You may have noticed that in recent years, high intensity interval training — HIIT workouts — have garnered quite the popularity. Their massive appeal is largely due to the fact that you don’t have to be confined to a gym to do them, and they don’t need any fancy or heavy equipment.
You can safely do HIIT in the comfort of your own home, regardless of whatever athletic level you’re currently at. Without wasting too much time out of your day, high intensity exercises are a great way to lose weight while at the same time strengthen your body and improve your overall fitness.
So if you’re looking for a HIIT routine that can be done quick and easy — we’ve compiled 5 different home HIIT workouts that will bring amazing results without a single piece of equipment. Just make sure to warm up properly before you start, so you can hit each workout at full speed.
What Makes HIIT So Effective?
Before getting into the workouts, it’s worth understanding why HIIT produces results that longer, slower workouts often don’t.
HIIT works by alternating short bursts of maximum-effort exercise with brief recovery periods. This approach does two things simultaneously that steady-state cardio can’t:
It burns calories during AND after the workout. Studies say that the intense effort creates an “oxygen debt” that your body spends hours repaying — a phenomenon called EPOC (Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption). You continue burning calories at an elevated rate for hours after a HIIT session, which steady-state cardio doesn’t produce to the same degree.
It preserves muscle while burning fat. Long, slow cardio sessions can break down muscle tissue for fuel. HIIT’s short duration and high intensity preserves muscle while primarily targeting fat stores. For anyone who wants to get lean without getting smaller, this is a significant advantage. Best Type of Cardio for Building and Preserving Muscle?
How long should a HIIT workout be? Anywhere from 7 to 30 minutes is effective. The whole point of HIIT is intensity — you’re not going for duration. If you can comfortably hold a conversation during a HIIT workout, you’re not working hard enough.
Before You Start: Warming Up
Always warm up before any HIIT session — and we mean always. Going from zero to maximum effort without preparing the body is a reliable way to pull a muscle or strain a joint.
A basic 5-minute warm-up before any of these workouts:
- 1 minute of light marching in place
- 1 minute of arm circles (forward and backward)
- 1 minute of leg swings (forward/back and side to side)
- 1 minute of hip circles
- 1 minute of slow jumping jacks
This gets the blood flowing, raises your core temperature, and prepares your joints for explosive movement. Don’t skip it.
Workout 1: 15-Minute Burn (Beginner Friendly)
We start off relatively easy. Set your timer for 50 seconds for each consecutive exercise with a 10-second rest between exercises. Complete 3 full cycles.
The circuit:
- Cardio — jumping jacks, basic jumps, or burpees if you’re feeling especially confident
- Push-ups — from the knees if needed, full push-ups if you can. Don’t feel the need to strictly follow these guidelines — modify to feel challenged but not broken
- Cardio — jump rope or high knees. Switch it up from the first cardio interval
- Lower body — lunges, squats, or jump lunges if you want to really boost your energy
- Abs — crunches or a plank
Rest 60 seconds between cycles. Repeat for 3 total cycles.
Total time: approximately 15 minutes
Why this works well for beginners: The short 50-second work intervals with the option to choose easier exercise modifications makes this accessible to anyone. The fact that you can pick a different exercise for each interval also prevents boredom and makes the workout feel less repetitive.
The key: Don’t phone it in during those 50 seconds. The whole point of HIIT is that the work intervals are genuinely hard. Modify the exercise if needed — but push hard within whatever modification you choose.
Workout 2: Steel Core (Core and Back Focus)
An awesome name for an awesome workout — this one strengthens your back and core without wasting too much time. Let’s be honest, who doesn’t want a flat stomach and some abs? Even if it’s a quick routine, don’t think for a second that it won’t leave you exhausted.
Unlike the previous workout this one is entirely rep-based rather than timed. Do 20 reps of each exercise, complete the whole circuit, rest 30-60 seconds, then repeat for 3 total rounds.
Important: Keep your abs tight and engaged throughout every single exercise in this circuit. This isn’t optional — it’s what protects your lower back and makes every movement more effective.
The circuit:
1. Side Plank Knee Tucks — 20 reps Start in a plank position. Bring both feet to the right, return to plank, then bring both feet to the left. That’s one rep. Keep the core braced throughout — don’t let the hips sag.
2. Toe Touches — 20 reps Lie on your back with both feet straight up in the air and hands above your head. Crunch up to touch your toes. Lower slowly. The key is keeping the legs straight and the movement controlled — don’t bounce.
3. Bird Dogs — 20 reps (10 each side) Start on all fours with abs pulled in tight. Reach your left hand forward and your right leg back simultaneously, keeping your core from dropping — that’s crucial. Return and repeat on the other side. If your hips rotate or your back arches, slow down.
4. Russian Twists — 20 reps Sit on the floor with knees bent, heels touching the floor. Keep hands close to your chest and twist your torso from side to side. To increase difficulty, lift your heels off the floor or hold a light weight.
Total time: approximately 12-15 minutes
Workout 3: Quick 7-Minute HIIT (No Excuses Workout)
Everyone has that urge to postpone the workout to another day — the moves are too complicated, the routine takes too long to plan, whatever excuse works that day.
This workout eliminates every excuse. It requires absolutely no equipment, no previous knowledge of complicated moves, and only takes 7-10 minutes. You can do it on your lunch break and still have time to eat your lunch.
