14 Best HIIT Workouts to Burn Fat and Build Muscle - What Is HIIT

If your objectives are to improve your fitness level, burn some fat, and break a sweat, you're going to have to pick up the pace beyond those 90 second rest periods and mix in some cardio elements to your workout. HIIT allows trainers to pack a ton of work into a small amount of time, making workouts effective, quick, and more engaging than a long slog on a cardio machine. HIIT 101HIIT stands for high-intensity interval training, which refers to the short bursts of intense exercise alternated with low-intensity recovery periods that make up the protocol. HIIT is quick and anything but boring, as its exacting work-to-rest ratios make it arguably the most time-efficient way to exercise and burn calories. You can use the HIIT protocol to build your entire workout, or apply it to just a few sets to create super-charged finishers.However you do it, what makes HIIT work is the intensity. Instead of 15 to 30-second intervals executed at near-100 percent intensity, intervals of one to three minutes at closer to 80 percent of maximum effort, followed by up to five minutes of lower intensity exercise, have also been shown effective for weight loss in sedentary populations.In group fitness settings (and among far too many trainers) HIIT and "interval training" are often used interchangeably. Make no mistake: True HIIT requires you to be explosive and intense during your work period. Each round last for 3 minutes.The ExercisesSquat JumpsPushups with Shoulder TapsLunge to Split JumpsPlank to Hip DipsBurpee 180° TurnThere are multiple protocols under the HIIT umbrella, the most popular of which might just be Tabata training. The extra-intense format consists of 8 rounds of 20 seconds of all-out work, then 10 seconds of rest. Warm up with a quick 3-minute jog, then immediately boost the speed so you’re sprinting as fast as you can for 15 to 20 seconds. During your 20 seconds of work, make sure to go hard, then rest. When done correctly, if you’re going hard enough, you’re wiped out after that four minutes, because the electrically fast work intervals are broken up by a mere 10 seconds of rest. Rest for 3 minutes; repeat for 4 or 5 rounds.