4 Best Fat Burning HIIT Workouts (To Shed Pounds Fast)

Before we get into our list of the best fat-loss HIIT workouts, let’s get a clear understanding of what HIIT training is.

What Is HIIT Cardio?

HIIT (high-intensity interval training) cardio is a form of exercise that involves short bursts of intense exercise followed by periods of low-intensity recovery or rest.

It requires little to no equipment and can be done in a relatively small space.

HIIT is quite popular because it can improve cardiovascular fitness, burn calories, and promote weight loss.

Note: HIIT exercise can be very intense, so if you’re a beginner, we advise no more than two HIIT workouts a week. Intermediate and elite folks should limit themselves to no more than three HIIT sessions a week.

Here are the four best HIIT cardio workouts for weight loss and fast calorie burn.

1. Burpees

Burpees are a full-body workout that integrates strength training and cardiovascular conditioning into one exercise.

They work many muscle groups, mainly the chest, triceps, shoulders, core, hips, quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves.

Here’s how you perform them:

1. Start in a standing position; keep your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Lower yourself into a squat, and place your hands on the ground in front of you.
3. Kick your feet back into a plank position, keeping your arms extended and your body straight.
4. Perform a push-up.
5. Jump your feet back to your hands and return to a squat.
6. Power up by jumping up from the squat position with hands extended above your head.
7. Repeat for reps.

You can maximize the fat-burning and muscle-building benefits of burpees by doing them as circuit training. For example, your HIIT routine could do 30 seconds of burpees followed by 15 seconds of rest and repeat for several rounds.

Yes, HIIT is really effective for fat loss. Studies have shown that doing bursts of high-intensity exercises followed by short periods of low-intensity recovery or rest is more effective for fat loss than traditional steady-state cardio exercises [1].

What’s also great about HIIT is its after-burner effect.

Research suggests that the high intensity of HIIT workouts increases your body’s metabolism and calorie-burning abilities for hours after exercise, which helps you burn calories faster and for longer than traditional cardio [2].

Here are the benefits of HIIT training:

• Increased muscle mass and endurance: HIIT requires a lot of energy and effort from your muscles. Over time, they’ll build size and endurance to keep with your intensity.
• Convenient, adaptable, and versatile: Most HIIT workouts are bodyweight exercises that can be done anywhere. Plus, many of them have different variations that allow you to perform beginner or elite versions of the same exercise.
• Burn body fat quickly: HIIT’s fat afterburn effect raises your heart rate after you finish exercises, which helps you burn more calories and lose weight more quickly [2].

Related: HIIT vs CrossFit

“Intense interval training circuits also stimulate muscle-building hormones while simultaneously using up calories and burning fat. The body produces the growth hormone known as IGF-1 during HIIT, for example, which allows the body to build lean mass muscle.”

- Jillian Levy, Certified Yoga Instructor

The versatility of HIIT cardio has bred various styles of HIIT workouts. I usually let clients choose from a list of HIIT styles that suit their personal preferences and fitness goals.

Here’s a list of the most popular types of HIIT cardio:

• Tabata: Tabata involves 20 seconds of high-intensity work followed by a 10-second rest period. This makes up one cycle, which is then repeated for eight rounds — a total of four minutes.
• Circuit training: This form of training involves doing a series of exercises one after the other with little to no rest between them. The type of exercise and how long you perform them will depend on your preference.
• AMRAP (As Many Rounds As Possible): This style of HIIT involves doing as many sets of exercises for a specific amount of time and then repeating the cycle as many times as you can. For example, you can perform a set of jumping squats, battle ropes, and burpees for 5 minutes and repeat the 5-minute cycle for multiple rounds.
• Fartlek training: This type of HIIT involves performing exercises at different speeds and intensities throughout the workout. For example, you can jump squat for 30 seconds, do a light jog-on-the-spot for a minute, and then jump squat for 30 seconds again.
• Interval training: This form of training involves multiple rounds of alternating between high-intensity exercise and low-intensity periods. For example, sprinting for 30 seconds, walking for a minute, and repeating for several rounds.

The beauty of most HIIT exercises is that they don’t require heavy equipment. However, there are some exercises that need it.

Here’s a list of optional equipment you can buy to add variety to your HIIT session:

• Treadmill or exercise bike: for sprint or biking intervals.
• Jump rope: a simple and effective way to raise your heart rate; it allows for multiple variations.
• Kettlebells: metal balls with a steel handle that can be used for strength, conditioning, and flexibility training.
• Battle ropes: thick, heavy ropes you can use for various HIIT workout variations.
• Plyometric box: a sturdy platform that can be used for step-ups, box jumps, and other explosive movements.
• Resistance bands: lightweight and portable elastic bands that offer resistance to many exercises.

High-intensity interval training is highly demanding and taxing on your body.

When done without proper guidance, it could lead to injuries.

So, we’ve put together some safety measures to help you avoid injuries and get the most out of your HIIT workout.

1. Proper form: Follow all exercises with perfect form to avoid unnecessary injuries. It’s okay to start light and slow until you get your form down to a tee.
2. Rest & recover: Proper rest and recovery allow your body to strengthen between workouts [3]. Poor recovery can significantly backtrack your fitness goals.
3. Hydration: Lack of hydration can negatively affect your recovery and exercise performance [4]. Make sure you stay hydrated before, during, and after your workout.
4. Nutrition: Consume a balanced diet to help you recover from grueling workouts.
5. Supplements: Consider taking a high-quality pre-workout supplement before your HIIT sessions to boost your strength and endurance levels.