Don’t worry! We’ve got some tips for you to help you reach your workout goals – whatever they may be!
Cardio
Any exercise that raises your heart rate and respiration while using large muscle groups repetitively and rhythmically.
Weight Lifting
An organized exercise in which muscles of the body are forced to contract under tension using weights, body weight or other devices in order to stimulate growth, strength, power and endurance.
Bodyweight Exercises
Strength training exercises that use the individual’s own weight to provide resistance against gravity.
Bodyweight exercises include strength, power, endurance, speed, flexibility, coordination and balance.
Beginner HIIT Running Workout
- 1-minute slow jog
- 1-minute jog
- 30 seconds walk
- 1-minute moderate run
- 30 seconds walk
- 1-minute run
- 30 seconds walk
- 1-minute hard run
- 30 seconds walk
- 1:30-minute hard run
- 1-minute walk
15 Minute Rowing Workout
- 100 meters slow
- 50 meters fast
- Break 2 minutes
- 200 meters slow
- Break 1 minute
- 100 meters slow
- 50 meters fast
- Break 2 minutes
- 300 meters slow
- 100 meters fast
- 500 meters slow for cooling down
Dancing as a Cardio Workout
The Interrupted Run
Begin with your feet hip-width apart, standing up straight and keeping your abs tight. Take three running steps forward. Plant both feet on the floor before going into a jumping jack. Then, take three running steps back to your starting point, and plant both feet on the floor before ending with another jumping jack.
The Bongo Beats
Begin with your feet in a wide stance with your toes pointed out, as if you’re going into a plié. Keeping your abs tight, drop your hips into a plié squat and use your glutes, hamstrings, and quads to propel yourself back up. Repeat continuously as you simulate a drumming motion from one foot to the other, and back again.
The Stairmaster
Begin with your feet in a wide stance. Keeping your abs tight, bend your left knee and lean over to your left, extending your arms overhead. Pull your right knee and your arms into your chest, then reset and repeat.
*repeat moves for three sets of 30 seconds each
Jumping Rope
Skip for 30-60 seconds
Rest for 30-60 seconds
repeat for a total of 10 minutes of time jumping
You can also include other forms of cardio in between sets instead of taking a complete break. These include running in place, jumping jacks or mountain climbers
The 280 Workout
4 exercises x 7 reps x 10 sets
- Find a set of dumbbells that feels like a comfortable weight. It should feel a little too light at first, if not you’ll tire out too quickly!
- Find a space with enough room to move around where you won’t hit anything.
- Let’s begin!
- Dumbbell Curl: Start with your arms down in front of you with your forearms facing out. Bend at the elbow and slowly bring the weights to your shoulders. Slowly bring the weights back down in front of you. Perform this movement 7 times, then move on to the next exercise.
- Military Press: Begin with your arms out to your sides and raised. Your elbow should be bent at a 90 degree angle and in line with your shoulder. Slowly raise and straighten out your arms. Bring your arms back down to the starting position. Perform this movement 7 times, then move one to the next exercise.
- Squat: Stand with your legs shoulder width apart and bring your hands up so that they are even with your shoulders. You can have your weights parallel or perpendicular to your body, whichever is more comfortable. Slowly bend at the knees like you are pretending to sit in a chair. Lower yourself to a point that is comfortable for you, and then bring yourself out of the squat like you are getting out of a chair. Perform this movement 7 times, and then move on to the next exercise.
- Deadlift: Stand with your legs shoulder width apart and your arms relaxed in front of your legs. Hinge at your hips, lowering the weights towards the ground. Keep your back flat and only bend your knees slightly. Slowly bring yourself back to the starting position. Perform this exercise 7 times.
- You’ve completed the first set! Now you’re going to repeat the cycle 9 more times for a total of 10 sets. If you’re new to weightlifting, you don’t need to do all 10 sets, try 5 or 3 to begin with. As you get more comfortable, you can work your way up to more sets or change the exercises you are performing!
Core:
- Plank walk down
- Situps
- 6-inch hold
- Russian twist
- Leg lifts
- Bicycle crunch
- Windshield wiper
- Bird dog
Legs:
- Reverse lunge
- Squat
- Single leg deadlift – w/ weights or without
- Single-leg bridge
- Straight-leg calf raise 4
Arms:
- Push Up – tricep, wide, etc.
- Triceps dip
Glutes:
- Glute bridge/marching glute bridge
- Donkey kicks
- Lateral leg raises
Full-body:
- Mountain climbers
- Burpee
- Skater hops
5 Minute Workouts You Can Do ANYWHERE
- 30 sec – pushups
- 30 sec – tricep dips (from toes or chair)
- 30 sec – squats
- 30 seconds – plank
Repeat 2-3x
- Jump squats
- Push-ups
- Bicycle crunches
- Lunges
Complete each exercise for 12 reps
CORE CHALLENGE
- Elbow plank
- Right side elbow plank
- Left side elbow plank
- Up-down plank
- Plank w/ leg lifts
- Right side plank
- Left side plank
- Butt bridge
- Reverse crunch
- Leg lift
Complete each exercise for 30 seconds
A 5-minute workout can be done anywhere while wearing anything and have a huge impact on your health!
Different Types of High-Intensity Interval Training Workouts
HIIT workouts are designed to push your limits, getting you well out of your comfort zone for short periods of time. When setting up HIIT workouts, your focus should be on four important things: Duration, intensity, frequency and the length of the recovery interval.
Tabata
A high-intensity interval workout that pushes you to your limits with 20-seconds on, 10-seconds rest. Working as hard as you can for short intervals, you build an oxygen debt that requires your body to burn more calories to recover.
Repeat this eight times for a total of 4 minutes.
Low Impact
There’s no jumping here, so choose this one if you want to ease into HIIT training with a more moderate level of intensity.
- Warm-up with at least 5 minutes of cardio.
- Do each exercise for up to 60 seconds.
- Increase the intensity by using a heavier medicine ball, increasing your range of motion or, if you like, adding a jump to the exercises.
- Rest for longer periods if you feel too uncomfortable.
There are other things to keep in mind! Stretching and working on your flexibility and keeping a strong core are key to staying injury free!
