HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training. These workouts helped me get back into shape in as few as 30 minutes a day. I used to take 60 minute long classes or run 6 miles and these kinds of workouts helped me see similar results in half the amount of time.
Here is one of my favorite HIIT workouts that I can do without a gym. No equipment is required. It is not the hardest workout that I currently do but it’s a good place to start, a good one to challenge yourself with if you’re not sure about the intensity. The moves focus on your entire body while burning fat to get you a flatter stomach!
Remember, the idea here is that it has to be challenging enough that you want to give up but you don’t because it’s just 30 minutes long. Double the intensity and reduce the time you spend to see the same or better results.
Full Body Strength + Cardio Workout for Flat Abs
- Time: 30 minutes
- Equipment: None
- Estimate calories burned*: 300
Do the first circuit 3 times through with 30 seconds of rest after the 4th exercise. Take a 1-2 minute recovery after completing the 3 sets, grab some water and then move onto the next 4 exercises in circuit #2. Repeat for 3 sets, again resting for only 30 seconds in between. This should take you less than 30 minutes to complete. For a longer workout, add in a 4th set of each exercise. This will add about 7-8 minutes.
Circuit #1
24 Split Jump Lunge (12 on each side)
24 High Plank Knee to Elbow Cross Body Crunches (12 on each side)
12 Competition Burpees
20 Ab Extensions
Circuit #2
24 Sumo Jump Squats
20 Push Ups
15 Criss Cross Tuck Jumps
1 minute Plank
The Moves
Circuit #1
Split Jump Lunge
High Plank Knee To Elbow Cross Body Crunch
Competition Burpee
This is like a regular pushup burpee but instead of doing a pushup, you literally lie down on the ground and push yourself up into a high plank before kicking your feet in towards your hands and jumping straight up. Kick feet back out into a high plank before lowering back down all the way onto the ground. Repeat.
Ab Extensions
Circuit #2
Sumo Squat Jump
I think you all know how to do this. Legs are wider than hip width apart, toes pointing out at 10 and 2. Lower hips down until quads are parallel with the ground and jump up as high as you can go, thrusting hips forward, squeezing the glutes. Lower back down gently into another squat.
Pushups
Another one you guys know how to do. If you need to, lower down onto your knees but try to do as many first on your toes. If this is easy, put your feet on a surface higher than your hands on a bench or step!
Criss Cross Tuck Jump
1 minute Plank
This circuit ends with a 1 minute plank. Just hold it on your forearms. Exhale, pull your belly button in and hold.
Modifications
If you are a postpartum mom, I would omit the jumps at first. Start with walking lunges and speed squats. Instead of the tuck jump, do 50 mountain climbers (25 on each leg). I would also make sure to only lower your legs to 45 degrees on the ab extensions and not all the way to the ground.
For the push ups and planks, you can always drop down to your knees if and when you need to.
Try this workout and let me know how you do! This is the kind of workout that has helped me get back into shape by 9 months post partum.
*calorie burn estimation is based on my own heart rate monitor for a 135 lb 32 year old woman. I burn about 100 calories per 10 minutes of challenging exercise like HIIT or running.
