HIIT: Get In Shape With a 10-Minute Daily Workout

HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) is one of the fastest ways to get in shape. With just a few minutes a day, you can get in a full body workout and start to see improvement in your stamina, strength, and overall fitness. 

HIIT is used by athletes of all levels - from beginners to pros - and in any location - your gym, living room, hotel room, or backyard. Making it the perfect no equipment necessary, travel workout.

The idea behind it is simple: cycle through high-intensity work intervals, followed by shorter recovery intervals. You engage your anaerobic metabolic system but for an extended period of time.

This HIIT workout only requires a stopwatch (or just your smartphone). You can do many of the exercises with bodyweight or add light weights for more advanced cardio training.

Here, FightCamp Trainer Aaron “Speedy” Swenson leads you through a HIIT workout: 10 intervals, each consisting of:

• 40 seconds of work (with the last 10-15 seconds higher intensity)
• 20 seconds of rest

Warm-Up

Before any type of training, you should warm up your body and prepare it for work. Here is a nice routine you can use prior to a HIIT session. Dynamic stretching can also be very useful for warming up your body.

When you are ready, start the clock and begin.

HIIT Workout

High Knees

• Start in a standing position
• Begin jumping from one foot to the other (like you are running in place)
• In the last 10 seconds, bring the knees higher and increase the intensity

Rest

Push Up + Downward Dog

• Start on the ground, in a push-up position
• Lower your body to the ground, breathing in
• As you push back up, exhale fully
• After you reach the top of your push up, press your hips up and back into downward dog
• Engage your arms, core, and legs to power the movement
• Hold for a couple of seconds
• Return back to a push-up position
• Repeat
• In the last 10 seconds, increase the intensity and pick up the pace

Rest

Skaters

• Start in a standing position with your feet together
• Jump 3-5 feet to the right while swinging your hands out for momentum
• Land softly on your right leg, with your left leg either slightly touching the ground behind your right leg (easier) or just above the ground (harder), while bringing your hands back to your body
• Finish the movement with a shallow squat on your right leg

• When you increase the intensity, make the squat deeper; you can even try to touch the toes of your right foot with your left hand
• Repeat the same movement to your left
• Repeat this side-to-side movement
• In the last 10 seconds, increase the intensity; optional: vary the lengths of your jumps and the depths of your single-leg squats

Rest

Mountain Climbers

• Start in a push-up position with your hands shoulder-width apart
• Draw your right knee up towards your right shoulder, then back down
• Repeat with your left knee towards your left shoulder
• Do 2 reps and on the third rep, hold your knee forward at your shoulder for a couple of seconds
• Repeat this hold every 3 reps, alternating the side you hold
• Repeat
• In the last 10 seconds, increase the speed

Rest

Crab Walks

• Start in a seated position with your hands on the ground behind your back, fingers pointing forward or slightly inward
• Bend your knees and plant your feet
• Your feet should be about shoulder-width apart in front of you
• Lift your pelvis off the ground pushing down into your palms and feet
• Take 5 “steps” forward:

• At the same time step forward with the left leg and bring the right hand forward
• Then step forward with the right leg and bring the left hand forward
• Repeat until you complete 5 steps forward
• Take 5 steps backward (same pattern as above, but going backward)
• Repeat this back-and-forth movement until the time is up
• Optional: in the last 10 seconds, increase the speed of your crab walk

Rest

Reverse Lunges

• Start in a standing position
• Step back with your left leg while bending it at the knee
• Squat down on your right leg until your left knee touches the ground (both of your knees should be bent at a 90 degree angle)
• Stand back up and bring your left leg back to its initial position
• Repeat with the right leg
• Continue alternating legs
• In the last 10 seconds, you can either increase the intensity, or try Jump Switch Lunges

For a more challenging lunge you can do Jump Switch Lunges:

• Start in the bottom position of a Reverse Lunge
• Instead of standing back up, jump in place, switching the position of your legs
• Drop back down into a squat
• Repeat

Rest

Up Downs

• Start in a push-up position
• Lower down to your left forearm followed by your right forearm

• Now you are in a low plank position
• Starting with your left side, raise back up into a push-up position
• Repeat
• In the last 10 seconds, pick up the speed

Rest

Burpee + Tuck Jump

Optional: Use a piece of tape or small obstacle to jump over; put it on your right side as you begin the exercise and make sure you have several feet of space to the right.

• Start in a standing position
• Drop down into a push-up position
• Do a push up
• Return to stand
• Jump a few feet to your right (if you have an obstacle, jump over it)

• Try to exaggerate the movement, drawing your knees up into the air as high as you can
• Drop down for a push up and repeat, jumping to the left
• Repeat
• In the last 10 seconds, pick up the speed

Rest

Sit Up + Jab - Cross (1 - 2)

• Lay on your back with your legs out straight
• With your boxing guard up, fists under your cheekbones and elbows close to your body, do a sit-up
• At the top of your sit-up, throw a quick jab-cross (1-2) punch combination
• Return to guard and lower back down
• Repeat

Note: if you cannot complete a full sit-up, you can modify this exercise with a crunch

Rest

Bicycles

• Lay on your back with your legs in the air, knees bent at 90 degrees
• Lift your head and shoulders slightly off the ground and place your hands behind your head
• Extend your left leg and at the same time bring your left elbow as close to your right knee as possible - that's 1 rep
• Return the left leg to the starting position as you extend the right leg and rotate your torso to the other side (right elbow trying to touch the coming left knee) - that's 2 reps
• On the third rep, hold the left leg extended and the left elbow close to the right knee

• Repeat this hold every 3 reps, alternating the side you hold
• Repeat
• In the last 10 seconds, try to push it to get more reps in

And that’s it! Great job!

When you are finished, make sure to sit back for a few minutes, rest, breathe deeply, and recover. Here is a nice cool down routine you can try. A good indicator of your fitness level is how fast you can bring your heart rate down after your workout.

If you want to step your training up - check out FightCamp for connected boxing and kickboxing workouts. There are four-round, six-round, eight-round boxing workouts, and countless training videos on the YouTube channel. Even if you only have 10 minutes a day, you can squeeze in a full workout.

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The Author: Aaron Swenson, aka ‘Speedy,’ began his Martial Arts journey under his father’s guidance in the family’s dojo in Chicago. By 2013, Aaron was an accomplished fighter with two National Kickboxing titles and a USA National Kickboxing Team spot and fought for the prestigious GLORY Kickboxing organization. Since then, Aaron has become a sought after trainer in LA known for his technical approach to teaching, fancy pad-work, and utilizing music to make the workout fun and engaging. Aaron is a Founding Coach at FightCamp, where he leads boxing and kickboxing workouts and plans to make his return to the ring. Aaron is also USA Boxing Coach certified.