There are so many different kinds of exercises, workouts, and activities to perform at home.
From weightlifting to yoga, people try so many different things to improve their bodies and mind.
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is, as stated in the name, a method of interval training that involves alternating intense anaerobic exercises along with some… not-so intense, short recovery periods.
HIIT is becoming a bit of a buzzword in the fitness industry, with the ability to perform them anywhere, and is much easier to build into that busy schedule! But do they work?
More importantly, are they the best type of workout for you?
Spoiler alert – it most definitely can be!
Whether you’re trying to lose weight, bulk up your body, or regain fitness after an injury, it’s important to find something that works for you.
Everyone has different goals and levels of fitness, so the ideal workout is one that you enjoy doing consistently.
This is part of what makes HIIT such a popular choice!
At the same time, there are reasons why HIIT is not the best for everyone, and for some people it should be avoided altogether.
Even if it has a ton of health benefits, it is known as a grueling workout.
You need a certain level of mental strength for this workout to do more help than damage!
Keep reading to find out if HIIT is for you!
Is HIIT At Home Effective?
Right off the bat, HIIT has a few key advantages over other forms of exercise.
Some of these are:
- It’s on-demand, meaning you’ll never be doing the same kind of workout. There’s no running on a treadmill, clocking in at the same time, and — wait for it — sweating in the sauna. Life just isn’t that simple! So you get to pick your types of habits and form your workouts as you like them. Then, perform the workout in the comfort of your own front room!
- You can incorporate it into any fitness program and still finish your strength routine. HIIT is great for improving overall fitness and cannot negatively impact the rest of your workout, since you’re only doing the work during intervals, not during your work periods.
- HIIT works with almost any fitness level. While you’ll see some people prefer longer, more moderate-intensity workouts, anyone can perform HIIT and it’s very accessible to any level because it can be done anywhere — at the pool, running with no equipment, on a path, on the treadmill, just thrown into a pair of sandals — anywhere.
That leads me straight into my FREE Ebook that can help teach you that it is entirely possible to train wherever and whenever, or how I like to put it – “Train Wherever The F*ck You Want.”!
If this doesn’t show you that home workouts, or more specifically, HIIT home workouts are effective, then nothing will!
The benefits are just as good, if not better than gym workouts, without all the traffic!
Is HIIT good for muscle gain?
It is a well-known fact that HIIT is amazing at aiding with weight loss.
The number of calories you can burn by performing some high-intensity bodyweight exercises or cardio consistently is immense!
Some of us, however, might not be after a slim body shape, but stack those pounds on as muscle!
Can you do this with HIIT? Sort of.
Understandably, not that helpful, but there’s a reason the answer is so vague!
As a beginner, you can expect to build muscle using HIIT at home, as long as we incorporate bodyweight resistance exercises and not just cardio!
However, if we want to gain muscle and maintain intensity, we will need to increase the intervals we rest at.
It would be pretty difficult to maintain that level of intensity and challenge your muscles.
Another thing about using HIIT at home, you can limit the equipment and the number of exercises!
I can even show you how to work out in 10 minutes, with just 2 exercises and a resistance band, in the video below!
HIIT isn’t all blue skies and sun when it comes to building muscle at home, though.
It can limit you, especially if you are a bit more experienced.
If you are looking for those superhero shoulders or the pumped-up chest, you should probably chill out on the amount of HIIT you do.
I am not saying never do it again, HIIT is a great training plan, just use it in moderation when working out for strength or size.
If you are looking for ways to improve your strength at home, you should check out a recent article of mine, ‘How Can I Get Stronger At Home?’.
This goes into great depth behind building strength at home, without a lot of equipment.
What Workouts Are Better Than HIIT?
As stated, the best workout for you depends on your goals.
We have already discussed whether HIIT is the best for strength and muscle size, but what if we want a home workout that is actually shorter and more intense?
Tabata is a similar alternative to HIIT that has been labeled as a more effective choice if you prefer a quicker, intensive workout.
Tabata exercises have been found to be more aerobic and result in greater fat loss.
Tabata usually consists of 8 sets of 20-second exercises with 10-second rests.
The home workout can be performed with bodyweight exercises, resistance bands, or my personal favorite for Tabata, kettlebells.
So, you’ve decided a speedy workout at home is best for you, and you are even kitted out with a kettlebell!
Try my sample Tabata kettlebell workout below with only 5 EXERCISES, for an intense burn that you can perform in the time it would take you to commute to the gym!
What To Do If You Want To Try HIIT
You have probably decided by now that HIIT at home is the workout that’s best for you.
A workout that can supercharge your weight loss, increase your fitness levels, and you probably don’t want a workout as intense as Tabata!
So, how do we get started on a high-intensity interval training program at home?
Firstly, we need to decide on the type of exercises we want to add to our home workout – cardio or resistance.
If you are a fan of the “C” word, then a HIIT sprinting workout would be perfect for you!
While on a run, sprint for 30 seconds as hard as you can.
Then, for 1-2 minutes jog at a steady pace.
This is a simple form of exercise that you can do with any type of cardio.
If you are lucky enough to own a stationary bike, they are also great for HIIT!
Repeat this pattern for 20-30 minutes consistently and you can be sure to see your calorie consumption increase.
Pair this with a great diet and those goals of weight loss become entirely reachable!
If cardio isn’t up your street (entirely understandable), then bodyweight exercises can be included in your HIIT home workout to help with muscle endurance, fitness, and weight loss!
If you’re a beginner, just starting with HIIT, why not begin by performing each set as a circuit.
Do a set of pushups, with a short 10-second break, straight into 20 seconds of squat jumps.
This is a small change that can improve your oxygen intake and cardiovascular health!
As always, make sure you are getting a full night’s sleep and increase your water intake to stay healthy and hydrated with this new intense workout!
Takeaway – Is HIIT The Best?
From this article, you can probably guess that it is difficult to determine whether one workout type is the best to perform at home.
HIIT has plenty of pros and cons and it is only up to you to test and determine whether it creates the results that match your goals!
You need to be consistent with it!