HIIT'ing at Home

Being the runners that we are, we run.

Running is what we know. It makes us feel good, physically and mentally. And, especially in our current Safe-at-Home reality, it gets us out of the house.

That said, a runner cannot (usually) succeed on running alone. Eventually, the “running muscles” will burnout if not given some rest and/or enhancement from other sources.

Enter: the HIIT option

HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workouts are a great way to add some excitement and intensity to your fitness routine. You'll not only get some cardio, but your muscles will also benefit  since many of the moves involve your own body weight as resistance.

An article that caught my attention, cited numerous benefits of doing HIIT workouts, several of which I have experienced myself. Some of these benefits include increased metabolism (during and after the workouts), loss of weight, reduction in fat, and increased energy. For me, all of these have happened with only doing one HIIT workout a week (in addition to my usual running, daily walking, planking, etc.), and my HIIT workouts seldom go past 30 minutes.

Myself, I've never been much a gym-goer. I have some basic necessities (hand weights, kettle bell, resistance bands, etc.), so I've always been able to get my fitness fix without needing to venture out (with the exception of running). With most of us currently "at home" more than we're accustomed to, working-out at home has become a new norm for the time being.

The following are a few recent HIIT workouts I designed to be short (less than 30 minutes) but effective. All can be done from the confines of your house.

The Jump Start
3 total sets
*10 jump squats
*10 flights of stairs (double steps)
*10 flights of "jack jumps" (basically, jumping jacks, but jumping up the stairs)
*10 burpees
*30 plank jacks
*10 push-ups

Need a burst of endorphins to jump-start your morning? This will deliver.

Full-body weighted HIIT

*1/2-mile power walk (warm-up)

*15 flights of weighted double steps (8# hand weights)
*10 push-ups
*15 burpees
*20 upper-body reps
*30 mountain climbers
*20 plank jacks

*1/2-mile walk (cool-down)


I walked on my treadmill (for the warm-up/cool-down), but a quick outdoor walk would work as well.

Give Me Some 10's
*10  squats
*10  push-ups
*10  "Spiderman" mountain climbers
*10  burpees
*10  stair flights

Doing four circuits (sets of 10 for each move) netted me about 30 minutes of sweat equity. 

All About the 5's HIIT Extravaganza
***5 sets (obviously)***

*5 push-ups
*5 plank jacks
*5 burpees
*5 stair flights (double-stepped)
*5 push-ups
*5 mountain climbers
*5 jump squats
*5 stair flights (double-stepped)
*1-minute wall sit

Totals: 50 stair flights, 50 push-ups, 5 minutes of wall-sitting, and 25 of all the other moves. I can do this workout (with five sets) and finish just under 30 minutes.The wall sits act as a brief recovery period between the sets. This workout wound up being more intense than it looked on paper (at least for me). Fair warning!

"Fast & Furious 4 Sets of 5" ((ahem))...
**5 stair flights (double-stepped)
**10 burpees
**15 jump squats
**20 mountain climbers
**25 plank jacks

Trust me, this also looks a lot easier (on paper) than it is to execute (LOL), but that's all good. I can do hard things, and I'm quite grateful. Four sets usually take me less than 24 minutes.

Lower-body focused HIIT session
four sets: 
*10 squats
*10 mountain climbers
*1-minute wall sit
*10 plank jacks
*10 regular jumping jacks
*10 burpees

Just a few simple moves, but it's good for a solid 20 minutes of sweat equity.

So, there's a few workouts to consider. You don't need any equipment. Many can be done inside or outside (on a deck or patio), weather permitting. All you need is a little bit of time, and a willingness to get sweaty.

Need a few more ideas? Here's another post to take a look at:
HIIT me up!

Are you a fan of HIIT workouts?  Are you able to maintain a workout regimen while at home? Any favorite moves you'd like to add to the workouts above?

**Disclaimer** I am not a fitness coach (nor do I play one on TV). These are workouts that I have designed for me based on my own personal goals and abilities.

I'm linking this with Kim and Zenaida for the Tuesday Topics Link-Up

I'm also linking with Debbie,  Rachel, Deborah, Lisa, Sandra and Jenn for the Runners' Roundup

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