HIIT Workout Exercises That Will Help You Burn Fat and Stay Fit

Are you looking for incredible fat-burning HIIT workout exercises to keep you fit and happy this holiday? This article explores the world of HIIT and a routine that will help you burn fat and prevent holiday weight gain.

This season is known for overindulging in delicious feasts, spending time with loved ones, and enjoying the laid-back vibe. However, too much of this can lead to unwanted weight gain, especially after too many skipped workouts. While the body needs rest and recovery for a healthy balance, staying active and maintaining a solid workout routine balances the excess intake of calories. If you’re short on time with the holiday craze or want to get the same benefits of a full workout done in less time, this quick 10-minute HIIT routine is the perfect solution. Packed with a variety of high-intensity intervals, it’ll fire up your metabolism, burn fat, and help you stay on track during the busiest time of the year. In just 10 minutes, you can keep your fitness goals in check and prevent the holiday weight creep, all while enjoying the festivities.

What is HIIT?

HIIT, or High-Intensity Interval Training, is a type of workout characterized by repeated bursts of intense activity followed by short recovery periods or lower-intensity movements. These vigorous intervals are popular for their fat-burning qualities, providing benefits to the body in several ways:

• Weight Loss and fat reduction
• Increases your metabolism for hours after you workout
• Reduces joint pain and increases mobility
• Improves sleep
• Reduces risk of health conditions: cardiovascular diseases, hypertension (high blood pressure), type 2 diabetes

The goal of a HIIT workout (and what makes it so appealing) is to get your heart rate up, pushing yourself to a level that cannot be sustained for long periods, resulting in burning more fat and calories. While it might take a few intervals to reach your target heart rate, you should be aiming for a heart rate of 80% or higher. To calculate your maximum heart rate, subtract your age from 220. For example, if you’re 30 years old, your maximum heart rate will be 190 beats per minute.

As for how much time your HIIT intervals and rest periods (or lower-intensity intervals) should be, it can vary from person to person. If you’re new
to HIIT, finding your sweet spot is much easier using the following range as a guideline:

• HIIT interval time can last between 10 seconds and 180 seconds
• Rest interval time can last between 15 seconds and 300 seconds
• Low-intensity interval (in place of a rest interval) can last between 30 and 300 seconds 

HIIT workouts are typically designed as a combination of anaerobic and bodyweight/strength training exercises (and potentially aerobic exercises if you’re replacing your resting periods with low-intensity intervals). This combination makes HIIT highly effective for both burning fat and building muscle. However, according to Running Biomechanist and Certified Exercise Physiologist (ACSM) Kaleigh Ray, All forms of HIIT are beneficial. “It is about finding the right pairing of hard work to recovery,” she says. “The length of the HIIT and rest intervals will impact what the workout targets. For example, longer HIIT intervals challenge your anaerobic threshold or ability to exercise without relying on oxygen for energy production. Shorter rest intervals target your ability to work hard while fatigued and recover faster.”

Depending on your fitness level, you may need to adjust the intensity of your bursts and rest periods. “A 30 to 60-second burst time is great for beginners because very short intervals and longer intervals take practice to get right,” Ray explains. From there, you can get a better sense of whether you can handle longer bursts or need more time to recover between intervals. She continues, “Very short intervals (10 to 20 seconds) require a near all-out effort. It can be both intimidating and challenging to push this hard. As for longer intervals, those require you to pace yourself or hold on as fatigue sets in, which can also be challenging for those who have never done HIIT before.” 

Your Quick 10-minute HIIT Workout Exercises to Torch Holiday Fat

This full-body workout routine features ten fat-burning exercises, incorporating aerobic, anaerobic, and bodyweight moves.

(For the example of this HIIT workout, we’ll use a 40/20 split.)

Squat to Knee-to Elbow Crunch

40-second HIIT interval

20-second rest

How To:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, push your hips back, and lower your body into a squat, keeping your chest lifted and knees behind your toes. Your thighs should be parallel to the floor at the bottom of the squat.
2. As you rise from the squat, engage your core and bring your right knee toward your left elbow, twisting your torso to meet it.
3. Lower your right leg back to the ground and return to standing.
4. Repeat the exercise, alternating sides.

