5 Minute High Intensity Interval Workout That Will Kick Your Butt

HIIT workout

If your goal is to burn fat, interval training should be part of your workout program. Interval training is a great way to hammer out a quick workout, and it’s extremely effective for transforming your physique.

By incorporating intense periods of work with short recovery segments, interval training helps you give maximum intensity while still maintaining your exercise form. The magic of high intensity interval training (or HIIT, for short) is that it keeps your body burning fat even after you leave the gym.

During a HIIT workout, your body can’t shuttle enough oxygen to your muscles during periods of hard work. Therefore, your muscles accumulate a “debt” of oxygen that must be repaid post-workout in order to get back to normal. The result: Your metabolism is revved for hours after you leave the gym. Trainers refer to this phenomena as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, or EPOC. The biggest way to use it to your advantage is to regularly work short, intense bouts of exercise into your workout regimen.

Interval training also develops the cardiovascular system. By elevating your heart rate during periods of hard work, you’ll increase your cardio ability and strengthen your heart. During the short rest intervals, you also increase your recovery capabilities—meaning you’ll be able to recover faster in future workout sessions.

When creating interval workouts, focus on including difficult movements that challenge your entire body in a single exercise. Aim to include at least two exercises back to back before allowing your body to recover. Catch your breath in between rounds, but don’t allow yourself to recover fully before attacking the next set.

5-moves, 5 minutes high intensity routine

To jumpstart your routine, here is a 5 moves, 5-minute, high intensity routine. You’ll do all 5 moves in 5 minutes with minimal rest, ie. do each move for 50 seconds and rest 10 seconds.

Your goal: Aim for a total of three to five circuits (15 to 25 minutes total), 3 times a week on non-consecutive days.

What you’ll need: A pair of dumbbells.

1. Skier Swing

dumbbell skier swing

Hold a pair of dumbbells and stand with your feet hip-width apart. Push your hips back and bring the weights behind you (A). Quickly thrust your hips forward and swing the dumbbells to shoulder height. That’s one rep. Continue in a fluid consistent motion (B).

2. Plank Walk-Up

plank walk up

Get into plank position, forearms on the floor, elbows under your shoulders, legs extended behind you (A). Place your right hand flat on the floor (B), and then your left, straightening your arms to pushup position (C). Return to start by lowering onto your right, then left, forearms. Repeat, leading with your left hand; alternate.

3. Dumbbell Squat Thrust

dumbbell squat thrust

Hold a pair of dumbbells in front of your shoulders, elbows bent, feet hip-width apart (a). Take two seconds to lower your hips until your thighs are parallel to the floor (b). Push back up, pressing the dumbbells overhead until your arms are straight (c). Lower the weights to shoulder level as you squat back down. That’s one rep.

4. Lateral Shuffle

lateral shuffle

Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart and turned out 45 degrees. Bend into a squat with your knees over your ankles (a). From that position, step out with your left foot, keeping your knees bent in the squat position (b). Take a step with your right foot to return to start. Continue walking sideways, taking 10 steps to the right and then 10 to the left.

5. Skater Hop

skater-hop

Cross your left leg behind your right and lower into a half-squat, your right arm out to the side, left arm across your hips (A). Hop to the left, switching your legs and arms (B). That’s one rep. Keep hopping quickly, alternating from side to side.