Hate running? Try this 10 minute HIIT cardio workout to burn calories instead

It's ideal for those looking to start their fitness journey

Two woman doing bodyweight lunges
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Are you keen to get your body moving and generally feel better in yourself? Of course you are! With this 10 minute HIIT cardio workout you’ll not only finish feeling more energised, as it’ll get your endorphins pumping, but you’ll also lose some calories whilst doing it. You don’t need any equipment either, just your best workout shoes.

You may be wondering whether this is actually long enough for an effective workout. Firstly, doing a little bit of exercise is always better than none at all, but a study also found that a 10 minute high-intensity interval workout can improve your fitness levels just as effectively as 50 minutes of traditional cardio. So, the next time you think about ditching a workout because you don't think you've got long enough to do it, don't! Ten minutes of HIIT will be just fine.

This workout has four bodyweight exercises that are very beginner-friendly. For each exercise you're going to do 30 seconds of work, with a 10 second rest in between each one. You'll do three rounds of the workout in total, so really try and give it your all. Remember, with high-intensity training you're meant to be working at around 80 to 90% of your maximum heart rate. Here's your workout:

  • Star jump into two jabs (one with the right hand, one with the left)
  • Four mountain climbers into a half burpee
  • Squat floor taps
  • Bicycle crunches

We hope you enjoyed that and found it more enjoyable than going for a run. There's plenty of other alternative running workouts on T3 too. If you're after some more, try this 10 minute workout that can help you burn 200 calories at home. However, if you need something that's a little gentler on the joints, we've got this low-impact cardio workout too, which only has five exercises. Keen to start tracking your workout progress? A fitness tracker can count your calories, track your heart rate, VO2 max and more.

Bryony Firth-Bernard
Staff Writer, Active

Bryony’s T3’s official ‘gym-bunny’ and Active Staff Writer, covering all things fitness. In her spare time, you will find her in her natural habitat - the gym - where her style of training is a hybrid of bodybuilding and powerlifting. Bryony loves writing about accessible workouts, nutrition and testing innovative fitness products that help you reach your fitness goals and take your training to the next level.