Mountain Climbers

40-second HIIT interval

20-second rest

How to:

1. Begin in a high plank with your hands directly under your shoulders, body in a straight line from head to heels, and core engaged.
2. Quickly bring your right knee toward your chest while keeping your body stable and maintaining the plank position.
3. As you bring your right leg back, simultaneously drive your left knee toward your chest.
4. Continue alternating legs quickly, keeping your core tight and hips level.

Single Leg Crunch

40-second HIIT interval

20-second rest

How to:

1. Start by lying flat on your back with your hands lightly supporting your head. Lift your legs off the ground, keeping one leg straight and the other bent at a 90-degree angle.
2. Contract your abs and lift your shoulders off the ground as you bring your opposite elbow toward the bent knee.
3. As you twist your torso, extend the straight leg out while keeping it off the floor.
4. Lower your torso and bent knee back to the starting position, then repeat on the other side, alternating legs and elbows.

Up & Overs

40-second HIIT interval

20-second rest

How to:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and squat down, keeping your knees behind your toes.
2. From the squat, jump laterally to your right (or left), as if jumping over an object in front of you, landing softly in a squat position.
3. Immediately jump back to the starting position, as if you’re jumping over the same object again.
4. Continue alternating jumps while maintaining proper squat form.

Reverse Bridge with Reach

40-second HIIT interval

20-second rest

How to:

1. Start by lying flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Place your arms extended at your sides.
2. Press through your heels and lift your hips towards the ceiling, forming a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
3. While holding the bridge position, extend your right arm overhead and reach toward the floor behind you.
4. Bring your arm back to the floor, lower your hips, then repeat, alternating sides.

Glute Bridge Pulse

40-second HIIT interval

20-second rest

How to:

1. Start by lying on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and arms at your sides.
2. Press through your heels and lift your hips towards the ceiling, forming a straight line from shoulders to knees.
3. At the top of the bridge, pulse your hips upward by a few inches, squeezing your glutes tightly.
4. Continue pulsing up and down in small, controlled movements, keeping your core engaged and glutes activated.

Jumping Jack to Toe Touch

40-second HIIT interval

20-second rest

How to:

1. Stand with your feet together and arms at your sides.
2. Perform a jumping jack by jumping your feet out to the sides while raising your arms overhead.
3. As you land, immediately bring your right leg straight out in front of you and reach your left hand to touch your right toes.
4. Return to standing, repeat the jumping jack, alternating toe touches with the left leg and right hand.

Commando Plank

40-second HIIT interval

20-second rest

How to:

1. Begin in a forearm plank position with your elbows directly under your shoulders, body in a straight line from head to heels, and core engaged.
2. Push up onto your right hand to lift your body into a high plank position, keeping your hips stable.
3. Lower your right arm back down to the forearm plank position.
4. Push up with your left hand to return to the high plank, then lower back down—alternate sides.

High Knees

40-second HIIT interval

20-second rest

How to:

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Lift your right knee toward your chest, driving through your hip.
3. Quickly lower the right leg and repeat with the left knee.
4. Continue alternating legs, keeping a brisk pace, and engaging your core for stability.

Squat Jumps

40-second HIIT interval

20-second rest

How to:

1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and lower into a squat position (Make sure your hips are back and your chest is up).
2. In an exploding motion, jump upward as high as you can while extending your legs.
3. Land softly back into the squat position, absorbing the impact with your knees slightly bent.
4. Repeat.

Tips to Maximize Your HIIT Workout

Go Hard and Push Yourself

HIIT is designed to challenge your body and push your limits. If you’re looking to maximize fat burning and improve endurance, pushing yourself during intense work intervals is crucial. These bursts of high-effort activity are what make HIIT so effective at boosting calorie burn and improving fitness. Remember, the harder you push, the more benefits you’ll reap. If you’re holding back, you’re not taking full advantage of the workout.

Start Slow if You’re New to HIIT

If you’re new to HIIT, you’ll want to ease into the intensity. Begin with shorter bursts of high-intensity work followed by longer rest periods. For example, start with a 20-second burst followed by 40-60 seconds of rest. As your fitness improves, you can gradually increase the duration of your work intervals and reduce rest times. 

Always Include a Warm-Up and Cool-Down

“Warming up properly before a HIIT workout is crucial,” Ray explains. She continues, “HIIT is very demanding, and starting your exercise routine at a high intensity increases your risk of injury. Start with a few minutes of light to moderate exercise before beginning your HIIT workout.” It also helps regulate your heart rate and blood pressure, which is especially vital due to the intensity of physical activity and varying workload. Even doing a few minutes of jumping jacks and bodyweight squats in your warm-up, followed by deep stretches in your cool-down, can significantly help your body adjust.

Use a Heart Rate Monitor

A heart rate monitor is highly beneficial for tracking your exertion levels during a HIIT workout. You can track your heart rate during intense bursts, targeting your workload for optimal fat burning. From there, you can adjust your effort to ensure you’re in the fat-burning zone (without overtraining.)

Fuel Your Body with Protein and Stay Hydrated

Proper nutrition and hydration are two significant factors that determine the exertion your body can give in your workout. “HIIT requires you to work really hard,” Ray states. “When exercisers are focused on burning fat and losing weight, they may not fuel properly before working out. If you don’t have the energy to put in a good effort, you are sabotaging yourself. The best thing you can do to maximize your results in a HIIT workout is to come to the workout prepared to give a true high-intensity effort.” HIIT can also lead to significant fluid loss due to intense sweating, so consistently drinking water before, during, and after your workout is essential to preventing dehydration.

Take Supplements to Support Your Fat-Burning Workouts

Taking supplements alongside a consistent HIIT routine can provide benefits in a number of ways. From nutrition to glucose control and fat burning, HUM has everything you need for the best results:  

HUM’s Core Strength Protein Powder

One of the most important aspects of getting through a workout (especially those training until exhaustion) is getting enough of the proper nutrients. HUM’s Core Strength plant-based protein powder enhances HIIT workouts by supporting muscle growth and aiding recovery. Each serving contains 20 grams of protein from pea, hemp, and pumpkin seeds, providing all the essential amino acids crucial to helping repair and rebuild muscle tissue broken down during a workout. It also helps maintain lean muscle and energy levels, giving you the boost you need to get through a HIIT session.

HUM’s Best of Berberine

HUM’s Best of Berberine is valuable for those looking to manage glucose levels during a hardcore workout like HIIT (especially those with type 2 diabetes). The supplement uses pure berberine to improve insulin sensitivity and lower fasting blood glucose levels, supporting your workout by allowing the body to use glucose more efficiently during intense exercise. This boosts performance, endurance, and overall metabolic response.

HUM’s Ripped Rooster

Ripped Rooster is an absolute must-have on our list when we’re in fat-burning mode. The supplement uses 7-Keto® DHEA to enhance thermogenesis, burning fat stored in the body as energy and boosting metabolism. Additionally, chromium helps regulate blood sugar, maintaining sustainable energy throughout intense exercises like HIIT, and ingredients like green tea extract support the metabolism by suppressing enzymes that promote fat storage.

The Takeaway on HIIT Workout Exercises

This 10-minute HIIT routine is not only quick but also incredibly effective at boosting fat burn and maintaining your fitness during the holiday season. By combining strength, anaerobic, and aerobic exercises, you can maximize the number of calories you burn in a short amount of time. The best part? You don’t need to spend hours at the gym to see results. And you don’t need any equipment to do the workout. Remember to push yourself during each interval, stay consistent, and fuel your body to keep your energy up. Whether at home, on vacation, or simply busy with the holiday to-do’s, this routine is a convenient and surefire way to help you stay lean, strong, and energized through the season.