Full body HIIT workout: 5 exercises to add to your HIIT routine     

Full-body HIIT workout is a fantastic way to strengthen muscles and reduce weight. (Photo via Pexels/The Lazy Artist Gallery)
Full body HIIT workout is a fabulous way to strengthen muscles and reduce weight. (Photo via Pexels/The Lazy Artist Gallery)

Looking for an intense and efficient full body HIIT workout? If yes, the following exercises are definitely for you.

Full body HIIT exercises target some of the major muscles and also improve muscle imbalance. They're a highly effective way to get a workout if you're short on time, as they offer great benefits. Not only does full body HIIT strengthen muscles, but it's also a fast-track way to reduce weight and tone up the body.

The following full body HIIT workout involves five functional exercises. all require free weights such as a pair of dumbbells or a kettlebell. Before starting with the workout, make sure to prepare your body with some warm-up exercises and stretching. They’ll help activate your muscles and also keep soreness and pain at bay.


Best exercises for full body HIIT workout with weights

When doing the following full body exercises, pay close attention to your posture and form. Initially start with a light weight so that you can handle the weight comfortably.

Start your full body HIIT workout with the following five exercises:

#1 Dumbbell squat

Squats are one of the best exercises to add to your HIIT routine. (Photo via Pexels/MART PRODUCTION)
Squats are one of the best exercises to add to your HIIT routine. (Photo via Pexels/MART PRODUCTION)

Dumbbell squats are one of the best exercises to add to your HIIT routine. The weighted version of this standard full body exercise targets the major upper and lower body muscles while also recruiting the back and giving you an intense workout.

To do a dumbbell squat:

  • Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder width, and grab a dumbbell in each hand. Keep your chest up, back straight and core muscles engaged throughout.
  • Bend your knees, and squat down till the thighs are parallel to the floor. Press down through your feet, and stand back up to the starting position.
  • Squat as low as you can for the best results.

#2 Dumbbell renegade row

This is another very intense and core-strengthening exercise that can be added to a full body HIIT workout session. This exercise targets the chest, abs, shoulders, arms and a few leg muscles, all at once.

To do a dumbbell renegade row:

  • Take a standard push-up position with legs extended straight behind and hands on a dumbbell on each side in the front.
  • With the core muscles engaged, perform a push-up, and row your left hand up, bringing the elbow to your side.
  • Lower your hand to the starting position, and repeat the movement with your right hand.

#3 Kettlebell swing

A kettlebell swing stabilizes the core. (Photo via Pexels/Ivan Samkov)
A kettlebell swing stabilizes the core. (Photo via Pexels/Ivan Samkov)

No full body HIIT workout is complete without this powerful exercise. Kettlebell swings stabilize the core, target the major lower body muscles and also improve hip stability.

To do a kettlebell swing:

  • Stand straight with feet at shoulder-width distance. Hold a kettlebell between the legs, and keep your posture upright.
  • Hinge at your hips to bend slightly forward, and move the kettlebell between your legs while pushing the hips forward.

Swing the kettlebell up to shoulder height while pushing the hips back.


#4 Woodchop

Another great exercise to add to a full body HIIT workout is woodchop. It targets the deltoids, obliques and lats in the upper body and hits the glutes in the lower body.

To do a woodchop:

  • Stand straight with feet slightly wider than hip distance, and hold a dumbbell or kettlebell by your right leg. Keep the core muscles engaged throughout the movement.
  • Lift your arms diagonally in front of your body to the upper left of your reach while allowing the toes and upper body to rotate to the left as you twist.
  • Brng the weight down to the right while “chopping” it across the front of your body and reaching the right ankle. Simultaneously, rotate your torso and toes to the right.
  • Keep your lower body stable as you rotate, and initiate the movement from the core muscles.

#5 Dumbbell overhead press

Dumbbell overhead press helps build shoulder size and strength. (Photo via Pexels/Andres Ayrton)
Dumbbell overhead press helps build shoulder size and strength. (Photo via Pexels/Andres Ayrton)

Dumbbell overhead press is also a great exercise that can be included in a full body HIIT workout session. This exercise helps build shoulder size and strength while also strengthening the entire midsection.

To do a dumbbell overhead press:

  • Stand straight with the core muscles engaged and chest up.
  • Keep your feet at shoulder-width distance, and hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height. Make sure to keep the palms facing forwards.

Press the dumbbells up over your head, keeping the arms straight. