Best HIIT Workout at Home: Get Fit in 15 Minutes

Don't struggle to find the time for a workout. With the best HIIT workout at home all you need is 15 minutes.

Do you want to get the most bang for your buck when it comes to working out?

I get it.

Your ‘free’ time is scarce. You can’t afford to waste it. 

And you soooo want to get fit again. 

You’re in luck...I don’t believe workouts have to be long to be effective.

They have to be consistent. 

And how do you make them consistent? 

Make sure they can fit into your daily routine. 

15 minutes of exercise done regularly is much more effective than an hours’ workout done every now and then. 

Want to know what workout gives you the most bang for your buck?

That would be HIIT.

HIIT workout at home

Jump Straight to the Workout

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Best HIIT Workout at Home: What is a HIIT Workout?

It’s short intervals of intense ‘work’ followed by periods of rest. 

The intervals are kept short, 20, 30, 45 seconds, so that you can really push yourself. I’m talking all out for the period of ‘work’ time. 

You then get an opportunity to recover with a rest period. 

Can a short workout REALLY be that effective?

Absolutely they can. 

In fact it has been shown that doing 12 minutes of sprint interval training just three times a week can be more effective than an hours workout five times a week. 

HIIT, or high intensity interval training, to use it's full name, basically does what it say on the tin.

So, yes, it really is effective. 

Why?

Well, when you workout like this it forces your body to do two things…

Firstly, your body starts to use fat for energy rather than carbohydrates. Yep, your body starts to turn all of your wobbly bits to energy. 

Secondly, it uses up your oxygen stores and it has to work really hard to restore them. In fact it has to work hard for up to 24 hours after you stop exercising. 

You heard that right...your body continues to work for up to 24 hours after your workout has finished. 

That’s more calories being burned for up to a day.

It really is effective. 

So, if you haven’t tried it yet, give it a go. You might actually enjoy it. 

It will certainly take you out of your comfort zone and show you exactly what your body, and your mind, can do. 

Trust me when I say that in itself is confidence boosting.

Best HIIT Workout at Home: What Do You Need

As usual you don't need anything to do a HIIT workout at home. The workouts on this page are all bodyweight.

If you’ve read any of my other pages you would’ve heard this a lot...you don’t NEED anything to do a HIIT workout at home. 

That being said, you can use equipment if you want to. 

It kind of depends on what you want to do. What you enjoy doing.

Basically you can adapt pretty much any movement, exercise or workout to a HIIT workout. 

Kettlebells, dumbbells, slam balls, skipping, running, walking, swimming. If you can do it all out for a short period of time, it can be a HIIT workout. 

So, choose something you love doing. 

If you’re new to working out, or you’ve been out for a while, stick to body weight exercises. Ease yourself in slowly, because this is an intense way to workout.  

Add in equipment when you are a bit more ‘comfortable’ with HIIT. 

Best HIIT Workout at Home: How to

As always there is a challenging workout to do on this page.

But because HIIT is so adaptable I wanted to tell you the best way to do it, so you can take a movement you enjoy and adapt that. If you don’t fancy a bodyweight workout. 

EMOM

EMOM means every minute on the minute. 

You do a movement, or set of movements at the top of every minute for a given amount of time.

You set your timer for the amount of time, 10 – 15 minutes works well for this type of workout, and every minute of that time you do the reps/movement you’re supposed to do. You rest for the rest of the minute. 

This is the base for one of the rounds below. But to give you more examples:

  • sprint to the other side of the garden
  • walk to the top of a small hill 
  • swim a length of the pool
  • 30 skips

Tips – make sure you can complete the movement/distance/reps within a minute and with time to spare. Otherwise it’s going to be too much. 

Time Intervals

This is another one that’s used in the workout below…

You do a movement, set of movements for a given amount of time and then rest. 

Both work and rest are short times, 20 seconds work - 10 seconds rest, 30 seconds work – 30 seconds rest, 45 seconds work – 15 seconds rest. 

You can choose any movement, skipping, dancing, running, jumping, animal walking, bouncing, as long as you can do it all out.

You go I go

This is a great way to workout if you have a partner, although it could be adapted slightly if you haven’t…

You do a movement/set of movements then you rest while your partner does it. 

If you haven’t got a partner you can rest for the amount of time it took you, or, if you’re doing a distance based movement, walk back to where you started. 

So, sprint to the other side of the park. If you’ve got a partner rest while they sprint to join you. If you haven’t got a partner walk back to where you started and then go again.

Best HIIT Workout at Home: What To Do

Let’s get to what you’re going to be doing for my HIIT workouts.

Best HIIT Workout at Home - Push Ups

Push ups a challenging addition to any HIIT workout at home. How do you do a push up

Start in a high plank position with your hands under your shoulders.

Engage your core and inhale as you slowly bend your elbows and lower yourself to the floor. Getting as close as possible.

Exhale and push yourself back up to the start position. 

Push ups are quite a challenging exercise so if you’re struggling your knees can go on the floor. 

Best HIIT Workout at Home - Plank Jacks

Plank jacks are included in our hiit workout. Learn all about them...

Start in a high plank position, making sure your shoulders are over your wrists. 

Engage your core and jump your feet out slightly wider than hip-distance.

Jump them back together and repeat.

Best HIIT Workout at Home - Tricep Dips

Tricep dips can help you say goodbye to bingo wings. Try our hiit workout at home.

Sit on the edge of a chair or step. 

Place your hands either side of your hips with your fingers pointing towards your feet. Your legs should be extended, with heels touching the floor and a slight bend in your knees. 

Slide forward so that your bum and back clear the chair. 

Breathe in, engage your core and lower yourself until your elbows are bent between 45 and 90 degrees.

Breathe out and push yourself back up until your arms are almost straight. 

Repeat. 

Make sure your movement is controlled through all stages of this exercise. 

Best HIIT Workout at Home - Plank Ups

Can't decide between high planks and low planks? Our hiit workout at home uses them both...

Start in a high plank position with wrists under your shoulders. 

Engage your core and bend one arm to bring your elbow and forearm to the floor. Then bend the other arm. Now you’re in a low plank position. 

Return to high plank by straightening your arms and coming back onto your hands. One arm at a time. 

Repeat, alternating which side goes first.

Best HIIT Workout at Home - Bear Crawl

Come onto all fours with your wrists under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. 

Engage your core and raise your knees slightly off the floor.

Move forward by simultaneously moving the right hand and left leg in a crawling motion. Make sure your knees stay off the floor. 

Continue for the required amount of time. 

Best HIIT Workout at Home - Crab Walk

Start by sitting on the floor 

Extend your legs out in front, your heels should be touching the floor and there should be a slight bend in your knees. 

Put your hands on the floor behind you, fingers facing your hips. 

Engage your core and lift your bum off the floor.

Start walking forward by moving your left hand and right foot, then your right hand and left foot. 

Continue for the required amount of time. 

You can move backwards as well as forward if you haven’t got the space.

Best HIIT Workout at Home - Mountain Climbers

Mountain climbers are a staple of our hiit workout at home. Give it a go...

Start in a high plank position. 

Engage your core and bring your right knee under your torso, keeping your toes off the ground. 

Return to the start position and repeat on the opposite side. 

Best HIIT Workout at Home - Down Dog to Plank

Start in a high plank position with your wrists under your shoulders.

Keep your core engaged and your head and neck relaxed.

Engage your core and press your hips and bum back until you are in an upside down V-shaped pose.

Move back to high plank by sinking your hips.

Repeat for the required amount of time. 

Best HIIT Workout at Home - Lunges

Lunges are a classic, and for good reason. Try our HIIT workout at home...

Stand with your feet hip width apart. 

Engage your core and take a big step forward with your right foot. Bend your knees until your right thigh and left shin are both parallel to the floor. 

Push back through your right heel to return to the start position. 

Repeat on the other side.

Best HIIT Workout at Home - Skater Hops

Skater hops, tone your legs and get your heart pumping. Try out hiit workout at home

Start at the left side of your mat/space. Squat slightly and jump to the right as far as you can.

Land on your right foot, bringing your left foot behind you but not touching the floor. 

Jump back across to the left, landing on your left foot.

Repeat. 

Best HIIT Workout at Home - Squats

Squats are a classic addition to our hiit workout at home. Want to give it a go?

Stand with your feet about hip width apart. Flex at the knees and hip, pushing your bum back, keeping your chest lifted. 

Lower to a comfortable position, thighs parallel to the floor. 

Return to standing by pushing the ground away keeping your chest lifted throughout to maintain a neutral spine. 

Keep your knees in line with your toes and your heels down at all times.

Best HIIT Workout at Home - Froggers

Stand with your legs wider than hip-width apart, knees bent, and upper body hinged slightly forward.

Engage your core, bend forward and place your hands on the ground in front of you.

Jump your straight legs back into a high plank.

Then jump your feet to the outsides of your hands and bring your hands toward your chest to return to the starting position.

Repeat.

Best HIIT Workout at Home - High Knees

You don't need much space to do our hiit workout at home. High knees is a great alternative to a run.

Stand with your feet hip-width apart.

Run in place, bringing your knees high up to your chest and pumping your arms. 

Keep your chest lifted, your core engage and land lightly on the balls of your feet. 

Best HIIT Workout at Home - Squat Jacks

Stand with your feet together, hands on your hips. 

Jump your feet out to just wider than hip width and sit back into a small squat. 

Then jump your feet back together and return to standing. 

Repeat.

Best HIIT Workout at Home: The Workouts

Round 1 - All About the Upper Body

This round is 20 seconds of work 10 seconds of rest for each exercise in the set and you’ll do both exercises four times.

So for example, in the first set you’ll do 20 seconds of push ups, you’ll rest for 10 seconds then you’ll do 20 seconds of plank jacks then you’ll rest for 10 seconds. Back to push ups, back to plank jacks. Cycle through four times. 

  • push ups; plank jacks
  • tricep dips; plank ups
  • bear crawl; crab walk

Round 2 - All About the Cardio

Remember EMOM from above? 

If you need a reminder it’s every minute on the minute. You do the required exercises at the top of every minute for 15 minutes. You rest for the remainder of the minute. 

I really like these because the harder you work, the more rest you get. 

For this round, after every minute, I want you to decrease the mountain climbers by 2 and increase the down dog to plank by 1.

  • Start with 40 mountain climbers; 5 down dog to planks
  • Finish with 10 mountain climbers; 20 down dog to planks.

Round 3 - All About the Lower Body

This is the same set up as Round 1…

Work for 20 seconds rest for 10 seconds then do the next exercise. Cycle through 4 times.

  • Lunges; Skater Hops
  • Squats; Froggers
  • High Knees; Squat Jacks


Best HIIT Workout at Home - 15 Minutes to Get Fit

There are three tough little workouts for you to get your teeth into. Do them all as one or spread them out throughout the week. 

Either way, if you do it consistently you’ll be seeing the benefits in no time. 

Let me know how you get on.

If you want workouts delivered straight into your inbox, then remember to sign up for my newsletter. 

Imagine never having to hunt for good workouts again. 

Get Your Ultimate Eight Week HIIT Workout Plan

Get fitter, stronger and leaner in just eight weeks with my printable HIIT workout Plan. Just 30 minutes a day is all you need. 

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Check out Printable HIIT Workout Plan to learn all about the plan, what's involved and why you should get it. 

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