Looking for a zero-faff way to keep fit, build strength and boost your metabolism? Look no further than high-intensity interval training (HIIT), a workout style that gets you maximum results in minimal time.
HIIT involves alternating short bursts of intense exercise with periods of rest or low-intensity movement. Created by Nike trainer Naomi Heffernan, this 14-minute, 7-move HIIT workout is designed to get your heart rate up, burn calories, and build strength without the need for any equipment.
The key is to give your best effort during each interval. So, lace up your sneakers (check out our guide to the best cross training shoes if you need a new pair), clear some space, and get ready to get a sweat on.
Before attempting this workout, anyone with pre-existing medical conditions or those returning from an injury should consult with a healthcare professional to ensure it's safe for you to do.
Personal trainer and Barry's trainer, Naomi is an iconic name in the fitness landscape of London. She is a pro-active, personable, and highly competitive in the functional and HIlT space.
Warm-up
- Cat Cows
- From all fours on your hands and knees, arch the back looking up and round through the spine looking to the floor.
- Thread the kneeling thoracic twist
- From all fours, reach one arm high to the sky before threading the arm underneath the other bring the shoulder to the floor getting a twist in the upper, middle part of the back.
- Arm rolls forward and back
- Reach your arms out long and roll them forward x 5 and backwards x 5 reaching as far to full extension a you can.
- Kneeling Quad Stretch
- From a kneeling position, step one foot forward into a lunge.
- Reach back with the opposite hand to grasp the ankle of the back leg.
- Gently pull the foot towards your glutes while keeping your torso upright.
The HIIT workout
Now you're all warmed up, it's time for the intervals to begin. Remember the time you are working for on each exercise is just temporary and give it all you got.
Squat twist jump
- Squat with feet slightly wider than hip-width distance, as you jump out for the squat twist your hips to face the side before jumping back into your squat.
- Incorporating twists into your routine improves your ability in everyday tasks like reaching, bending, twisting and overall balance.
Pop Lunge jump
- Jump once or twice with your feet together before splitting both legs to land in a lunge position before jumping both feet together.
- This exercise builds strength in your quads, hamstrings and glutes and challenges balance and coordination as you switch legs mid-air.
Mountain climber
- Performed from a plank position, alternate the knees to the chest, then kick back out as if you are running on the floor.
- It’s a full body movement working core, legs, shoulders and arms. It also improves flexibility in your hips and legs.
Low Plank jack
- Performed from a low plank position on your forearm, starting with your feet together, jump both legs out wide and back in repeating from wide to narrow.
- According to Heffernan this is a really spicy core exercise that elevates the heart rate.
High knees
- Stand straight with your feet shoulder width apart, face forward and open your chest, bring your knee up to your waist and then land back on the ball of your feet, keep switching as if running on the spot.
- Explosive power from high knees will help to enhance your overall athletic performance.
Lateral lunge hops
- Take a big step out to the side bending into the working leg, keeping the other leg straight, hinging back and reaching your hand to the bent knee before stepping back to centre and repeating on the other side.
- This move strengthens the glutes, quads, abductors, adductors and hips in one.
High burpee
- Stand with feet hip width distance apart, keeping your hips high, reach down and place your hands on the ground in front of you.
- Kick your legs straight out behind you to jump into a plank position.
- Quickly jump both feet back to the hands before extending back up to standing.
- You will be working multiple muscle groups with this high intensity exercise.
Why is HIIT so effective?
HIIT involves alternating short bursts of intense exercise with periods of rest or low-intensity movement. Using this training approach not only keeps your workouts short and sweet but also maximizes calorie burn, improves cardiovascular health, and boosts your metabolism.
When we spoke with Heffernan she highlighted several key benefits of HIIT. The first is that it's ideal for people with busy schedules and many HIIT workouts don't require any equipment, meaning you can complete them wherever, from your living room, to the garden to the local park.
However, HIIT is also great for scaling to different fitness levels, and you can easily add weight, such as the best adjustable dumbbells, to increase the intensity.
HIIT boosts heart health by keeping your heart rate elevated and improving endurance, while also charging up your metabolism to burn calories even after the workout. You may have heard of something called Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC), which refers to the afterburn effect you gain from completing a workout like HIIT.
Finally, HIIT engages multiple muscle groups allowing you to increase strength and definition all over and improve your overall functional fitness.
More from Tom's Guide
- Ditch the gym — you just need 1 kettlebell and this 5-move low-impact workout to build muscle all over
- I just did a 500-calorie HIIT workout — here's how many calories I really burned on my Apple Watch
- Forget sit-ups — you only need 15 minutes and 8 moves to build a stronger core and improve your posture
