High intensity interval training can add variety to at-home resistance training workouts. It can also increase the amount of calories burned leading to faster results.

I used to think of at home workouts as easy. Without weight plates, cardio machines and the bells and whistles of the gym, that thought is understandable. High intensity interval training changes the home workout playing field though.

With high intensity interval training, you can take home workouts to next level. The best part is, you can do it in under 20 minutes.

The Basics

High Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT, involves 20 seconds of high intensity exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest, for eight rounds. That’s roughly four minutes of exercise.

Specifically designed for cardio workouts, HIIT is adjustable for resistance training style workouts too.

Go Light, with Resistance

When I say resistance, I’m focused on resistance bands over free weights. Resistance bands provide a consistent load during a movement and you can use them for just about anything.

If using weights, focus on lifting light weights instead of heavy ones. Unless you already had a home gym locked and loaded, your home weights are light to moderate anyway.

When performing resistance training, form is key. That’s whether you’re at home or not. Go slow, working through full range of motion. Keep the weight heavy enough to fatigue the muscles, but light enough that you can make it through eight rounds of twenty seconds on, 10 seconds off.

Cardio Intervals

As if it wasn’t enough to do HIIT by itself, let’s up the intensity with cardio. Alternate intervals of resistance training with intervals of cardio. This requires that you get everything set up ahead of time, of course. Easy intervals to squeeze in include, jumping hacks, mountain climbers, burpees, inchworms, and side hops.

An example of how to add cardio variety would be following up a resistance training move with a cardio move. I say cardio, but the moves are plyometric.

Lower Body, Upper Combo

If cardio intervals aren’t your thing, give lower/upper body combos a try. An example is lunges followed by push ups, squats followed by overhead press, deadlifts following renegade rows. You get my drift.

Get creative with the combo. The alternating pattern of lower and upper bodies get the heart rate soaring, and maximize calorie expenditure. A win/win if you ask me.

Go Longer

It’s technically not HIIT if you go over four minutes. Lower the intensity slightly and easily double your workout time, triple it even.

I perform four exercises back to back instead of just one. I make workouts 16-minutes instead of four. The intensity is definitely lowered due to time. But I get all the benefits of burning calories once the workout is over, a HIIT benefit.

I’m constantly on the lookout for ways to keep my workout fresh. HIIT is the one style of workout, to me, that I can switch things up, easily, and still feel like I’m having my ass handed to me.

Do you perform HIIT style workouts at home? Let me ask, what does your resistance training look like?