10-MINUTE WORKOUT
Intensity: High
What you’ll need: Two dumbbells or a kettlebell, around five to 10 pounds (2.27 kg to 4.5 kg) for beginners. If you have a heavier weight, use that for the goblet squats. But remember that this is a cardiovascular workout, not a strength training one.
How often: If you’re new to HIIT, start with once a week. You can do these workouts on their own or mix them into your routine along with strength training or steady-state cardio, like walking or jogging. More experienced athletes can do this workout two to three times per week, or whenever you can fit in a 10-minute session.
ADJUST FOR YOU
For an easier workout, or if you’re new to these movements, try them without weights at first. You can increase the weight as your fitness improves, but make sure you can maintain the high intensity during every 30-second session.
Stop if you feel lightheaded or dizzy, and avoid HIIT workouts if you have a cardiac condition, if you are recovering from an injury or if you experience vertigo. Consult with a doctor if you’re pregnant or new to exercise.
OPTIONAL WARM-UP
Before beginning, do 20 seconds of each movement at a low intensity. Move slowly, to get your body used to the movement pattern. If using weights during the workout, do the warm-up without any weights.
HIIT ROUNDS
Sequence: Complete this three-movement sequence three times.
For each movement: Do as many repetitions as you can in 30 seconds, and count the number you do. Try to increase that number in each subsequent round.
1. Burpees (30 seconds on; 30 seconds rest)
Make it easier: Take a lunge step backward, setting your knee on the ground. Lower your body to the floor and then stand back up.
2. Thrusters (30 seconds on; 30 seconds rest)
Make it easier: If you are nervous about squatting, sit back into a chair and stand, raising your arms overhead as you stand.
3. Goblet squats (30 seconds on; 60 seconds rest)
Make it easier: Squat as low as feels comfortable, sitting back into a chair if necessary.
A NOTE ON INTENSITY
Remember, to be effective, this workout needs to be hard. You should perform each exercise at a pace that you could not sustain beyond 30 seconds.
“By the time you get to the 25-second mark, if you’re not thinking, ‘I can barely hang on for the last five seconds,’ then you’ve missed it,” Leventhal said. Try to be out of breath about 15 seconds in, then unable to talk by the end.
Also, be mindful of the so-called “intensity gap,” Leventhal said, which makes us think we’re working harder than we actually are. Most of us can afford to push the pace, and often the barrier is emotional, not physical. When you think you are working at 100 per cent of your maximum heart rate, oftentimes you’re closer to 70.
“It can be scary getting out of breath and feeling your heart pounding in your chest if you’ve never done that before,” Leventhal said. It may take time to work up to full intensity, he added, but try pushing the pace during the last round to see if you can fit in a few more reps. You might surprise yourself.
However, always be sure to maintain good form. If you can’t keep the correct form – bending at the waist and rounding your back in the squats, for example – take a break for a few seconds. During your rest periods, take slow, deep breaths and walk in little circles or march in place, Mr. Comana said.
By Hilary Achauer © The New York Times Company
The article originally appeared in The New York Times.
