This weeks workout is designed for those who are short on time who want results reasonably fast and are prepared to work hard for them. Don’t have a spare hour in the evenings after work? Do you find the idea of getting up 30 minutes early to work out unfeasible? How about just 10 minutes? Does that sound more achievable?
Benefits
The circuit I’m about to show you is designed to achieve two main goals; 1) To introduce a radical boost in your aerobic fitness 2) To burn the maximum amount of calories possible whilst you are exercising. A shorter workout means it has to be higher intensity to gain sufficient benefit… So, this is a short, action packed 10 minute blast designed to give you maximum return in a short space of time.
The exercises are predominantly leg based as the legs are the biggest muscles in the body and, therefore, use the most energy while working out – Great to help you lose unwanted body fat and for drawing on oxygen to boost your aerobic capacity. Be warned though, this is a tough workout and not for the faint of heart.
Caution
This a high impact workout which, in addition to burning crazy calories, will strengthen your muscles and increase your bone density for improved bone strength (ideal if you are high risk of developing Osteoporosis).
With this in mind, if you have a heart problem, breathing concerns, a bone weakness, a back or muscular injury which could be aggravated by impact exercise – Please consult your GP before you start this kind of workout. Please be aware – Any workout with impact and jumping requires a reasonably strong core and stable joints to avoid injury.
What You Will Need
- Adequate room to move around
- A sweat towel & water
- Decent training shoes to protect your joints
- A stopwatch or clock (with a second hand) to time the circuits
Warm Up
Before you start any form of exercise, it is incredibly important to warm-up first – This should include 10 mins of light-medium intensity cardio vascular exercise. This could be a power walk, a jog outside or a machine of your choice (if you are in the gym or have access to equipment at home).
You should also mobilise the joints with a dynamic stretch routine (If you feel unsure of what this means – Please Subscribe via email on my blog homepage to view existing and future posts for additional support, expertise and advice in all areas of Health & Fitness).
The Circuit
During this workout, you have 5 exercises to complete, each lasting for 30 seconds. In that time, complete the exercises with a full range of movement (as possible) and work as hard as you can for the duration of the time. This workout is designed to really challenge both your breathing and your muscles; It will be challenging… Keep focused and strong-minded – You can do it.
Once you have completed the circuit once, allow time to recover. Ideally, your rest period should be no more than 30 seconds… Less, if you are able, in order to maximise the benefits. Repeat the circuit between 1-5 times, depending on how fit you are and how much time you have. If necessary, you can adjust the length of the circuit from 30 seconds to a shorter time period if your fitness isn’t quite there yet or longer if it isn’t enough (which it should be if you are working hard enough).
Frequency
If weight loss is your goal, perform this workout 3-5 times a week and you should find yourself losing around 1lb of body fat a week (combined with a healthy diet, of course – If you need support with nutrition management, please check out my post ‘So, What Should I Eat?’).
Technique
Before you get started, I have put together a few tips about the exercises and the correct technique required to keep you safe and ensure you get the most out of the workout.
Power Squats
– Squat deeply with feet wide and heels pressed into the floor – Maintain a straight back
– Jump upward to land on both feet together with a light bounce on the toes
– Jump back into a deep squat and repeat
Jumping Jacks
– Stand tall and straight – Keep your belly button pulled in (towards the spine)
– Bounce outward with both feet taking your straight arms up above your head
– Bounce back to your start position and repeat as fast as you can maintaining your technique
Squat Thrusts
– Start in a full press-up position (hands and toes)Bunny Hops
– Start in a full press up position (hands and toes)Ski Shift Jumps
– Imagine a line on the floor and stand on one side of itOk, so now you have a better idea of the techniques, you are ready for the workout. Don’t forget to warm up and if you need help to stretch afterward you can follow my online guide to offer some great post exercise stretches.
Click to download workout as a PDF: fast-fitness-hiit-workout
I hope you enjoy the workout and feel better for doing it. It would be great to hear how you got on and, also, share your own tips or favourite exercises… So, please leave a comment below or join me on Facebook or Twitter – Look forward to hearing from you.
