It is sweet summertime and that means it is time to take your workouts outside. This 28 day HIIT cardio challenge will leave you dripping in sweat and feeling amazing. Ditching the air-conditioning for the summer is a great way to mix up your workouts and hit your goals. Let’s get to it!
The Basics: HIIT Cardio
HIIT cardio is an incredible way to workout. You get sweaty, your legs shake, your breath is heaving, and you feel like you might pass out. The intensity of the workout is crazy and leaves you craving more.
Using HIIT cardio means that you can get more done in less time. Instead of spending 45 minutes on the treadmill, you spend 15 minutes pushing the limit. If you struggle to push yourself, this type of cardio may not be for you. However, if you are willing to work hard and are not afraid of a little sweat, keep on reading 😉
Using a HIIT style of training means that you switch between periods of hard work and rest. This interval training allows you to incinerate calories both during the workout and for up to 48 hours after. Burning calories even when you are not workout out? BONUS!
Exercise Choices
HIIT cardio can be done with or without equipment, which is another perk. You can do this type of training with essentially any movement, but I decided to give you some options. This is by no means a comprehensive list. If you have a movement that you really like, use that! You can also use a variety of these movements in each workout. You don’t have to just pick one movement and stick with it for the entire workout. Mix things up!
- Jumping Jacks
- Sprints
- Jump Squats
- Jump Lunges
- Box Jumps
- Kettlebell Swings
- Jump Rope
- Dumbbell Snatch
- Speed Ladder
- Mountain Climbers
- Burpees
- Man-Makers
- Clean and Jerk
- Goblet Squats
- Lunges
- Battle Ropes
- Bench Hop Overs
- Bear Crawl
- Hill Sprints
- Medicine Ball Slams
The Challenge
Day 1: 10 seconds work/50 seconds rest for 10 rounds
Day 2: Rest/Alternate Exercise (yoga/weight lifting)
Day 3: 15 seconds work/45 seconds rest for 10 rounds
Day 4: Rest/Alternate Exercise (yoga/weight lifting)
Day 5: 20 seconds work/40 seconds rest for 10 rounds
Day 6: Rest/Alternate Exercise (yoga/weight lifting)
Day 7: Rest
Day 8: 15 seconds work/45 seconds rest for 12 rounds
Day 9: Rest/Alternate Exercise (yoga/weight lifting)
Day 10: 20 seconds work/40 seconds rest for 12 rounds
Day 11: Rest/Alternate Exercise (yoga/weight lifting)
Day 12: 25 seconds work/45 seconds rest for 12 rounds
Day 13: Rest/Alternate Exercise (yoga/weight lifting)
Day 14: Rest
Day 15: 20 seconds work/40 seconds rest for 14 rounds
Day 16: Rest/Alternate Exercise (yoga/weight lifting)
Day 17: 25 seconds work/45 seconds rest for 14 rounds
Day 18: Rest/Alternate Exercise (yoga/weight lifting)
Day 19: 30 seconds work/60 seconds rest for 14 rounds
Day 20: Rest/Alternate Exercise (yoga/weight lifting)
Day 21: Rest
Day 22: 25 seconds work/45 seconds rest for 16 rounds
Day 23: Rest/Alternate Exercise (yoga/weight lifting)
Day 24: 30 seconds work/60 seconds rest for 16 rounds
Day 25: Rest/Alternate Exercise (yoga/weight lifting)
Day 26: 45 seconds work/90 seconds rest for 12 rounds
Day 27: Rest/Alternate Exercise (yoga/weight lifting)
Day 28: Rest
Timers
You can use the timer on your phone to do these workouts, however I like to use apps that are designed for interval training. When you use the timer on your phone, it can be distracting because you keep checking to see if the interval is over. When you use an app designed for interval training, the only thing you have to focus on is your workout. The app will make a sound when one interval is over and the next one starts. Here are a couple of my favorite interval training apps:
There are a whole bunch more timers out there that would work fine. These are just the ones that I have used!
When To Use HIIT Cardio
This is a contested idea. Some say black and some say white. I personally stick with gray! HIIT cardio can be done whenever you want to use it. In my opinion, HIIT cardio is preferable to steady state when trying to cut fat without losing muscle. However, I love doing HIIT cardio because it keeps my workouts fun and intense. I get bored when I do too much steady state cardio, but I love a good sweat.
If you prefer doing steady state to HIIT cardio, by all means do steady state. However, if you love to get a kick butt workout in a short amount of time, HIIT could be for you. Just remember that the best workout you can possibly do is the workout you can enjoy and do consistently.
As an aside, you should take a day in between HIIT sessions. When you push your body to the limits, it needs a break from that same type of exercise to repair. This is why in between each HIIT session I have placed an alternate exercise/rest day. If your goal is to get a few workouts a week in and feel good, you can take a rest day on the alternate days. If you love to get several workouts in per week, then doing some lifting or yoga on the alternate days is a great option.
Wrap-Up
I hope that you enjoy this challenge and that you learned some great things from this article. My goal with this blog is to help people reach their health and fitness goals and to educate them. There is a ton of false information out there. I am giving you guys everything I know and use for myself. I would absolutely love to hear your feedback and thoughts on the blog, your goals, your struggles, and anything else. You can either drop a comment below, shoot me an email through my CONTACT ME page, or connect with me on social media. I would love to chat with you! I share workouts and recipes throughout the week on my Instagram and Facebook pages. Make sure to follow me to get all of my best stuff!
What is your favorite form of cardio? Drop it in the comments so that I can check it out!
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