The circuit: Three exercises only. Do each for 40 seconds, rest 10 seconds between exercises, repeat for 3 cycles.
- Jumping Jacks
- Jumping Lunges — step into a lunge and jump to switch legs in the air. Land softly. If this is too intense, do standard alternating lunges instead
- Invisible Jump Rope — mimic the motion of jumping rope without an actual rope. Yes, this works. The movement pattern is what matters
Total time: approximately 7-10 minutes
Why this is effective: For beginners specifically, these three exercises will boost your stamina, strengthen your legs, heighten your mood, and increase your overall energy for the rest of the day. Simple movements done consistently beat complicated routines done occasionally every single time.
Workout 4: Upper and Lower Body HIIT (Strength Focus)
Here’s where we boost up the difficulty. Losing fat and building stamina is great and all, but when it comes to actually building muscle and strength, this is the workout that delivers. Applied alongside a proper diet plan, this HIIT session focuses on strengthening the entire body — and who doesn’t want strong arms and legs?
Do each exercise for 45 seconds with a 15-second pause between exercises. Complete 3 rounds.
The circuit:
- Push-ups
- Tricep dips (use a chair or couch)
- Pull-ups (use a doorframe pull-up bar or skip if unavailable)
- Diamond push-ups — hands under your chest, forming a diamond shape with thumbs and index fingers
- Jumping jacks
- High knees
- Burpees
- Squat jumps — land softly on your toes to protect your knees
- Walking lunges
Total time: approximately 20-25 minutes
You can always modify these to your own abilities — skip the pull-ups, do push-ups from the knees, reduce the jump height on squat jumps. The structure is what matters. Push hard within whatever modification works for you.
Workout 5: Brazilian B*tt HIIT (Lower Body and Glutes Focus)
Let’s be honest — the world has gone seriously enthusiastic about glutes in recent years. While some people take shortcuts, we recommend the healthier alternative: exercise.
This workout is built specifically around the glutes, hamstrings, and lower body — and it absolutely delivers. You’ll need a timer set for 30 seconds per exercise with a 10-second rest between exercises. Complete 2 rounds.
The circuit:
- Squat Jacks — wide-stance jumping jacks where you squat as you jump out
- Elevated Bridge — glute bridge with feet elevated on a chair. Squeeze the glutes hard at the top of every rep
- Mountain Climbers — drive the knees toward the chest alternately at pace. Keep the hips down
- Side Step-Up — step up sideways onto a low step or stair, one leg at a time
- Tuck Jumps — jump and bring the knees toward the chest at the top. Land softly
- Side Step-Up — repeat
- Alternating Forward Kicks — standing, kick one leg forward as high as comfortable, alternate
- Single Leg Deadlift — lean forward and reach one leg behind you, keeping hips parallel to the ground and back straight. Don’t let the belly drop. Great for hamstrings, back, and balance
- Single Leg Burpee — standard burpee performed on one leg. Significantly harder than it sounds
- Single Leg Deadlift — repeat on the other leg
Total time: approximately 12-15 minutes
The single leg deadlift is the star of this circuit — it targets the hamstrings, lower back, and glutes simultaneously while also improving balance in a way that two-legged exercises can’t. Keep the movement controlled and focus on feeling the hamstring stretch on the working leg.
Which Workout Should You Start With?
| Goal | Start With |
|---|---|
| Complete beginner | Workout 1 — 15 Minute Burn |
| Core strength | Workout 2 — Steel Core |
| Minimal time | Workout 3 — Quick 7-Minute HIIT |
| Building muscle | Workout 4 — Upper and Lower Body |
| Glutes and legs | Workout 5 — Brazilian Butt HIIT |
Once any workout becomes manageable, increase the number of rounds, reduce the rest periods, or choose harder exercise variations within the same circuit.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I do HIIT workouts? 2-4 times per week is the sweet spot for most people. HIIT is intense by nature and requires recovery time. Doing HIIT every day leads to overtraining and increases injury risk. On non-HIIT days, lighter activity like walking or stretching is fine.
Can beginners do HIIT? Yes — with appropriate modifications. Start with Workout 1 or Workout 3, use easier exercise variations (push-ups from knees, standard lunges instead of jump lunges), and focus on completing the intervals rather than going all-out from day one. Intensity builds as your fitness improves.
How long before I see results from HIIT? Most people notice improved cardiovascular fitness within 2-3 weeks. Visible body composition changes typically take 4-8 weeks of consistent training combined with appropriate nutrition. HIIT is not a magic shortcut — it’s an efficient training method that still requires consistency and a sensible diet.
Do I need equipment for these workouts? No. All five workouts require zero equipment. Workout 4 optionally uses a pull-up bar and a chair for tricep dips. Everything else is pure bodyweight.
Can I do HIIT every day? Not recommended. HIIT places significant stress on the muscles, joints, and cardiovascular system. Rest and recovery are when adaptation — the actual improvement — happens. 3-4 sessions per week with rest days between is more effective than daily HIIT.
Is HIIT better than running for fat loss? For time efficiency, yes — HIIT burns more calories per minute than steady-state running and produces the EPOC effect that keeps metabolism elevated post-workout. However, running has advantages for cardiovascular endurance development. Both have a place in a well-rounded fitness program.
Related:
3 HIIT Workouts You Can Do At The Gym
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