H.I.I.T’s appeal is its versatility—you can use it with everything from Tabata, jumping rope, and body-weight moves to cycling, running, and standard lifts—as well as the ability to provide an exhausting, muscle-taxing workout that you can complete in about 25 minutes or less.
We asked 10 elite trainers and strength coaches to each come up with a kick-ass H.I.I.T session that you can do as a stand-alone or in addition to your current program.
Why the name Heart Rate Hotel? Because “it’s terrific as an in-room travel workout,” Peterson explains. If you’re wondering where the rest periods are, technically there are none. “There’s no time in between exercises or rounds other than what it takes you to get in position, sip water, or throw up.”
Time: 10-30 minutes (not including warmup)
Rounds: 5-10
The Workout: Perform exercises in sequence as fast as possible:
Pushup x 10
Squat x 10
Crunch x 10
Superman x 10
Tuck Jump x 10
Contributor: Gunnar Peterson, C.S.C.S., celebrity trainer who has worked with A-listers such as Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, and Tom Brady. gunnarpeterson.com
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Fast and Furious
This three-exercise clump hits most of the body’s major muscle groups–glutes, quads, hamstrings, and core via squats; upper back and biceps through pullups; and shoulders, triceps, and core with push presses.
“It’s a classic vertical push-pull workout arranged into trisets,” says Boyce. “It kicks your conditioning into high gear and allows a lifter to be exposed to loaded barbell training. For people who are really hardcore, they can finish this workout with my ‘two-minute back squat challenge.’ Simply load the bar to your body-weight equivalent and perform full repetitions for two full minutes without racking the weight.”
The rules are simple: Each rep must be performed with full range of motion, and you can rest as long as needed between reps with the bar on your back.”
Time: 15-20 minutes
The Workout: Perform six rounds, resting 90 seconds between each round. As conditioning improves, before adding weight to the exercise, drop rest time by 15 seconds per round.
Barbell Back Squat x 10
Bodyweight Pullup x 10
Barbell Push Press x 10
Contributor: Lee Boyce, a Toronto-based certified personal trainer and owner of Lee Boyce Training Systems. leeboycetraining.com
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:30 TUF Runs
If you’re healthy enough to sprint outdoors or on a treadmill, you always have a HIIT workout at your disposal.
The Workout: 30:30 work-to-rest ratio*; Speed: 7–9 mph; Incline/Grade: 10%.
Week 1: 12 Rounds
Week 2: 14 Rounds
Week 3: 16 Rounds
Week 4: 18 Rounds
*30 seconds of running followed by 30 seconds of complete rest = 1 round. Can be done on a treadmill or outside at a park, a track, or a neighborhood street. The speed should be extremely challenging but set to allow for proper running form to be maintained. Adjust the incline up or down accordingly to adapt to your ability or fitness level.
Contributor: Doug Balzarini, C.S.C.S., founder of DB Strength and co-owner of Iron Village Strength & Conditioning in Beverly, MA. dbstrength.com
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Epic Box Jumps
Tack this workout on to the end of a resistance-training session or combine it with other exercises (such as jumping rope, kettlebell swings, burpees, battling ropes, thrusters, and 10-yard shuttle sprints) following the same format for a longer H.I.I.T session. Nicholas typically prescribes 4–8 moves for a 45-minute class.
The eight-round, 2:1 work-to-rest ratio in this speed-based conditioning workout is based on Tabata intervals; the longer exercise and rest bouts are more suitable to most gym-goers, he believes.
“After experimenting with these intervals for the past four years with more than 10,000 Epic Hybrid Training participants, we’ve found that people don’t ‘ramp up’ into max effort until about five to 10 seconds into their work interval,” says Nicholas. “We’ve also found that the extra rest maximizes recovery for average fitness enthusiasts. We’ve kept the fundamentals of Tabata while incorporating the mental aspect of H.I.I.T that can be easily overlooked.”
Time: 6 minutes
The Workout: Eight rounds of 30 seconds of all-out work alternated with 15 seconds of rest.
Move: Rapid Box Jump*
*Box jumps with a 6-, 12-, or 18-inch plyo box and performed at less than full hip extension; the objective is to attain a maximum number of box foot strikes per work interval to keep the focus on speed, agility, and exhausting the fast-twitch muscles.
Contributor: Alex Nicholas, owner and head coach at Epic Hybrid Training in New York City and a Reebok-sponsored Spartan Race athlete. epichybridtraining.com
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Swing and Squat
You need only one kettlebell to do these two basic and brutally effective moves. Strong, highly conditioned athletes will use a 50- to 70-pound bell, while less-advanced trainees should start with 20 to 30 pounds.
“This workout is extremely metabolic and builds insane muscular endurance,” says Smith. “It targets two fundamental movement patterns–hip hinge and squat–while opening up shortened hip flexors. The active rest turns to just recovery breathing after four rounds because of the workout’s intensity. The lifter won’t be able to keep doing the Upward-facing Dog active recovery because it’ll hinder performance for the work rounds.”
