We all know how important sufficient exercise is for our health and our bodies. Unfortunately, many of us don't have the time to spend 1-2 hours in the gym every day or simply don't feel like it. Fortunately, there are now many ways to train in your own four walls. Whetherthe plank exerciseor a full-body workout plan – a home workout can be just as strenuous and effective. Fast fat loss and maximum results in the shortest possible time – that’s what HIIT training promises us. In our article we will tell you what exactly that is, what a good HIIT training plan looks like and what advantages the high-intensity training offers.
HIIT training comes from English and is the abbreviation of “High Intensity Interval Training”. It has become increasingly popular in recent years and has been number one in the American College of Sports Medicine's fitness trends since 2014. From an afterburn effect to lowering blood pressure – the positive effects of the workout have been confirmed several times by various scientific studies.
What is HIIT training?
A HIIT training plan usually lasts between 20 and 30 minutes, including warm-up and warm-down. Since the intensity is very high and you train at around 85-95% of your maximum heart rate, fitness experts advise against longer training sessions. Two to three training sessions a week are optimalto achieve desired results. However, we must mention that a toned body cannot be achieved through training alone - you should also pay attention to a healthy and balanced diet.The HIIT trainingis a type of endurance training that is characterized by a combination of exercises with intense effort and shorter breaks in between. The Tabata protocol is the most famous HIIT training ever. It consists of 20 seconds of exercise, followed by 10 seconds of rest and the whole thing is repeated 8 times.
In order for the HIIT training plan to really be effective, it is important that you train at 85-95% of your maximum heart rate. The quickest and easiest way to determine this is to calculate it using a formula. And this is how it's done:
- For men: 223 – 0.9 x age
- For women: 226 – age
Of course, you can also quickly determine your pulse using a fitness watch or tracker or even on a home trainer. It is difficult to measure when exercising and moving, so we recommend using electronic devices for this purpose.
What are the benefits of a HIIT training plan at home?
The benefits of the HIIT Training Plan go far beyond saving money and time and achieving faster weight loss results.
- Burn fat and promote and maintain muscle building –Despite requiring less time, HIIT training has proven to be much more effective than 40 minutes of jogging on the treadmill at normal intensity. The main reason for this is that the higher physical exertion promotes the release of adrenaline and thus stimulates fat burning. In addition, the production of the growth hormone dopamine is increased, which in turn leads to muscle building. A scientific study found that just 2 minutes of HIIT training in the form of sprints is much more effective than 30 minutes of jogging.
- Has the so-called “afterburn effect” –HIIT training pushes our body to its limits and it needs more energy to regenerate after the workout. This means that calories are burned for many hours afterwards. In addition, growth hormone production is increased by up to 450% within the next 24 hours. This not only means more fat burning - the aging process is also slowed down.
- HIIT training to improve VO2 max –VO2max is the maximum amount of oxygen that the body uses during a training session and is a measure of endurance. The higher the oxygen consumption, the better for our overall health. Compared to other forms of training such as jogging or cycling at a constant pace, high-intensity training leads to a significant increase in VO2 max in a very short time. A large meta-analysis from 2013 showed that oxygen consumption doubles after just 6 HIIT training sessions.
- May help lower blood sugar levels –A study conducted in the United States found that regular, intense, interval training leads to improved blood flow and reduced blood sugar levels in patients with type 2 diabetes.
- Doesn’t take too long –An average HIIT workout usually lasts about 20 minutes. Although that doesn't sound like much, sometimes even professional athletes find it difficult to complete the entire training session. A study conducted by McMaster University in Canada found that just 18 minutes of HIIT per day produces better long-term results than a 90-minute gym workout.
- It never gets boring –Let's face it - spending 1 hour on the treadmill or elliptical machine isn't much fun. Luckily, things are completely different with the HIIT training plan - you don't have to limit yourself to a certain number of exercises. Whether jumping rope, squats ordifferent plank exercises– all of these have countless variations that provide enough variety.
- HIIT training can be done anywhere –Although jumping, cycling and running are typical HIIT training exercises, they can also be done wonderfully at home and without special equipment. Burpees, push-ups, squats or plank variations can be done in the living room in front of the TV and are a wonderful way to increase your heart rate and promote fat loss.
