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When You Don’t Have Time to Work Out Do This 10-Minute HIIT Session
By: by Amino Science
You’re slammed with deadlines and duties and can’t do your usual 45-minute treadmill session or kettlebell workout. And a busy schedule has interrupted your normal exercise routine 2 days in a row. No worries! When you don’t have time to work out, strap on your cross trainers and enjoy this 10-minute cardio and strength-training HIIT session. Who said short workouts can’t be just as effective as longer workout routines? We certainly didn’t!
The Benefits of High-Intensity Interval Training
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) involves short bursts of maximum exercise effort. With a HIIT exercise session you get all the health benefits of a regular workout but in a concentrated amount of time.
A HITT workout doesn’t just burn calories while you’re sweating. You’re burning more calories after your workout than you would with steady-state cardio exercise like running (1).
And if it’s weight loss you’re working toward, then a HIIT workout is a good way to shake up your daily routine. An analysis of 77 studies showed that people who participated in HIIT workouts lost 28.5% more fat than people who engaged in moderate-intensity workouts (2).
Going all out with high-intensity also boosts blood flow and helps to lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
So rather than saying, “I don’t have enough time to work out,” instead just go hard for 10 minutes and you’ll have met your physical activity goals for the day!
10-Minute Workout
We don’t want any excuses keeping you from working out, so this HIIT workout focuses on bodyweight exercises only. Get ready to jump, lunge, and get that heart rate up! And be sure to fuel your workout with Perform, a patented essential amino acid supplement that improves strength, focus, and endurance for peak athletic performance.
Dynamic Stretches (1:30)
The first minute and a half is dedicated to dynamic stretching.
1. Butt kicks: 30 seconds
Run in place, kicking your heels high to your butt.
2. Straight leg kicks: 30 seconds
Keeping your legs straight, kick your right leg up to touch your left hand. Kick your left leg up to reach your right hand. Keep repeating, kicking one leg after the other to stretch your hamstrings.
3. Jumping jacks: 30 seconds
Do quick, full-range-of-motion jumping jacks to warm up your shoulders, arms, and legs.
Cardio HITT #1 (3:00)
The next 3 minutes are dedicated to high-intensity cardio exercises that get your heart pumping.
1. Burpees: 1 minute
Burpees can be a confusing series of movements. Here’s how to do them right:
- Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms at your sides. Root your weight into your heels.
- Lower down into a squat.
- Put your hands on the floor in front of you and shift the weight into your hands as you jump back into plank position. In plank, your body is perfectly vertical. Do not let your butt sag or stick it up in the air.
- Jump your feet back to the outside of your hands.
- Reach your arms up into the air and jump up!
- As you land, immediately lower back into the squat for your next rep of burpees.
2. Jump lunges: 1 minute
Correct form is important to keep your knees and muscles safe from strain or injury.
- Step forward with your right leg into a lunge. Put your left arm forward and your right arm back.
- Keep your core engaged at all times and never let your knees reach past 90 degrees.
- Jump up, switch your legs and arms midair, and land with your left leg forward into a lunge with your right arm forward and your left arm back.
3. Star jacks: 1 minute
Raise that heart rate to max intensity with star jacks!
- Squat down, keeping your back flat and feet together, palms facing your legs.
- Jump explosively into the air forming an “X” position with your body.
- Land softly and lower quickly back into squat position.
Strength HITT (3:00)
These 3 minutes are dedicated to strength, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be pushed to maximum calorie-burning capacity. Let’s take it to your mat.
1. Push-ups: 1 minute
There’s a reason why push-ups never go out of style. They work the arms' major muscle groups: chest, shoulders, and abs!
- Start in plank position, but with your hands a bit wider than your shoulders.
- Lower your body until your chest is just above the floor.
- Pause, push back up, and repeat.
If traditional push-ups are too challenging, then put your knees on the floor for modified push-ups.
2. Tricep dips: 1 minute
Let’s get the other side of those arms!
- Sit on your butt with your knees bent in front of you and feet flat to the floor.
- Place your hands on the floor slightly behind and to the side of your butt cheeks.
- Press down on your hands to raise your butt in the air. Shift your weight back to your hands.
- Bend your triceps, lowering your butt just above the floor. The movement comes from your triceps, not your hips or butt.
3. Mountain climbers: 1 minute
Time to work your abs, arms, and legs and get that heart rate back up.
- Start in plank position with your shoulders directly over your hands and wrists.
- Engage your core and keep a neutral spine as you bring your right knee up to your belly button as far towards your elbow as possible.
- Return the right leg to plank while you lift the left leg to your belly button as far towards the elbow as possible.
- Continue switching legs as you “run” in plank position.
Cardio HITT #2 (3:00)
Back to some dynamic aerobic exercises we go!
1. Squat jumps: 1 minute
Never let your knees go past 90 degrees on squat jumps and be sure to modify as necessary.
- Squat down to 90 degrees keeping your back flat and your torso lifted.
- Jump into the air explosively and land back into a squat position.
2. Skaters: 1 minute
Go as fast as you can with these skaters and imagine you’re on the slopes for some extra propulsion.
- Start with your feet hip-width apart.
- Lift your right leg and jump to the right, landing in a side lunge. Simultaneously, swing your left foot behind you.
- Jump to a left side lunge swinging your right foot behind you. Keep skating side to side.
3. High knees: 1 minute
Let’s finish off this 10-minute workout with some high knees. Run in place, lifting your knees up to your chest for a full minute.
There you have it, folks! A HITT workout can step in whenever you have a busy day and a full to-do list. There’s never a reason to let lack of time steal you from an awesome workout ever again.
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