For well over 9 months you’ve been able to hide your gradually expanding waistline under a thick winter jacket. The other few layers of concealing fabric have meant that, as yet, nobody has really noticed . But the arrival of summer looks set to expose the truth.
If you’re determined to shed that winter bulge in time for your holidays but you are sick of running on a treadmill or lifting the same old dumbbells, then a high intensity interval training (HIIT) workout could be the best way for you to snap out of your old routine. You can torch excess body fat and burn calories in next to no time without ever having to set foot inside a gym.
It gets better; a HIIT workout should normally take no longer than 15 or 20 minutes, so there are no excuses about not being able to find the time in your busy schedule.
The science behind HIIT is that short, really intense bursts of anaerobic exercise, followed by an even shorter period of rest, is much more beneficial for burning calories than some of the more common lower intensity exercises such as jogging, swimming or going for a leisurely bike ride.
HIIT is credited with improving overall athletic performance, as well as burning excess body fat, boosting metabolism and is widely used by many fitness professionals the world over. The days of ‘3 sets of 10’ or thirty minutes sat down on an exercise bike are long gone.
Make no mistake, the HIIT workout below is meant to be tough. It’ll take no prisoners and there is absolutely nowhere to hide. You should aim to perform the workout 3 or 4 times per week and every single time you’ll feel like skipping it and doing something else.
However, if you work to your maximum, show a bit of determination and get it done, in a month, you’ll be well on your way to that lean mean physique you never thought was possible.
If you haven’t exercised for a while it is always recommended to seek the advice of a medical professional before starting any new workout regime.
The workout
Perform each exercise for 30 seconds, followed by 10 seconds rest before moving on to the next exercise. Repeat the complete cycle between 3 and 5 times, which will take you no longer than about 15-20 minutes. Always make sure you warm up before you start.
- Bodyweight Squats
To perform a bodyweight squat, stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder width, with your toes and knees pointing ever so slightly outwards. Squat down making sure you bend at the knees until your backside is parallel to the ground. Maintain a straight back and keep your shoulders back at all times. Push through your heels and return to the standing position to complete the exercise.
- Push ups
With your hands on the ground, your body should be in a straight line from your shoulders to your heels. Start with your arms fully extended before lowering yourself all the way down until your chest touches the ground. No cheating and no half reps! Push back up, straightening your arms, making sure you exhale as you return to the starting position.
- Leg raises
Lay down on the ground, with your palms positioned underneath your backside. To perform one rep, lift both legs up to just less than about 90 degrees. Lower them back to the ground to complete one rep.
- Superman back extensions
Lay on your stomach, stretch your arms out in front of you, palms facing the ground, whilst at the same time stretching your legs back. Breath deeply as you whilst you lift your arms and legs off the ground.
- Suicide runs
Really simple. Run as fast as you can for 20 seconds. You can run quickly on the spot but its better if you’re outside, in the park, at the beach or somewhere with a bit of open space. 20 seconds of sprinting should set you up nicely for what’s coming next.
- Burpees
To perform a Burpee, begin in the standing position, squat down, places your hands on the ground and then jump your feet backwards so that you are now in the push up position. Perform the push up then reverse the movement, so jump forward, returning to the bottom of your squat, from here you then need to jump up straight with your arms extended above your head. Clap your hands together at the top of the movement, that’s one repetition.
The watch: Timex Ironman Run Trainer 2.0
With its high resolution screen and next generation GPS, this ground breaking timepiece is suitable for athletes of all levels and abilities. The user friendly menu system and interface makes keeping track of your pace, speed, distance and time a doddle. Its interval timer lets you program individual segments based on a specific time, such as in the workout above, or by distance. It will also let you store up to 15 workouts so you can revisit them at a later date.
The Timex Run Ironman Run Trainer 2.0 will even alert you when it is time to rehydrate or refuel. From £274.99
