Sweat It Out: 25-Minute Body Weight HIIT Workout
The holiday season is quickly approaching. It’s a busy time, where we can find ourselves opting for shopping and socializing more than heading to the gym. With all the things to do it can be stressful, and with stress comes poor food choices, more alcohol, and more irritability.
All the more reason to get a workout in!
But you’re just too busy to fit it in?
What if I told you that you could still get your heart rate up and muscles pumping in less than 25 minutes? A quick high-intensity workout you can do during the holidays (or any other time for that matter!)
Now you have no excuses.
When we think about exercise, a common misconception is that we need equipment: weights, kettlebells or bands to train for strength. But, did you know that gravity is considered a resistance to your body? Yep, that means your body weight also counts and can be very effective in challenging your muscles!
To do this properly, get a good sweat on, and wrap it all up in a 25-minute session you’ve got to challenge yourself. High-Intensity Interval Training, more commonly known as HIIT, demands that we push our bodies and heart to the maximum, but only for a short period of time. Despite the shorter duration, the increase in intensity helps us achieve the same caloric expenditure as you would in an hour of steady state cardio.
Don’t let the rush of the holiday season throw you off your health groove, let’s move!
25-Minute Body Weight HIIT Workout
This workout is designed to challenge you both physically and mentally in a short period. Treat this workout as a circuit, and work as hard as you can in the ‘active’ period. During the ‘rest’ periods take your full break and be sure to hydrate. While it is good to push yourself to your limits, you know your body. If you can step it up a notch, then do it, if you need to scale it back for a set, don’t be afraid to let your body have a break!
There are a total of 9 different exercises you will perform divided into 3 pods (3 exercises in each pod).
The way to perform this workout is as follows:
You will complete each pod a total of 4 times. Do as many reps of each exercise as you can during the active period. Finish each pod before moving on to the next. Rest for 2-3 minutes between each round.
Round 1:
Active Period: 40 seconds
Rest Period: 20 seconds
Round 2:
Active Period: 30 seconds
Rest Period: 15 seconds
Round 3:
Active Period: 20 seconds
Rest Period: 10 seconds
Round 4:
Active Period: 40 seconds
Rest Period: 20 seconds
POD 1
5 bodyweight squats + 1 squat jump
Push-ups
Toe Touches (abs)
POD 2
Reverse Lunge
Plank with Shoulder Taps
Mountain Climbers
POD 3
Bear Crawl (forward and back)
Tuck Jumps
Reverse Crunch
Finish all three pods, and you have completed your workout in less than 25 minutes! You can do this from home, at the gym or anywhere with a sufficient amount of space. Enjoy!
How do you stay fit during the holidays? Did you try this workout? Let us know! Find us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter and tag #ReflexNation.
About Your Author
Corrie Sutherland is a competitive soccer player, ACE Certified Personal Trainer, and member of Team Reflex.
