HIIT Total Body Toning Workout

If you’re rushing out the door at in the morning to get the kids to daycare and then make that 8:30 meeting, you may not have time to set aside an hour for a nice, long AM workout. Similarly, when your lunch hour passes you by and you’re left scarfing down a salad at your desk, the chances of you carving out time in the middle of the day for a gym session are slim. And at the end of the day, when your commute is long and you’re feeling drained, committing to a long workout may seem daunting.

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) may be the answer you’ve been looking for. HIIT workouts are short, usually between 10 and 15 minutes long, but what they lack in length, they make up for in, yes, intensity. Designed to raise your heart rate, make you sweat, and strength train all at once, these workouts are a perfect way to maximize the amount of fat ad calories you burn in a short amount of time. And they contain a fantastic bonus: these workouts raise your metabolism, often for a full 24 hours after you’ve completed your workout. That’s right. You’ll be burning calories at a higher rate, even when you hit the couch.

This HIIT workout includes lunges and plank rows alternate with dumbbell work for a perfect combination of cardio and strength workouts. Fast work, short breaks, and guaranteed quick results.

Equipment Needed: set of light dumbbells (3-5 lbs), interval timer (Gymboss is a free app download)

What to Do: Perform each exercise for 40 seconds and rest for 10 seconds. Rest 1 minute in between each round. Perform this workout 3 times a week on on-consecutive days for full body results.

Beginner’s Level: 2 rounds
Intermediate Level: 3 rounds
Advanced Level: 4 rounds

Exercises:

1. Alternating Lunge with Bicep Curl
2. Two-Arm Dumbbell Row to Tricep Kickback
3. Crunch and Punch with Dumbbells
4. Plank Row to Burpee
5. Sumo Squat with Dumbbell Shoulder Press

Alternating Lunge with Bicep Curl