25-Minute HIIT Workout
Calories Burned | Is It Effective? | Example 25-Minute HIIT Workout
HIIT (high-intensity interval training) is a type of training style that's been shown to improve cardiovascular fitness and spike your metabolic rate, meaning you continue to burn calories even after your workout is done.
And the best bit? You get these benefits without needing to sweat it out in the gym for hours. They're short but effective workouts, ideal if you're tight on time but still want to see excellent results.
If you want a quick burst of movement to get your heart rate up and the endorphins flowing, this 25-minute, full-body workout is the one for you.
How many calories does a 25-minute HIIT workout burn?
There are several factors that can affect how many calories you'll burn in 25 minutes of HIIT - your body weight, the exercises you include, and your current fitness levels can all make a difference.
As a very rough guide, you can most likely expect to expend somewhere between 200 and 500 calories in 25 minutes of HIIT, and you'll continue to burn more throughout the rest of the day.
Is a 25-minute HIIT workout enough for an effective workout?
25 minutes should be more than enough time to work all of your major muscle groups with a HIIT circuit. You can learn more about the benefits of a HIIT workout here, but one of the main reasons this workout style is so popular is because of how effective it is in such a short amount of time. In fact, 20-30 minute HIIT sessions are often cited as the 'sweet spot' time frame to enjoy both the health and convenience benefits of this workout style.
25-Minute HIIT Workout to Try
This HIIT workout takes just 25 minutes to complete and doesn't require any equipment (apart from your own body weight), so you can easily do this either at the gym or at home.
After warming up, complete each exercise listed below for 40 seconds, with a 20 second recovery between.
After you've completed all three exercises in circuit one, take a 1-minute rest before repeating three times through. When you've finished circuit one, move on to circuit two and repeat.
Don't forget to cool down after your session, to help ease post-workout aches and pains and lower any risk of injury.
Circuit One
Narrow lunge
- Keeping a nice upright posture, and feet hip-width apart, step one leg back into a lunge, placing the back foot in a narrow stance position
- Drop your hips to the floor so both knees bend to a 90-degree angle - the aim is to move the back knee towards the back of the front foot as you lunge down
- Make sure the front knee is tracking over your front toe and the back knee is aligned with your front foot
- Keep the core braced throughout
Lateral lunge
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent slightly and hips back
- Driving off the outside edge of your feet, aim to step from side to side as quickly as possible
- Aim to lift the inside knee as you reach the outside edge for an extra challenge
- Keep the ankles upright to avoid 'rolling out' in the drive
- Remember to use your arms to help create speed and momentum in the run
Power jump
- Stand with your feet in a wide-set squat position
- Rotate your toes out and track your knees over your toes to make sure your knees don't buckle in
- Bring your arms down to the floor in a squat position and then drive up into a jump
- Point the toes on the elevation to create more tension and power in the jump
- Remember to maintain soft knees on the landing
Circuit Two
Push and reach
- Set yourself down on the floor in a push-up position. Depending on your ability level, either set up on your toes or drop your knees onto the floor for an easier version
- Keep your hands directly under the shoulders to stabilise yourself
- Complete one push-up, followed by lifting and reaching one arm forward
- Switch arms as you move through the reps
- Avoid lifting your upper body too high or twisting as you front-raise the arm
- Remember to brace your core, and keep a neutral alignment of your head, shoulders, spine, hips and knees throughout
Walkouts
- Start standing upright with your feet directly under your hips and shoulders
- Brace your core as you hinge at the hip until you can place your hands flat on the floor
- 'Walk' your hands out to a plank position, and then 'walk' them back in before returning to standing
- Try to move with fast hands, and look to alternate the leading hand with each rep
- The faster you go the higher your heart rate will go, so the key is to try and move with speed
Lateral hop jump
- This exercise works on your lateral shift and vertical power but it's also great for strengthening your legs
- Stand on your left foot with your knee slightly bent
- Shift energetically onto your right foot while propelling yourself as far to the right side as you can
- As you land, drive your left knee upwards as you hop on your right leg, before propelling yourself over to the left side to land on your left foot
- Repeat the movement, alternating sides
- Keep the knees tracking over the toes throughout both the lateral shift and the jump
- Remember to use your arms to help generate more momentum
For more short-but-powerful HIIT workouts, check out some of our other articles below:
- Four 20-minute HIIT workouts
- HIIT workouts you can do at home
- The best HIIT workout for you
- 10 low-impact HIIT exercises
- 3 HIIT workouts for weight and fat loss
- Quick full-body workout for the gym
Want to push your next HIIT session even harder? Check out our guide on how to take your HIIT workout to the next level for more ideas. At PureGym, we run a range of fitness classes to help elevate your workouts or you can book a session with a personal trainer, who will be able to give you advice and guidance on how to get the most from your fitness routine. Find a PureGym near you and sign up today.
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