Got 15 minutes? No, seriously that’s all it takes!
Those who blame lack of time for their inability to exercise are going to have to come up with a new excuse. Nah! Sounds too good to be true? Taking 20 minutes or less means you can slot it in before your morning shower, or hit it during your lunch hour and still have 45 minutes to spare!
There’s a hot new workout taking the world by storm, transforming bodies across the world and it only takes up 15 to 20 minutes of your precious time to complete. Yeah, less time that it would take to watch your favourite re-run of F.r.i.e.n.d.s!
High Intensity Interval Training also known as HIIT, might seem like just another flash in the fitness pan, but here’s where it differs: It’s quick, it’s affordable, and anyone can do it. Yeah, the newly awakened HIIT trend has got fitness connoisseurs back in the ready position.
Joe Wicks, HIIT phenomenon, also known as the body coach, has taken Instagram by storm with his cheeky approach to fitness. Not only is he a fantastic nutritionist and trainer, he’s also a bit of a treat for the eyes, ladies! Joe advocates that HIIT will not only get your fat burners fired up like nothing else, but it will also boosts your metabolism and get you super fit by improving your cardiovascular fitness.
What is HIIT all about?
It involves short bursts of exercise followed by recovery periods of low-intensity activity or rest. 20 Seconds of hard work followed by 40 seconds of rest, or crank it up by 30 seconds of hard work followed by 30 seconds of rest. Repeat this for 15 minutes and voila! Job done. Do this 4 to 5 times a week and see ya later, body fat!
You can smash a HIIT session with a mix of bodyweight exercises such as burpees, high knees, skipping or sprints. All you need to do is choose an exercise or a combo of exercises that are good for you and work hard for 15 minutes. Simple, right?!
A good example would be sprinting as fast as you can for 30 seconds, then resting for 30 and repeating. The important thing is the “train hard” bit. You have to give 110% for those 30 seconds. As long as you get your heart rate up high, you should be doing it right.
There are plenty of how-to videos online to guide you through this workout.
Here’s an example:
15-Minute Workout
Do 5-minute intervals of each exercise and perform each exercise for 30 seconds. Repeat until the 5 minutes is up – you will do each exercise twice. Be sure to take a 1-minute rest between intervals so your body can recover.
INTERVAL 1: LEGS
- Squats: put your hands behind your head, keep your chest up and your core tight
- Walking lunges with dumbbells
- Step-ups holding dumbbells (use a chair or step and make sure you are alternating your legs)
- High knee runs (run on the spot, being sure to get your knees up high)
- Jump lunges, alternating your legs
INTERVAL 2: ARMS
- Push-ups: if you can’t do full push-ups, then do beginner push-ups on your knees
- Dips: use a chair or a step
- Bicep curls
- Plank to pushups (these are called commandoes)
- Shoulder presses
INTERVAL 3: ABS
- Straight-leg Sit-Ups
- Mountain Climbers
- Bicycles
- Plank
- Burpees
Not convinced yet? Here are some of the benefits of HIIT:
- HIIT is super-efficient and takes up only 15 minutes of your time.
- HIIT boosts metabolism and will increase your fat burning ability for up to 48 hours afterwards.
- HIIT will improve your heart health.
- No gym. Just you, some willpower and a timer.
So, whether you’re looking to get bikini ready for summer or just want to improve your fitness levels; have a go at a HIIT workout 3 to 4 times a week and you’ll be feeling the benefits in no time.
Source: www.thebodycoach.co.uk, www.health24.com, clicks.co.za, www.dailymail.co.uk, www.newsjs.com, www.careergirldaily.com, mercola.com, www.thetelegraph.co.uk, www.elle.co.za, www.mirror.co.uk, lifestyle.one, www.menshealth.co.uk