- Makes you mentally stronger and helps with depression –The increased intensity increases our endurance and stamina. The more willpower you develop during training, the stronger you will become mentally in everyday life. This effect is also known in psychology as the spillover effect.A study from 2015was able to confirm the positive effect of HIIT training on patients with chronic schizophrenia. The short training sessions helped increase motivation and reduce symptoms of depression and social avoidance.
Unfortunately, this highly intensive form of training is not suitable for everyone
Since a HIIT training plan pushes the body to its limits and the units are very stressful and strenuous, it is rather unsuitable for some people.
- People with heart problems
- People with arthritis or limited mobility
- Pregnant women
Anyone suffering from any of the problems mentioned is best advised to do simpler exercises with a lower risk of injury, training with a maximum heart rate of 85%. It would be advisable to increase the intensity and the time between sessions slowly and never at the same time.
What should a HIIT workout at home look like?
The great thing about a HIIT training plan is that you can do every exercise and sport imaginable and adapt the load to your own strength and limits. The only important thing is that the workout is dynamic and quick. Here is an example of classic HIIT training exercises:
- Burpees
- Shelf Variants
- Lunges
- High Knees
- Squats in different variations
- Crunches und Sit-Ups
- Mountain Climbers
- Hampelman
- Push-ups
HIIT training plan for beginners
To avoid injury, each workout should begin with a light warm-up of 5-6 minutes. All fitness beginners are recommended to first choose 4-5 simpler exercises and carry them out in a total of 4 sets. If you feel a burning sensation in your muscles and start to sweat a lot, then you can be sure that you are doing HIIT training correctly. Here are the two most important aspects:
- Perform 1 strenuous complex exercise for a specific period of time
- Short break
- 1 relaxing and easier exercise
- Total time: Between 3 and 4 rounds
The following HIIT workout at home is perfect for beginners. Perform each exercise for 30 seconds, resting for a maximum of 15 seconds in between.
- Hampelman
- High Knees
- Side plank with crunch
- Lunges with jump
- Sit-Ups
Strenuous HIIT workout for advanced users
If you already have fitness experience and are looking for a strenuous HIIT workout that promotes your fitness and muscle strength, then we have the right full-body training plan for you! The following example is executed at an interval of 2:1. This means you train at moderate intensity for 2 minutes and then go full throttle for 1 minute. Repeat the sequence 3-4 times and take shorter breaks between exercises if possible:
- Back Lunge Squat – Place your feet hip-width apart and do a squat. Then lunge backwards, return to the starting position and repeat with the other leg
- Burpees
- Squat with jump
- Side lunges
- Single Leg Deadlift – Stand on one leg and stretch your arms forward. Lift the other leg back as high as possible while bending forward. Hold the position for 20 seconds and repeat with the other leg.
- Reverse plank with leg raises
- V Sit-Ups
- Planks with a side jump
And how about a HIIT training challenge for 30 days?
Fitness challenges in all sorts of forms have become incredibly popular and are a great way to challenge your body over and over again. This 30 day HIIT training challenge increases your performance, improves endurance and melts fat like no other workout before! During the 30 days you will have different training plans for all 4 weeks and each day the number of sessions you have to complete will increase. On day 1 you do 2 rounds, on day 6 you take a break and on day 7 you try to complete as many rounds as possible. The training is based on the 30-20-10 model: You perform the individual exercises for 30 seconds at moderate intensity, 20 seconds at increased intensity and 10 minutes at low intensity.
Week 1:
- High knees with straight arms
- Plank Jacks
- Jump and Twist Squat – Squat down, jump up as high as you can and twist to land in the opposite direction.
- Burpees
Week 2:
- Lunges with jump
- Shoulder Touch Pushups – Jump up and land in sumo squat position, tapping your hand on the floor between your legs. Jump up again and tap the floor with your other hand - this counts as 1 repetition.
- Leg Scissors – Lie on a mat and tense your abdominal muscles. Now lift your legs slightly and then cross them alternately over each other.
Week 3:
- Side Lunge with Squat – lunge to the right, followed by a squat, then lunge to the left.
- Plank with side jump
- Crunches with bent legs
- climber
Week 4:
- Reverse plank with leg raises
- Sprint in place
- Back lunges
- Side jump burpees
