Best HIIT Workouts for Beginners: Simple Home Workout Guide

24/03/2026

With this in mind, your HIIT workouts will therefore only last between 10–20 minutes on average, based upon how you set up your exercises and rest periods. While we compared HIIT to weight training and cardio, we are not recommending that you only do HIIT workouts. An ideal workout plan will incorporate weight training (or resistance training of some sort – i.e. bodyweight calisthenics), HIIT, and cardio. As you can see, you won’t be doing back to back HIIT workouts, as that is too taxing on the body, especially for beginners. Space out your intense workouts, and do some moderate-intensity workouts as well.

PILATES / DANCE / RUNNING / YOGA

Unlike steady-state cardio, HIIT pushes your cardiovascular system to its limits, creating powerful metabolic adaptations that continue burning calories long after your workout ends. Work hard for a few big exercises and minimize your rest – it’s a surefire way to blow up your heart rate in no time. A properly designed HIIT workout should feel like a sprint – with high intensity effort followed by a brief rest period.

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Despite what you may have read online, there’s no way to target fat loss in a specific area. When you exercise, your body relies on the extra fat stored all over your body as a source of energy. Even if you’re doing plenty of core exercises, your body will still pull from all its fat reserves for energy, not just from any belly fat. Cardio is important for everyone, regardless of fitness level or routine.

Strength Training Day

These are fast-paced, quick workouts in a short amount of time, such as 30 seconds at a time with 30 seconds of rest. To progress, aim to increase your reps, sets, or intensity each week. For those seeking personalized guidance, consider HipTrain’s live 1-on-1 video training sessions with certified trainers for real-time feedback and form correction. Our programs evolve with you, keeping workouts fresh and challenging. From high-intensity cardio to restorative yoga, and aging mobility we want you to experience the joy of flexible, fitness anytime, anywhere. You won’t be able to get slim legs if you’re doing the wrong type of resistance training.

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Most aren’t backed by research and won’t have any kind of effect. If you’re a beginner when it comes to cardio, simply start at your own pace and build. Pick any form of cardio you enjoy, and sprinkle it in two or three days a week for 20 to 30 minutes, McParland recommends. But with so many workout options out there, you might not know where to begin—that is, until now. The Women’s Health 4-Week Beginner Workout Plan takes the guesswork out of starting your fitness journey. This comprehensive program guides you through strength and cardio workouts that only take between 20 and 45 minutes.

Focus on your form and take your two rest days when you need them to recover. †Offer limited to Premier members who complete 12 sessions within a month of membership start date. Member must notify their home studio within 30 days of membership start date to initiate cancellation and receive refund of membership dues. Restrictions may apply; inquire at local studio for additional information.

We could go on, but it’s clear to see that the reasons for working out at home are myriad. On the other hand, the full-body cardio workouts that HIIT offers allow you to get in a total body experience with no repeats and constant variety. You’ll keep the pace high and engagement through the roof.

Effectiveness Comparison

Choose 15 exercises, and follow a 40-second-work/20-second-rest ratio. Perform each exercise, one after the other, until all 15 are completed. See below for a list of these 18 beginner HIIT exercises (with timestamps) and a few beginner HIIT workout examples.

Elevated Push Up Mountain Climbers

Jump both feet out to the sides as you raise the arms out to the sides and up overhead. Bring the arms down as you jump the feet back to center. I always remind people that high intensity doesn’t have to mean high-impact. You can still do a HIIT workout if you have knee, hip or joint pain. I provided low-impact variations for every high-impact exercise. So, listen to your body and choose the variation that works for you.

Endomorphs can also include resistance training, ideally with slightly higher intensity to help burn more calories, but it’s important not to overdo it, as they can build muscle more easily. That said, it’s important to note that long, slow cardio (like walking) isn’t the most efficient way to lose weight overall. The best approach is a combination of both resistance training and cardio.

• If you get fatigued in the middle of a set, push through if you feel safe doing so, Sariya says.
• Perform each exercise for the suggested number of reps. Rest 20 to 30 seconds between rounds and 1 minute between supersets and tri-sets.
• By frequently changing up your pace and type of movement, HIIT challenges the body in a unique way.
• Then switch sides by pushing off the right foot and jumping to the left, landing with the left foot in front and the right leg back in a reverse lunge position.
• Let’s break down the effectiveness of full body HIIT routines versus traditional strength training to help you make an informed decision.
• We combine 7 different workout styles, with a strong emphasis on Pilates.

Jumping jack

Lung function severity, CFTR modulator treatment, or diabetes did not affect compliance with HIIT, whereas those on conventional exercise who were taking CFTR modulators showed lower compliance. Start by lying on your back with both of your legs extended and feet together. Rest your hands palms-down on either side of your body or under your buttocks for support. Increase your pace and move quickly to exercise the rectus abdominis — a pair of muscles that run down your belly and form the bulk of the abdominal muscles. You can do most lower ab exercises without extra equipment.

exercises for a HIIT workout at home

This high-intensity workout was created by Kara real reviews madmuscles Liotta, CPT, to hit all of your muscles (no pun intended). FYI, there’s also sprint-interval training (or SIT), which involves going even more all-out during work intervals and recovering for longer in between them…but that’s a story for another time. In this blogpost, I’ll share 15 low-calorie foods and a few simple, science-backed tips that support weight loss, reduce bloating, and help flatten your stomach….

The Military-Inspired 5 Minute Burn

But some of the moves listed below do require sliders or towels. I feel encouraged and not intimidated by the coaches, and thanks to the OTconnect performance monitor, I can go at my own pace and do what works for me. ⁺Premier membership and performance monitor purchase required.