Running may be one of the best ways to burn calories and improve our cardiovascular health, but it's not for everyone. The good news is there’s still plenty of alternatives out there that can deliver similar results, like this HIIT workout. It’ll get your heart rate up, burn lots of calories and is far shorter than going for a run. You won't need any equipment either, just a decent pair of workout shoes.
Not only have studies shown that HIIT is one of the best forms of exercise for burning calories quickly, but it's great for increasing your aerobic capacity (just like running). This is because HIIT increases your VO2 max – the amount of oxygen your body uses when working out. According to PureGym: “The greater your VO2 max, the more effectively your body is able to use oxygen to generate energy and power." They continue: "Essentially, the better your VO2 max, the better you’ll be at working out and exercising.”
For this workout you’ve got four exercises to do, two of which are combination exercises (where two movements are combined into one). You’re going to do 45 seconds of work for each exercise, followed by a 15 seconds rest and you’re aiming to complete three rounds in total. Ready? Here’s your workout:
- Jumping squats
- Plank shoulder taps into walk outs
- Mountain climbers into burpees
- Sissor kicks
If you enjoyed that, then give this other four-move bodyweight workout a go next, which is also great for building full-body strength too. However, if the workout above was a little too high intensity, then here's a low-impact workout you can try instead. Not only will it only take you seven minutes, but there's no jumping involved either - perfect!
