If the thought of bikini season gives you anxiety, it’s time to step things up in the activity department with high-intensity interval training or also known by its trendy moniker, HIIT. Not only will you feel empowered with improved physical and mental strength, you’ll become leaner, and strut what yo mama gave you with confidence on the pool deck. Best of all, you only need your bodyweight, minimal space and an optional training buddy to cheer you on. Let’s do this!
Tabata Tummy Toner
Say that three times fast! Tabata training can torch more than 15 calories a minute, now that’s some bang for your buck. Broken down:
- 20 seconds of exercise with 10 seconds of rest
- repeat eight times for a total of four minutes
Sounds quick and easy, right? Hold your horses, Superstar. The idea is to choose not one, not two, but four high-intensity exercises for a total of 16 fat burning minutes. With the right amount of effort, a Tabata circuit will convince you that 16 minutes may be quick, but far from easy. Complete one exercise fully then move on to the next. Get ready, get set, GO!
- Burpees (you know they had to be in there!)
- Elbow Plank
- Straight arm overhead squats
- Mountain Climbers
Fit, Strong, and Sexy
What do you get when you combine various lower body exercises with cardio? Stronger, leaner, more well-defined legs. Grab a timer and get ready to raise that heartrate with a juicy thigh burn!
- 30 seconds plie squats – 45 seconds jumping jacks - 15 seconds rest
- 30 seconds alternating back lunge – 45 seconds jumping jacks – 15 seconds rest
- 30 seconds jump squats – 45 seconds high knee run in place – 15 seconds rest
- 30 seconds alternating side to side lunge – 45 seconds high knee run in place
- 30 seconds 90-degree static squat hold - 45 seconds cross body mountain climbers – 15 seconds rest
- 30 seconds lying hip raise *Bridge – 45 seconds cross body mountain climbers – 15 seconds rest
All done? Not quite. Repeat a total of three rounds. You’re welcome.
Alright! You’re in the home stretch and it’s time to catch your breath. But only for a moment.
Hard Core
Time to target the most important area on the body when it comes to standing tall; the midsection; torso; the core! While most people refer to that area as the ‘abs’, the idea is to work the entire trunk around the waistline to increase strength, burn body fat and improve posture. No timer needed for this workout; you’re working on repetitions only. Get ready to crush tit!
Starting with a light stationary jog for three to four minutes, complete 30 reps of the following exercises back-to-back, then break for one minute before repeating three more rounds:
- Russian twist
- Pendulum plank (on elbows, tap one-foot side to side at a time, keeping hips down and core tight)
- Heels to heaven abs
- Right side plank hip raise / Left side plank
- Ab bicycle (elbow touches opposite knee)
*For added intensity, throw in two-minute stair runs between sets.