This At-Home Quick HIIT Workout Burns Cals All Day Long

Dezemba in South Africa is a unique lifestyle not quite replicated anywhere else: time is a concept nobody is familiar with anymore. The phrase “eat clean” will get you dirty looks. And the workout becomes the one you do on the dancefloor. But if you’re dedicated to staying on top of your health habits, might we suggest this quick HIIT workout before the festivities begin?

By waking up fresh and busting out these fat-burning moves in the morning, you’ll have a potent muscle-building cardio workout that will go a long way in keeping you in shape. HIIT, or high-intensity interval training, combines cardio and strength training. While cardio and strength training are great in isolation, put them together, and you get a super-charged fat-burning force. It’s called metabolic conditioning, which combines periods of high-intensity exercise, little to no rest and big body movements to give you a strength, power and cardio workout all in one. Do this at-home quick HIIT workout in the morning and you’ll start burning it off before you’ve even taken your first bite.

Why Quick HIIT Workouts Are The Best

HIIT = Better Fitness

Through metabolic conditioning, quick HIIT workouts allow you to push yourself harder in work time, teaching your muscles to work more efficiently. By pushing hard in shorter periods, your muscles are able to work for longer in moderate cardio, which improves endurance (TLDR: hello, new PB!).

It Saves You Time

Because you’re getting your strength training and cardio done in one go, your workouts will be much shorter. In fact, you’ll likely cut your gym time in half – but still reap killer results.

READ MORE: Your Cardio Age Could Predict How Long You’ll Live – Here’s How To Measure It

You’ll Burn More Fat

The best part? This metabolic conditioning training, like this at-home quick HIIT workout, turns your body into a calorie-burning furnace. In one study, women who completed a ten-move strength circuit still had a higher metabolic rate (the number of calories you burn while just, you know, chilling on the couch) 16 hours later!

Try This At-Home Quick HIIT Workout

Want in on all that fat-burning action? Of course you do – especially in the festive season. This workout, by fitness trainer Frank Salzone, is designed to combine strength and cardio in a high-intensity circuit that will rev your metabolism for the rest of the day. It will takes just 35 minutes and you can do it at home. For each exercise, perform as many reps as you can with proper form in one minute, moving one exercise to the next without resting. Once you’ve done all ten moves, rest for a minute or two, then repeat the circuit two more times, so you’ve done three rounds in total.

Time: 35 minutes

Equipment: timer, set of dumbbells (likely 3kg-5kg)

Format: EMOM AMRAP (Every minute, on the minute; as many reps as possible within one minute.)

Sets: three rounds of each move, back to back.

Rest: maximum two minutes between sets.

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1. Lunge + Bicep Curl + Shoulder Press

Reps: AMRAP in one minute

1. Stand holding dumbbells at your sides, palms facing in.
2. Step forward into a deep lunge position, with both knees bent at 90-degree angles and your front shin vertical. Hold this static position.
3. Perform a bicep curl, bringing the dumbbells up toward your shoulders without moving your upper arms.
4. Rotate your wrists so palms face forward, then press the dumbbells straight overhead.
5. Lower the dumbbells back to shoulder level, rotate palms in, and then extend your arms back down to your sides in the lunge position.
6. Push off the front foot to return to standing, then repeat the sequence by stepping forward with the opposite leg.

2. Lat Pull-Downs

Reps: AMRAP in one minute

1. Stand holding dumbbells overhead, arms above your head, feet shoulder-width apart. Slightly bend your knees, keeping your back straight and chest up.
2. Pull the dumbbells down toward your ears, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
3. Return to start and repeat

3. Skater Hops With Windmill Arms

Reps: AMRAP in one minute

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Hop laterally, landing on one foot and sweeping the other leg behind the planted leg. Your body should be in a slight angle, resembling a speed skater.
3. As you hop, swing your arms across your body in a “windmill” motion. Keep your core braced to protect your back.
4. Immediately push off to hop to the opposite side, continuing the motion

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4. T Push-Ups

Reps: AMRAP in one minute

1. Begin in a high plank position with your hands on dumbbells, shoulder-width apart, and a straight line from head to heels.
2. Perform a standard push-up, lowering your chest toward the floor.
3. As you push back up, shift your weight to one arm and rotate your body, extending the other arm toward the ceiling to form a ‘T’ shape with your body.
4. Return to start and repeat on the other side.

5. Renegade Rows

Reps: AMRAP in one minute

1. Assume a high plank position, hands gripping the dumbbells, feet slightly wider than hip-width.
2. Keeping your core tight and hips stable, pull one dumbbell up towards your hip or lower ribcage.
3. Slowly lower the dumbbell back to the floor.
4. Repeat the row with the opposite arm. One rep = one row on each side.

6. Hollow Hold To Crunch

Reps: AMRAP in one minute

1. Lie on your back, holding one dumbbell (optional) overhead. Lift your legs and shoulders slightly off the ground to form a shallow ‘U’ shape (the hollow body position).
2. While maintaining the hollow body tension, perform a crunch by bringing your knees toward your chest and your upper body up off the floor.
3. Extend back out to the hollow hold position without letting your feet or shoulders touch the ground.

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