Happy hump day – the week is already half over and it’ll be Friday before we know it! I hope that your week is flying by too. It’s hard to believe that it’s already mid July – this month (and the summer) feels like it’s flying by.
Before I share today’s new 24 minute high intensity interval training workout, let me catch you up on my workout yesterday at the gym.
I spend 25 minutes on the elliptical doing steady state cardio. While my knee is feeling better, it’s still not 100% yet so I’m still sticking to shorter cardio workouts. I finished it off with a 5 minute walk on the track for my cool down. It was a short one but I was thoroughly sweaty and breathing hard when I was finished.
About HIIT workouts
HIIT workouts generally aren’t recommended for beginners, so if that’s you, checkout my workout page for some other beginner friendly workouts to try instead. Come back to this workout once you’ve built a good fitness base in a few months.
HIIT workouts are generally pretty short because you’re putting in a lot of effort over short bursts throughout the workout. You’re working harder than you usually would during a longer workout.
Workout specifics
You can do this workout at the gym or at home if you have a set or two of dumbbells and a non-bouncy medicine ball. For the dumbbells, I like these ones (affiliate link) from Amazon. You’ll want to make sure that the medicine ball you’re using won’t bounce back when you throw it down on the floor for the medicine ball slams.
For this workout you’ll perform each exercise for 30 seconds, rest for 30 seconds, and then move onto the next exercise. You’ll want to complete the list of exercises 3 times through for a complete 24 minute workout.
You first priority in workouts is always making sure that your form is good. If you get tired and you see that your form is starting to breakdown, make sure you take some extra rest before to start back up again. It’s not worth risking an injury when you get too tired and your form suffers.
Exercise descriptions
Med ball slams
With your feet shoulder width apart and a medicine ball in your hands, lift it over your head and slam it into the ground just in front of your feet. Pick it up quickly and repeat.
Alternating lunges
Stand with feet hip width apart. Step forward with one foot so that the forward leg’s thigh is parallel to the ground, and the back leg’s shin is parallel to the ground. The back knee shouldn’t touch the floor. Use your quads and glutes to step the front foot back towards your back foot and end by standing straight up with feet hip width apart again. For the second lunge step forward with the other foot. Continue alternating legs.
Bicycle crunches
Lay on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. With your hands behind your head and elbows out to the side, bring your feet off the floor so that your shins are parallel to the floor and your knees are bent at a 90 degree angle. Bring your shoulder blades off the floor and alternate bringing your left elbow towards your right knee, and your right elbow towards your left knee. Your feet should look like they’re pedaling a bike.
Push ups
Starting on your toes and hands, make sure your body is a straight line from your heels to your knees, hips, shoulders, and neck. Your hands should be a bit wider than your shoulders. Slowly bend at the elbows, lowering yourself to the ground. Try to get at low as possible, and then push yourself back up, all the while maintaining that straight line. An easier modification is instead of being on your toes, lower to your knees.
Donkey kicks
Get on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Keeping your knee bent, lift your left leg so that your knee is parallel to the floor and the bottom of your foot is parallel to the ceiling. Lower you leg back down and repeat with the right leg.
Plank
The plank is very similar to the starting position of a pushup. Your hands are slightly wider than shoulder width, and your body is a straight line from your head, through your shoulders, hips, and knees, to your heels. Just like with the pushup, if you need an easier modification, use your knees instead of your toes.
Bent over rows
With a dumbbell in each hand (palms facing each other) bend forward slightly at the hips so that your torso is at a 45 degree angle to the floor, letting your arms hang straight down and keeping your back in a neutral position. Bring both dumbbells up towards your armpits while contracting your shoulder blades towards each other (kind of like pinching your shoulder blades together). Move dumbbells back towards starting position.
Dumbbell squats
With feet hip width apart and dumbbells in your hands at your sides, use the glutes to lower your hips back and down while bending at the knees and ankles. Once you’ve reached the lowest position you can without leaning forward too much or letting the knees collapse in, return to a standing position, again using your glutes to propel yourself.
As always, talk to your doctor before beginning to workout. Honor your body and modify this workout as needed for you. This workout contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting my blog – I appreciate it!