Time: 8 minutes
Moves: Kettlebell Swing and Goblet Squat
The Workout: Eight rounds of alternating 30 seconds of work with 30 seconds of active rest.
Round 1: Kettlebell Swing: 30 seconds + Upward-facing Dog (double hip flexor stretch) with recovery breathing, 30 seconds
Round 2: Kettlebell Goblet Squat: 30 seconds + Upward-facing Dog with recovery breathing, 30 seconds
Round 3: Kettlebell Swing: 30 seconds + Upward-facing Dog (double hip flexor stretch) with recovery breathing, 30 seconds
Round 4: Kettlebell Goblet Squat: 30 seconds + Upward-facing Dog with recovery breathing, 30 seconds
Contributor: Jim Smith, C.P.P.S., strength & conditioning coach and owner of Diesel Strength & Conditioning. dieselsc.com
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Double Kettlebell Crusher
A kettlebell workout is one thing, but having to hoist two bells through the entire routine is another. Conditioning, calorie burning, and grip strength are nice benefits, but more than anything you’re developing grit, something you can never have too much of.
The Workout: Use two kettlebells and don’t put them down until the round is finished.
Overhead Carry x 50 feet
KB Clean and Press x 5 reps
Rack Walk* x 50 feet
Squat x 5 reps
Farmer’s Walk x 50 feet
Bentover Row x 5 reps
Perform two to three rounds total, resting 2–3 minutes between rounds. *Kettlebells held in front of the shoulders with the weights outside your hands while walking with short steps.
Contributor: Zach Even-Esh, founder of the Underground Strength Gym in New Jersey and author of The Gladiator Project: Primitive Training for Maximum Strength & Muscle. zacheven-esh.com
“The idea is to work at as high a power level as possible while keeping work consistent for each round,” says Elmore. “I’ve found my relative work output to be higher for the reverse Tabatas when considering you’re working for half the time. The goal is to accumulate as many calories as possible across all four intervals.”
Time: 22 minutes
The Workout: Complete the following on an assault bike (or stationary bike)
Tabata Intervals*
Rest 2 min
Reverse Tabata Intervals**
Rest 2 min
Tabata Intervals
Rest 2 min
Reverse Tabata Intervals
*Eight rounds alternating between 20 seconds of all-out effort and 10 seconds of complete rest. **The opposite of Tabata: 10 seconds of all-out effort alternated with 20 seconds of rest.
Contributor: Josh Elmore, a certified strength and conditioning coach and owner of Conjugate Consulting in Charlotte, NC. Twitter: @TheJoshua Elmore
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Gridiron HIIT
A former wide receiver at the University of Arkansas, Groff ’s dynamic, high-intensity routine is great for when a grass or turf field is available.
“This is a highly explosive workout that targets power, core strength, stamina, speed, and endurance,” says Groff. “I used this workout to prepare for a national NFL combine, and it’s still one of my favorites when shredding up and getting my conditioning right.”
Time: 60-90 minutes
The Workout: Perform this routine following a 10- to 15-minute dynamic warmup
Double Hurdle Hop (side to side)*: 4×15 sec
Squat Jump: 4×10
Alternating Lunge Jump: 4×8 per leg
Tuck Jump: 4×10
Broad Jump: 3×50 yards
Plyometric Pushup: 4×12
Single-leg Toe Touch/V-Up: 3×30 per leg
Rest 45-60 seconds between all sets.
The Finisher: Crossfield Gasser x3**
*Using a small hurdle or comparable tool, jump laterally over hurdle continuously, bringing knees up and landing with feet apart and soft knees. **Sprint sideline to sideline of a football field three times—that’s one gasser. Try to get each gasser done in under 45 seconds, resting as needed between sets.
Contributor: Jared Groff, N.A.S.M.- C.P.T., NPC physique competitor and former Muscle & Fitness Male Model Search finalist. Instagram: @jaredgroff
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Pump and Row
Ciresi takes a page from CrossFit with this high-intensity AMRAP session that hits the posterior chain with rowing and the pecs, shoulders, triceps, and core via pushups.
“Depending on how hard you row, this could be a real fat burner or, at a slower pace, a steady 20-minute cardio/strength workout,” he says. “Strap yourself into the rower and set a fast but doable pace. Once you’re done with the row, expeditiously get to the pushups and start in. If you need to break them up into smaller sets, do so but take minimal breaks. I like this workout because you can keep returning to it once a month and track your progress. See if you get more rounds the next time you do it.”
Time: 20 minutes
The Workout: As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes
Row: 250 meters
Pushup: x25
Contributor:Robert Ciresi Jr., an I.S.S.A.-certified trainer at A Taylored Body gym in Riverside, CA, and a two-time Muscle & Fitness Male Model Search competitor. atayloredbody.com
