High Intensity Interval Training: An All-Out Workout

Have you ever tried a HIIT workout? ;)

Today on Alive in the Fire, I'm honored to share a guest blog post from an experienced personal trainer, Justina Triasovaite. If you're looking to mix up your yoga routine and burn fat, try this high-intensity interval training circuit! Justina lives in London, where she shares her passion for fitness with clients on a daily basis. 

HIIT or high intensity interval training has become increasingly widespread in recent years. The training technique is now very popular in gyms and various studios across the world. Research has shown that it is a great way to lose fat and get in shape.

I personally love to incorporate HIIT with my clients; in fact, it has proven to be a great way to bring a new and exciting energy to our sessions.

In this article I will explain to you why I’ve continued to include HIIT and give you an example of my favourite routine.

Let’s get started!

1) Benefits of HIIT training

The benefits of HIIT training are varied and will often align with your fitness goals, whether you are looking to lose fat or enhance your agility:

i)  HIIT saves time at the gym. A typical workout is usually only 20-30 minutes long and because the intensity is so high it will often be equivalent to a longer, less intense exercise regime.

ii) This type of training is also great for fat loss. It has proven to result in a much greater fat loss in comparison to moderate cardiovascular activity.

iii) HIIT also improves your overall health, including your resting heart rate.

iv) HIIT improves your overall performance especially your agility and speed. It is a great technique to learn if you are looking to enhance your performance in a particular sport or martial art.

v) Thankfully, HIIT can be performed anywhere because it requires no special equipment. This also means it is inexpensive and accessible, so there is no excuse to not give it a try!

2) Who is it For?

High intensity interval training technique might not be for everyone. The workouts are usually very rigorous and require a lot of effort. Even for professional athletes it may prove to be difficult especially if they more commonly engage in less intense types of training.

Unless you are an experienced gym-goer I would recommend you start at 70-80% of your maximum effort and ease yourself into the intensity required. After you feel comfortable and confident then it is time to move on to ALL OUT workouts!

3) The Workout

HIIT workout does not need to be exclusively performed on the treadmill. There are different variations which you can try and then you can choose the one that suits your needs

Almost any body weight exercise can be used for high intensity interval training. I usually give my clients 3-4 different rounds. Doing various combinations is going to challenge different muscles, keep your workouts interesting and resist the monotony that sometimes arises whilst doing repetitive exercises. Be creative!

Here is a brief example that I have used repeatedly to great effect:

1) Begin with Burpees, go into 5-10 second sprints on the spot. Repeat this 5 times with 10-15 second breaks in between.

2) Follow this with 10 seconds of jumping squats, 10 seconds of jumping lunges and 30 seconds in the plank position (use plank as an active rest). Repeat this 5 times.

3) Then 20 seconds of vertical jumps followed by 20 seconds of press-ups. Repeat 5 rounds of this combination with 20-30 second breaks in between.

4) Finally, 20 seconds of high knees, followed by 20 seconds of box jumps. As with the vertical jumps repeat 5 rounds with 20-30 second breaks and the exercise regime is complete!

4) Things to Consider

HIIT workouts are very challenging but they are meant to push you to your limit so that you can achieve your dream fitness goals. A lot of people think it is just fast paced cardio. It is more than that, however, and if you want the maximum results and benefits you have to give it your all.

Try and do HIIT with a partner or a personal trainer and you will see how much harder you can push yourself. Sometimes our brain stops our bodies from maximum effort in order to prevent consequences - sore muscles and stress. But when it comes to HIIT training saying, “train hard or go home” is the best attitude!

While it may prove difficult, I encourage you to remain motivated and stay enthusiastic about your fitness goals!

About Justina

Justina Triasovaite is a certified female personal trainer in London and also runs justinatraining.com, a site with useful information for those who are interested in general fitness and body transformation. A committed health and fitness fanatic, Justina is very passionate about helping people transform their lives. Learn more fitness tips and follow her journey on Justina Fitness Training or her Instagram account, @justinatraining.

Thank you, Justina, for sharing this great workout! All photos courtesy of Justina Triasovaite.