Too busy to exercise? - You're in the right place! A full body High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workout you can complete in just 30 minutes, where your body will continue to work for you even when you’re done!
HIIT involves very short periods of intense exercise, cycled with short periods of recovery, where the recovery can include complete rest or reduced intensity activity. With HIIT, you are able to maximise the number of calories your body burns after your workout; the higher the intensity the more calories burnt after exercise. In addition, HIIT can improve your performance with endurance activities such as jogging, by improving your VO2 Max, which is the maximum amount of oxygen your body can consume during activity.
Below, you will find a truly flexible circuit designed by ReVibe Fitness to accommodate all ability levels from beginners to advanced. Our HIIT class members range from 18 to 65 years of age so the circuit below also caters for a wide age range. Good luck – We hope you enjoy. Please drop us a note and let us know how you get on :-).
THE HIIT WORKOUT
Fully body 30-minute 8 station circuit. Each station exercise (1-8 below) has been carefully selected to allow for easier and harder alternatives as detailed under each exercise video. Choose which version of each exercise suits you and work through each of the stations in sequence spending 30 seconds on each station followed by a 10 second rest before moving onto the next exercise. Complete 3 circuits and have a 20 second rest between those 3 circuits. Please don’t forget to warm up and cool down.
The stations:
1) Side squats with dumbbell shoulder press
2) Burpees
3) Reverse ab curl with upper body weight
4) Reverse lunge with chest press
5) 180 degree turn with med ball slam
6) High / low plank
7) Box jumps
8) Jumping jacks
SIDE SQUAT (with dumbbell shoulder press)
Main muscles: Glutes, hamstrings, quads, deltoids
Easier alternative: Drop the weight
Harder alternative: Jump squat
Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and arms overhead and dumbbell in each hand. Push your hips back and come down into the squat position keeping the weight in your heels and chest up. Push the knees out on the way down and keep the knees behind the toes. Simultaneously lower your arms so your upper arms are parallel to the floor with a 90 degree at both elbows. Breathe in on the way down (eccentric move) and breathe out on the way up (concentric move).
BURPEES
Main muscles: Glutes, hamstrings, quads, deltoids, triceps, pecs, abs, upper traps
Easier alternative: Step it through
Harder alternative: Add in a press up when in the high plank position
Start from standing, squat and flex at the hips to place your palms flat on the floor in front of your feet. Kick your feet out so you are in the high plank position. Your shoulders, hips and heels should form a straight line. Kick your feet back in and jump into the air with a hand clap overhead. Breathe twice for each burpee. Breathing in on the way down, breathe out as you kick your legs out, breathe in as you kick your legs back in, and breathe out as you jump up into the air.
REVERSE AB CURL (with upper body weight)
Main muscles: Abs, deltoids
Easier alternative: Drop the weight
Harder alternative: Raise chest as you bring the knees and hands together
Lie on your back (supine position), with your arms stretched out overhead with a weight clasped in your hands. Bring the knees towards the chest and simultaneously move your hands over the knees and then return to starting position. Breathe in when returning to starting position and breathe out when doing the work.
REVERSE LUNGE (with chest press)
Main muscles: Glutes, hamstrings, quads, pecs
Easier alternative: Step back instead of reverse lunge
Harder alternative: Use a heavier weight for the chest press
Stand nice and tall with arms stretched out in front at shoulder height arms parallel to the floor, hands clasping a flat weight. Step back with one foot and bend both legs to a 90-degree angle with the rear leg within an inch off the ground. Keep the front knee behind the toes and your torso upright. Simultaneously bring the flat plate toward the chest. Return to starting position. Breathe in on the way down and breathe out at the top.
180 DEGREE TURN (with medicine ball slam)
Main muscles: Glutes, hamstrings, quads, calves, deltoids, triceps, abs, obliques, traps/lats
Easier alternative: 180 Degree turn without the medicine ball
Harder alternative: Use a heavier medicine ball
Start in standing position with feet shoulder width apart and medicine ball on the floor to your side. Twist your torso and flex at the knees and hips to lift the ball off the floor. Straighten the torso and come up onto your heels holding the medicine ball in the air overhead. From this position twist your torso in the opposite direction and slam the medicine ball to your side. Finish with a 180 degree turn and repeat. Breathe out as you slam the ball and breathe in as you go down to lift the medicine ball.
HIGH / LOW PLANK
Main muscles: Abs, traps/rhomboids/lats, triceps/biceps, deltoids
Easier alternative: Drop your knees
Harder alternative: Move foam block from side to side when in high plank position
Come down onto your front (prone position) with elbows under shoulders and forearms out in front. Lift your hips off the ground until they are level with your shoulders. From this low plank position come up onto your hands so the hands are under the shoulders and your shoulders, hips and heels form a straight line. Alternate between high plank and low plank. Breathe out when going into high plank and breathe in when lowering into low plank position.
BOX JUMPS
Main muscles: Glutes, hamstrings, quads, calves
Easier alternative: Step up and step down
Harder alternative: Use a higher box
Start in standing position with feet shoulder width apart. Flex at the knees and hips and jump onto the box using your arms to help propel you. Breathe out as you jump and breathe in as you return to starting position.
JUMPING JACK
Main muscles: Deltoids, abductors, adductors, glutes, calves, traps/lats
Easier: Leave out the arms
Harder: Clap hands at the bottom and the top
Stand nice and tall with your feet together and hands by your side. Kick your feet out to the sides and simultaneously clap your hands overhead. Return to starting position. Breathe out as you kick your feet to the sides and breathe in as you return to starting position.
DISCLAIMER: Please note in following the above routine you do so entirely at your own risk. Please consult with your GP regarding any medical conditions which are of concern and seek medical clearance prior to beginning any exercise programme. Please also consult with your GP prior to embarking on a new exercise programme and /or increasing your physically activity levels. You accept responsibility for providing all of your own equipment, clothing and footwear and the instructor will not accept any liability arising out of defective equipment. You acknowledge that the instructor is not present with you and cannot make an adequate assessment of the area where you are exercising and it is your responsibility to ensure the area is clear, safe, and free from any hazards which may cause injury to yourself or to others. You acknowledge that you are responsible for exercising within your own skill and fitness levels. If you feel the moves you are completing are above your current skill level you must cease immediately. Likewise, if you feel any discomfort, pain, sickness or dizziness you will immediately stop the activity.