High-Intensity Interval Workouts for Weight Loss

Article Researched & Written by: Mike Jones – Elite Sports

Losing some extra pounds is easier to say than actually doing it, & there’s no magic pill for taking off extra fat from your body. You have to burn the additional calories you consume. This doesn’t just mean eating a healthy diet, with a good combination of cardio & strength training.

HIIT cardio exercises work amazingly well for shedding extra pounds speedily.

These are cardiovascular workouts that are performed at high intensity for a certain duration. These intense workouts should be done before a small break.

Before setting up HIIT Weight Loss Program

High-intensity interval training-HIIT exercises are short bursts of high-intensity workouts with incorporated rest periods of low-intensity workouts. These training regimen often mix aerobic & resistance training.

Before starting the exercise program which involves HIIT workouts make sure you are healthy enough to be able to perform this vigorous activity. Such workouts demand you to work hard, if you suffer from certain health conditions make sure you consult your doctor before starting them.

Then incorporate the HIIT workout program in the well-designed workout schedule. Make sure you properly add recovery days. A general thumb rule about HIIT workouts is the shorter an interval is, the more intensity it should have. Remember intensity is the prime key, not its duration.

Also, you should be well equipped such as having a stopwatch & other methods for monitoring the workout intensity. A heartbeat monitor works very well for determining adequate intensity. Lastly, before starting up a HIIT workout routine make sure you debunk common myths related to HIIT workout.

Benefits of HIIT for Weight Loss

Undoubtedly interval training is a very efficient way of burning calories. Studies show that those calories burned with high-intensity workouts impact your metabolism in a better way compared to continuing long-lasting workout routines. High-intensity workout intervals create greater disturbance in your body’s homeostasis. The question to be raised here is if the calorie burn gets translated to weight loss.

Well, it does work well for losing those extra pounds, the impact becomes even more powerful when the exercise is twinned with a healthy diet.

HIIT does not just burn calories while you are performing the exercises but continues to do it even when you are done with it. It’s called “afterburn”. HIIT workouts are not only physically but mentally demanding. It’s an effective mode of training not just for your body but your mind as well.

High-Intensity Interval Workouts for Weight Loss

4-exercise HIIT workout for fat loss

Jumping jacks x 20: Jumping jacks, also known as “side-straddle hop”, it’s an effective full-body workout that can be performed almost anywhere. It’s an effective bodyweight workout.

For performing Jumping Jacks start by standing straight with both of your feet opened hip-width apart. Ensure that your shoulders are relaxed & look straight. Perform a small jump & move both of your feet apart. At the same time, consider moving the hands up & down above the head. Perform 20 reps of this exercise.

Dumbbell squat to overhead press x 10: Perform this workout by getting into starting position by standing on both of your feet open wider than your hip width, then hold the dumbbells at the height of your shoulders with your palms facing each other.

Keep your back straight & both of the knees at the back of your toes, then keep on lowering your hips back into the lower squat position till both of your thighs become parallel to the floor.

Then extend your hips & knees for driving up to the squat position & pressing dumbbells overhead. Once you have reached that lower the dumbbells at the level of your shoulders; and repeat it.

Close-grip push-up x 15: Go down into the plank position with the wrists placed underneath the shoulders & fingertips pointing forward. Make sure you keep the neck & back in the neutral position.

You do not want the spine to undergo a curve. Also, make sure you engage the core to maintain the proper form.

Then move both of your hands 2 inches apart & tuck the elbows closer to the ribs as you begin to go down. Make sure your spine stays in the neutral position & the core is properly engaged.

Then push both of your hands against the ground & move them 2 inches away from the shoulders, let the elbows open wider as you go down into the push-up position. Then return to the starting position.

V-crunch x 15: This workout works very well for shedding stubborn belly fat.

Contract the abdominal muscles & core slowly then lift the legs into the extended position by making an angle of 45-degree. Then reach both of your arms straight at your front or move up closer to the shins.

Make sure you maintain a good core posture & a straight spine during the movement to avoid the rounding of your shoulders. Try not to hold your breath while you are performing the moment.

Try holding the V-shaped position. Then return to the position form where you started while keeping the abs engaged & tight. A moment before you touch the floor, take a break & hold your position. Repeat the entire movement multiple times.

Lunge Jumps x 15: Lunge jumps are an intense variation of the simple walking lunge workout. This exercise works well for accounting jumping above in the air & switching between your feet before you land. Lunge jumping requires you to lift the weight without any equipment while burning a tremendous number of calories. Also works well for boosting the heart rate.

Stand with both of the legs opened shoulders-width apart. Put a leg forward with a straight spine. Flex down by making sure the leg stays perpendicular to the ground. Then jump and repeat the exercise.

Burpee x 12: Burpees is the 2-part workout that incorporates a push-up, performed after a jump in the air. Burpees engage all of the muscle groups in the body. They are easy to perform; there’s no high science behind performing burpees. It requires no equipment, just your body weight is enough. For performing Burpees, go into the partial squat position & bend down.

Make sure you keep the spine straight & touch the ground underneath you with the chest. Then perform a push-up, while bringing both of your legs closer with the frog jump & then jump with your hands raised in the air.

Bicycle crunch x 60s: Standard bicycle crunch is performed on the ground. For making it comfortable you can get a yoga mat and do it on that. For performing it lay down straight on your back. Then plant both of your feet firmly onto the ground, with your feet opened hip-distance apart

Then bend both of your knees while placing the arms across the chest. Then exhale & try lifting the upper body, by keeping the head & neck relaxed. Take a deep breath and return to the position from where you started.

Russian Twist: It’s a simple & effective workout for training the core & hips. Russian Twist is performed by almost all athletes of all sports. This exercise helps athletes with twisting movements & changing their direction.

For getting started with this workout, you must take the ground position with both of your legs extended at your front. Then start raising the knees while assuming yourself in a v-sit position. While you are performing this workout ensure your legs are open. Repeat this workout multiple times.