HIIT WORKOUT FOR BEGINNERS

Just because you’re new to fitness doesn’t mean high-intensity interval training isn’t for you. Otherwise known as HIIT, these fast-paced workouts have been shown to torch tons of calories in a short amount of time — so you don’t need to spend hours in the gym. This type of training will have you alternating between periods of maximum effort (think: 20 seconds of jumping jacks) and short recovery.
If you’re just getting into fitness — or starting over after an injury — the key to success lies in doing the right moves, at your own pace. Yes, HIIT should be intense, but pushing too hard, too fast can result in injuries and other setbacks. Your task: Listen to your body, modify as needed, and complete each movement with proper form.
To kick off your journey without a hitch, we recommend you this program, three workouts, ranging from 10 to 30 minutes. Each one has easy-to-master moves, made just for you. All you need is a chair and a yoga mat. Then, start with this dynamic, two-minute warm-up to get your muscles ready to go:
Jog or march in place for 30 seconds.
Standing tall, circle your arms backwards, one after the other, (as if you’re pretending to do the backstroke) for 30 seconds.
Finally, perform a front lunge, side lunge and back lunge stepping with the same leg, then switch to the other leg and repeat. Continue for one minute. Now, get ready to HIIT it!
Work up a sweat in less than the time it would take you to drive to your gym with this simple routine. Best of all, you don’t need any equipment to jump right in.
Metabolic conditioning is designed to maximize your caloric burn, so you should expect this workout to feel challenging. You’ll go through five exercises that focus on full-body, multi-joint movements. Try to do as many reps as possible during each 45-second interval, then rest for 15 seconds before repeating.
Here are four key points to consider before you begin this 8-week training program:
-If you are over 40, not accustomed to any exercise, or more than 20 pounds overweight, consult with your physician. Unless you have a known health risk, your doctor will probably encourage you to begin a run-walk program, but it’s always wise to check. -Schedule your workouts. You won’t find time for them unless you make time for them. Put them in your phone, computer, daily appointment planner, on the front of your refrigerator, or wherever else you keep your schedule.
-Expect bad days. Everyone has them, but they pass quickly, and the next workout is often better than the previous one. So stick with the program.
-Don’t rush. In the fitness world, rushing leads to injuries and discouragement. Be patient, and go slow. The goal is to reach 30 minutes of continuous running, not to set any records getting there.