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Fitness & Health

08th Mar 2019

Don’t have the time to train? Give this 10 minute HIIT workout a go

For many people, free time is hard to come by outside of work and family life. If you've only got 10 minutes to train, give this HIIT workout a go

Alex Roberts

If you’ve only got 10 minutes to train, give this workout a go

For many people, free time is hard to come by outside of work and family life. If you fall into this category, you need a HIIT workout that has you done in minutes.

A light walk on the treadmill won’t cut it. Neither will three standard sets of eight reps on the bicep preacher curl. You’ll need to use compound bodyweight exercises which recruit many muscle groups, and work them into a session with barely any rest.

Here’s what you’ll need to do.

The only equipment you’ll need is your own body and a pull-up bar. free at the gym. Can’t get to the gym? Use a sturdy tree branch or a reliable door frame. You could even try scaffolding, but only if it’s your house that’s undergoing work.

It may sound minimal, but you’ll be surprised how effective this bodyweight drill is.

The 10 minute HIIT workout

Your session will look like this:

  • 5 chin-ups / pull-ups
  • 10 press-ups
  • Perform both exercises back-to-back. This counts as one round
  • You’ll need to complete 10 rounds within a 10 minute time limit

Chin-Ups / Pull-Ups

Pull-Up

  • Grip the bar with arms slightly wider than shoulder width apart
  • If you’re wishing to target more bicep, take an underhand grip
  • Retract your shoulder blades
  • Pull yourself up until your chin is in-line with the bar
  • Slowly lower to the start position and repeat for 5 reps

Press-Ups

  • Lie facedown with your hands shoulder width apart
  • Your elbows should be out to the side of your body
  • Keep your entire body straight, no arching in the back
  • Press up to the top position, but don’t fully lock your elbows out
  • Slowly lower to the start position, repeat for 10 reps

How to measure your success:

  • Under 10 minutes: good work
  • 8 minutes: excellent
  • 6 minutes: elite

If you’ve got an hour or more free for a full training session, this HIIT workout functions fantastically as a metabolic finisher.

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