Workout of the Day: Let's HIIT the Floor

So Sunday is typically my rest day or optional cardio.  Since a cold or some other sort of plaque has run all through our house I have missed a few workouts by either being sick myself or taking care of sick babies, so today we are going to get back at it with a good high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout to get the blood flowing and the heart pounding.  Not familiar with HIIT?  A HIIT workout is usually done with short interval bursts at 90–95% of your max heart rate for no more than 60 seconds (sometimes not even a full 60).  According to Michele Olson, Ph.D., an exercise physiologist at Auburn University-Montgomery, the payoff of HIIT is that "you’ll get about the same fitness benefits in 10 minutes as you would jogging for a half hour."  So quicker benefits and less running?  Sign me up, because confession...I hate running.  HIIT allows me to not have to run for hours and still reap benefits, including maintaining good muscle shape in my legs and glutes.  If you need an example of how that works, look at a marathon runner versus an Olympic sprinter to see the different compositions of their lower bodies.


If you  have a treadmill at home, you can use that or of course one at the gym.  No access to a treadmill?  Find a spot outside that will have you running up a slight elevation (or a hill if you feel particularly good today).  This workout is about all out effort for short durations so make sure you pick a spot that is challenging.  We will also be hitting legs and glutes in the process so its a 2 for 1 win.  An optional workout for those that have access, is either a TurboFire or Shaun T's Insanity.  These both incorporate HIIT training and will leave you sweating!  If you have tried Beachbody workouts before and would like to, let's chat.  But if you want to try what I am doing today....here we go!


Grab yourself a good heavy set of dumbbells for this and head to your treadmill or outside.  The dumbbells should be heavy enough that you struggle with the last 3 steps/reps.  Your legs and glutes are larger muscles, so challenge them and yourself. 

HIIT-ing the Legs & Glutes Because Summer Ain't Over!!
5 min.	Treadmill walk	3-4 mph (brisk if you are outside)
50 sec.	Sprint	6-9 mph (Can't hold a conversation pace if you are outside)
1min.	Walking lunge	10-20 steps/leg (off treadmill with weights)
50 sec.	Sprint	6-9 mph
1 min.	Walking lunge	10-20 steps/leg with weights
50 sec.	Side shuffle (right side)	3-4 mph (if you are new to these start out around 2.0)
1 min.	Side lunge with dumbbell (right)	10-15 reps
50 sec.	Side shuffle (left side)	3-4 mph
1 min.	Side lunge with dumbbell (left)	10-15 reps
50 sec.	Sprint	6-9 mph
5 min.	Treadmill walk	3-4 mph

If you really want to burn out your glutes and legs after try wall sits for 60 secs each for a total of 5 reps.  Stand with your back against the wall and slide down until your body has taken the shape of sitting in a chair (without one under you!) and your back is still against the wall.  Hold for 60 seconds and then return to standing for a 30 second rest before starting the next one.  If your quads aren't shaking and burning, then you are all of our hero! :)   For a good glutes after burn, try donkey kicks with a dumbbell behind your knee.  You can google a video on how these are performed or I can record a video for you guys if you'd like. 


If you aren't into this type of exercise and have access to a gym or rower, then try a rowing ladder.  Row for 2 calories, get off and do 2 burpees.
Row for 4 calories, get off and do 4 burpees.
Repeat this every 2 calories all the way to 20. By 20 burpees, I can guarantee you will be sweating!


Let me know how you made it through today's workout and how you felt! 


Love ya'll!!  Happy Sunday!