Why do a Hiit Workout?

To boost metabolism, Hiit can be an intense, time efficient way to workout. Hiit is high intensity interval training. 

It involves breaks but then you go hard. 

It might include:

• Butt kicks 
• Commandos 
• Fast feet 
• Mountain climbers 
• Knee highs 
• Runners lunge 
• Speed skaters 
• In out squats 
• Air squats
• Bicycle situps
• Walkout with pushup 
• Pushups with shoulder taps 
• Kettlebell swing 
• Superman lateral raises 
• Russian twists 
• Plank jacks 
• Wall sits
• Pushups  
• Plank with shoulder taps
• Burpees

Stretch before and after. Drink lots of water. I started off with 30 seconds on and 30 seconds off, working through the 19 exercises in the order that I've listed. I ended up breaking longer after the first five and also at the fifteenth workout mark. The total time from laying out the yoga mat to the final stretch was about 30 minutes. 

Since I workout at home without trainers, I wore cushioned sports socks. The jumping and running can be tough on my feet.  

I first tried hiit at a Virgin Active gym in London years ago. I thought I was fit, but this was a whole other level. At home workouts mean I can do it at the right pace for me, but I need to be disciplined and push myself. 

I've included a youtube video of a workout by a Virgin active instructor at the top of this blog to give you an idea of what it's like. 

A wall clock with the ticking seconds is super handy but you can use the stopwatch on your phone or a watch. 

Hiit is great if you want a new challenge, to try something new, burn fat and love a really good sweaty workout. 

My staple workouts are weights, body balance and kickboxing. So a hiit workout is something to add into the mix every now and then because it can be brutal and exacerbate existing injuries. Be careful, form is important and if you're unsure then consult an expert or try it under supervision. 

For more on hiit workouts, you might find these articles useful:

• Womens Health Mag - hiit workouts at home (scroll to the end for the list of exercises)
• Shape - hiit workout exercises