Ask Brits what’s keeping them from getting fit, and the most common answer isn’t money, strength or laziness. Nope, the obstacle that almost half of all Brits say is getting in the way of them exercising is actually a lack of time.
But who says that exercise need take a huge chunk out of your day? Indeed, high-intensity workouts, or HIIT, are a popular way of working an exercise routine into even the busiest of schedules. If you’re wondering which workouts and routines you can add to your HIIT regime, then you’ve come to the right place; here are some of the best exercises to add to a short, high-intensity workout.
BOXING
Boxing is obviously a stand-alone sport, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t incorporate elements of it into your existing high-intensity workout routine. Boxing is in itself a high-intensity workout, but you can also alternate a session on the punch bag with different exercises from other disciplines. In fact, boxing is the biggest calorie burner of any sport, according to numerous studies, burning as much as 800 calories an hour.
When combined with other traditional calisthenic exercises in an HIIT programme, you may even burn more calories than that. Indeed, the guys at Truth Gym, responsible for executive personal trainer programmes, tell us that ‘’Interval training stimulates production on the body’s HGH levels’’. They go on to say that ‘’Human Growth Hormone is responsible for increased caloric burn and can slow down the ageing process, both inside and outside of the body’’.
Read: 5 fitness tricks and tips on maximising the effectiveness of your workout
MOUNTAIN CLIMBER EXERCISES
When thinking of mountain climbers, most people either picture a person engaged in the literal act of climbing mountains, or else the ‘mountain climber’ machine you find in a gym.
However, the name ‘mountain climber’ is also used for high-intensity training exercises that resemble the kind of movements performed while climbing mountains but which you can do at home without the need for specialist equipment. Or, you know, an actual mountain to climb…
There are many types of mountain climber exercises, including cross-body, elevated, wall, and the awesomely named ‘Spider-Man mountain climber’. Find detailed descriptions of all of them in this article from CoachMag.
SKIPPING
Remember playing with a skipping rope at the playground in your primary school or local park when you were a child? Well, it’s time to take a trip (not a literal one, though) down memory lane! Skipping is a deceptively simple full-body workout that will improve your muscle tone, coordination, heart health and stamina.
Think there is just one type of skipping rope? Think again; there are countless skipping ropes produced specifically for adults these days, even smart ropes. If you are keen to invest a little more, in a review of 11 of the best skipping ropes for fitness to improve stamina and speed, The Independent recommends Tangram’s smart rope pure. In their review they say that “the complementary app not only includes basic counts, such as jumps jumped and calories burned but also allows users to challenge their friends, view leaderboards and select fitness sessions such as interval training, which are based on skill level and fitness goal”.
Who ever thought a skipping rope could be so technical?
PLANK WALKOUTS
The plank walkout, also known as ‘inchworm’, is a great way to increase your flexibility as well as build up muscle tone in your legs, arms, back, and core.
Picture this; you start from a standing position, bend all the way until you have your hands on the floor, then slowly walk your hands forward until you find yourself in the plank position. Find a full description complete with pictures on this page. And repeat.
JUMPING JACKS WITH DUMBBELLS
Jumping jacks are a regular feature of high-intensity cardio workouts. But what you may not have considered is that you can make your jumping jacks more effective by holding a set of dumbbells while you jump.
This article from lifestyle magazine T3 will help you choose the best dumbbells for your needs and budget. Make sure not to let your ego take over, and instead select a weight that will challenge you appropriately without becoming unsafe. If you are unsure of what weight you should be lifting, this guide might be of help. Whether you are lifting weights or doing some other kind of exercise, always put safety first in everything that you do.