifted and your hands on your chest. Twist yourself from side to side.

Single-leg burpees

Start by lowering your body into a squat while placing your hands on the floor directly in front of your feet. Jump back with only one foot touching the floor and lower your body to the ground.

Bring your feet back to your hands and jump into the air on the same foot. Don’t allow the other foot to touch the ground and start the next rep without touching down. Repeat the exercise for 30 seconds on each side.

Superman’s Lateral Raises

Lie on your belly with your legs and arms lifted off the flow. Allow your arms to reach straight in front while squeezing back your glutes to keep your legs up. Pull your elbows down to your waist and return to the starting position. Repeat the procedure.

Lateral lunges with hops

This high-intensity interval training involves stepping your left leg to the side for a lateral lunge. Keep your right leg straight. Bring the left leg to a 90-degree angle while hopping on the right leg. Repeat on each side.

Get High-Intensity Interval Training at Home

High-intensity interval exercises can be a daunting task, especially for beginners. In addition to the ones mentioned here, you can also do tuck-ups, mountain climbers, plank jacks, and squat thrusts, among others. If you’re a beginner, you should ask the experts to get you started with less difficult HIITs.