Move
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.
-
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
Health information
At Bupa we produce a wealth of free health information for you and your family. We believe that trustworthy information is essential in helping you make better decisions about your health and care.
Our latest articles
Legal disclaimer
This information was published by Bupa's Health Content Team and is based on reputable sources of medical evidence. It has been reviewed by appropriate medical or clinical professionals and deemed accurate on the date of review. Photos are only for illustrative purposes and do not reflect every presentation of a condition.
Any information about a treatment or procedure is generic, and does not necessarily describe that treatment or procedure as delivered by Bupa or its associated providers.
The information contained on this page and in any third party websites referred to on this page is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice nor is it intended to be for medical diagnosis or treatment. Third party websites are not owned or controlled by Bupa and any individual may be able to access and post messages on them. Bupa is not responsible for the content or availability of these third party websites. We do not accept advertising on this page.
For more details on how we produce our content and its sources, visit the 'About our health information' section.
^We may record or monitor our calls
