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HIIT at home: try our follow-along workout
The coronavirus pandemic has affected us all in some way. How and where we exercise is probably one of them. You may have even found a new love for home workouts during this time!
Our high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout is an easy way to fit exercise into your week. It only takes 10 minutes and you don’t need any equipment. Better still, you can do it in the comfort of your own home, your garden or a nearby open space. Give it a go!
The routine
Please make sure you warm up for a couple of minutes before starting the workout. You can do this by performing some simple exercises, such as star jumps or running on the spot.
- Bodyweight squats – 30 seconds
- Rest – 30 seconds
- Burpees – 30 seconds
- Rest – 30 seconds
- Mountain climbers – 30 seconds
- Rest – 30 seconds
- High knees (running on the spot) – 30 seconds
- Rest – 30 seconds
- Push ups – 30 seconds
- Rest – 30 seconds
And repeat! Don’t forget to cool down for a couple of minutes after the routine, by gently running on the spot, or doing some stretches.
More about HIIT
HIIT is an increasingly popular method of exercising, because it’s an efficient way of improving your fitness and burning calories. HIIT refers to any type of exercise that you do for a short amount of time, at maximum or near maximum effort, with a rest period after.
HIIT can be adapted to suit all ages and fitness levels and is generally very safe when done correctly. But if you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol or heart disease, it’s a good idea to have a check-up with your GP before starting any new exercise programme. If you haven’t exercised in a while, start slowly and gradually build up the intensity and how long you do it for. This will help your body adjust over time and avoid injury.
Are you interested in learning more about your health? Discover more about our range of health assessments.
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Sources
- Training programmes and prescription. Acute knee injuries. Brukner & Khan’s Clinical Sports Medicine (5th ed, online). McGraw-Hill Medical. csm.mhmedical.com, published 2017
- High-intensity interval training. American College of Sports Medicine. www.acsm.org, published 2014
- Physical activity guidelines: UK Chief Medical Officers' report. GOV.UK, published 7 September 2019
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