Workout overview
Workout time:
Workouts per week:
Rest time between sets:
Training level:
Exercises performed:
Equipment:
Program goal:
10 minutes
Preferably 3 times per week
30 seconds
Beginner
Squats, push-ups, plank holds, sit-ups, lunges
None
Diet, cardiovascular improvement, strength
It almost sounds too good to be true. ‘Can I get in shape with only 10 minutes of high-intensity interval training? (HIIT)’
The answer in general is yes, but it depends on what your goals are.
It’s probably the best ‘bang for your buck’ workout program for getting fitter.
A word of caution, though.
If muscular size or strength is your primary goal, then this HIIT workout at home is not the most suited training program for your goals. That’s not to say you won’t notice some strength and size gains, but it’s just not the most efficient for these specific goals.
The 10 minutes HIIT workout at home
- 30 seconds of squats, followed by 30 seconds of rest.
- 30 seconds of plank holds, followed by 30 seconds of rest.
- 30 seconds of push-ups, followed by 30 seconds of rest.
- 30 seconds of sit-ups, followed by 30 seconds of rest.
- 30 seconds of lunges, followed by 30 seconds of rest.
→ repeat this routine 2x
Notes:
If the push-ups are too challenging, you can do them while sitting on your knees instead of doing regular push-ups.
Plank holds can also be done while sitting on the knees, but people generally find the push-ups to be the most challenging part of this bodyweight training session.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is HIIT?
HIIT stands for high-intensity interval training.
This means there is little to no rest in between the exercises to get and keep the heart rate up. Hence, its name is high-intensity interval training.
HIIT is often done in the way of circuit training. Circuit training is defined as multiple different exercises in which you perform one after the other. Sometimes you perform the same exercise multiple times during your circuit, though not always.
Circuit training is typically a full-body workout. This means all large muscle groups get targeted during the workout. To make a full-body workout harder, you can perform a larger volume of total exercises or simply reduce the rest time in between the exercises.
Summed up, this means that you’ll perform multiple different exercises one after the other with little to no rest in between the exercises to get the heart rate up.
What heart rate should I target with HIIT?
Note that training at a specific heart rate is not always necessary. It depends on what your goals are.
However, if you are serious about your training and want to train as specifically as possible, then it is a valuable and almost necessary training tool.
The first thing you should know to get the most out of your HIIT full-body workout is which heart rate you should be targeting.
To find out which heart rate you should be targeting, measure your maximum heart rate first. In general, this formula is 220 – our age. At least roughly speaking. It is normal for your maximum heart rate to drop as you age. Our maximum heart rate is how many times our heart can safely beat per minute without overexertion.
Bear in mind that this formula is based on healthy individuals. If you have a current or a history of heart problems, are taking medication, or have any other diseases, it’s best to consult your doctor first. Better to be safe than sorry!
You should ideally try to train at about 80-95 percent of your maximum heart rate. It is proven that your metabolism, heart, and lung function improve the most when you’re training around this heart rate range.
During rest periods of your HIIT full body workouts, your heart rate should be around 60-65 percent of your maximum heart rate.
This makes it possible for our body to recover from the high-intensity exercises by removing some of the lactic acid that staples up in the body during our workout.
The benefits of HIIT training
Can be done at home. No equipment needed
No gym cost, you don’t waste time driving to the gym, what’s not to like?
Add in the convenience of being able to fit in this short 10-minute HIIT full-body workout at home while not needing any training equipment really, and it’s a solid alternative for going to the gym while maintaining the benefits of getting in shape.
It boosts the metabolism
One of the benefits of HIIT training is that it boosts metabolism.
It might seem short, but it’s very intense. This workout program for example is only 10 minutes long.
This high-intensity interval no equipment training makes it possible to burn more calories in a shorter amount of time than low-intensity training would. An example of low-intensity training would be walking for half an hour.
This increase in metabolism will make you lose weight at a faster rate.
Burns a lot of calories and fat in a short period
Because of the intense nature of high-intensity interval training workouts, they burn a lot more calories than working out for a long period at a low intensity.
You will lose fat but not muscle
You combine cardio training with a no-equipment bodyweight workout, which is a form of resistance training.
The resistance in this specific instance is coming from, you guessed it, your body weight. This form of strength training will help to conserve muscle mass while at the same time making it possible to lose fat.
Improved heart function/fitness level
The heart is a muscle and is trained from both the resistance training and the high-intensity pace that this full-body workout provides.
Your overall fitness level, both strength and cardio-wise, is bound to improve considerably!
Conclusion
You can drastically improve your health, fitness level and looks by performing this interval training 3 times a week for only 10 minutes each training session. No weights or equipment required!
You can easily make this program more challenging if it gets too easy by adding more exercises or making the rest times in between exercises shorter. If needed, an attractive alternative could be this 10 minute HIIT cardio kickboxing workout to spice things up.
An intermediate full body workout that is designed to be harder and overall more challenging can be found here. Make sure to check it out, and I would be very appreciative if you would let me know how you like it. Until next time!
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