When you're short on time and have big fitness goals in mind, there's one solution: high-intensity training, or HIIT.
High-intensity interval training is an efficient way to challenge your cardiovascular system, tone your muscles, burn calories, and build strength in a short period of time.
HIIT combines short intervals of hard work with rest/recovery. This style of workout pushes your body harder during work intervals than steady state cardio workouts, allowing you to challenge both your aerobic and anaerobic systems.
In short, taking the 30-Day HIIT Challenge will allow you to achieve greater fitness gains with a shorter time investment.
More: What Is High-Intensity Interval Training?
What Is the 30-Day HIIT Challenge?
This challenge is designed to improve your cardiovascular and muscular strength within 30-minutes. Due to the intense nature of HIIT, recovery days are essential. Complete this workout 15 times with in the month timeframe.
Part 1
- Warm Up: 10 minutes of easy cardio and stretching.
Part 2
- HIIT Workout: Five rounds of 3-minute exercise intervals.
Part 3
- Cool Down: 5 minutes of easy cardio and stretching.
HIIT Workout Instructions
Perform each of these bodyweight exercises for 30 seconds at 80- to 90-percent effort. Recover for 15 seconds and then repeat the circuit four times:
- Jog in place
- Push-ups
- Bicycle crunches
- Squats
- Mountain climbers
More: High Intensity Interval Training for Beginners
The Fine Print
- Based on your level of fitness, choose the level of each exercise that works for you (i.e. start with knee push-ups). As you gain strength you can progress to the next option.
- Be sure to use proper form and alignment to maximize results and prevent injury.
- These exercises will strengthen your cardiovascular system and tone your muscles. It works as a good addition to your standard exercise routine, but does not need to replace it. You should still aim to exercise at least 5 times per week for at least 30 to 60 minutes to increase results of this challenge and improve your health.
- At the beginning of the month record your weight and basic measurements along with your benchmark test numbers. At the end of the month, do the same thing to measure your progress.
- Using your tracker, check off the days as you complete each workout to make sure you do it in at least 15 times with proper rest days.
Getting Started
- Like the 30-Day Challenge Series on Facebook
- Get access to all the trackers by joining the community here
- And as with any and all 30-Day Challenges, be sure to check with your doctor before you start any new exercise regimen.
More: 30-Day Plank and Push-up Challenge
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