HIIT workout without equipment: Get lean in your lunch break, make weight loss a fun thing

KEY STORY

• You may or may not have heard of HIIT. It’s an abbreviation for a form of exercise – High-intensity interval training (HIIT) that has been proven to boost metabolism and build strength, packing in the same benefits of lower and moderate-intensity aerobic workouts in a much shorter time.

• So, if you are really short of time and want to accrue maximum fitness with an activity that can be fitted in small slots of time, HIIT is for you.

• You can consult your dietician and/or doctor and space out your quick meals and menu in such a way that when it is a lunch break for you, you are free and in perfect shape to take on a HIIT activity.

• Given that the COVID-19 related situation has rendered a lot of us as Work-From-Home employees, you can take advantage of this travesty to benefit your health. Doing a HIIT workout at home is the gift that keeps on giving… as you can grunt and grumble away to glory during the HIIT activity and not have to worry that anyone else is watching you and/or judging you.

• So, first consult your doctor, take his/her/their nod for these HIIT workouts we have lined up for you. Unfurl your exercise mat, pick one of the HIIT workouts below and be the loser – of unwanted weight!!!

  The Tabata Routine

  • In this, one chooses three or four moves and repeats them sequentially, in intervals of 2:1.

  • This means 20-second effort and 10 seconds of rest or

  • 30 seconds effort and 15 seconds of rest.

  • Repeat for 4 minutes, follow it up with rest for two minutes

  • Start the next segment.

  1. Squats:

  1. 30 seconds workout, Rest for 15 seconds:

  2. Stand with feet placed apart at shoulder-width

  3. Knees should create a 90-degree angle between thighs and lower part of legs

  4. Do a full squat

  5. Repeat till you can without feeling squashed

  6. If you are a highly trained athlete, add a squat jump to the routine.

  2. Hand-release Push-ups:

  1. Get into a standard push-up position

  2. Lower your body all the way down to the floor

  3. First, do a normal push up

  4. Next, lift your hands off the ground for a second

  5. Exhale while you press your body all the way back up

  6. Get back to a normal push up

  7. Repeat the sequence

  3. Planks:

  1. Start on hands and knees and then press up into a plank position

  2. Reach forward through the crown of your head and reach back through your heels

  3. All the while, you must ensure that you are pulling your abs up and keep them tucked in.

  4. Hold this for 20 seconds.

  5. Plank on your knees. Modify plank by lowering down onto your knees from plank, and holding for 20 seconds.

  4. Side lunges:

  1. Standing, step your right foot to the right a few feet

  2. On the same side, sink back as if you’re sitting into a chair with your right glute.

  3. Do not fold the left leg, hold it straight.

  4. Push down through the right heel to press yourself back to the starting position.

  5. Then switch to the left side.

  6. Repeat 10 times on each side.

  5. Jumps (You can use a rope, if you wish):

  1. Jump for 20 seconds.

  2. Rest for 10 seconds.

  3. Jump on the right foot for 20 seconds.

  4. Rest for 10 seconds.

  5. Jump on the left foot for 20 seconds.

  6. Rest for 10 seconds.

  7. Jump with high knees for 20 seconds.

  8. Rest for 10 seconds.

  Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a professional healthcare provider if you have any specific questions about any medical matter.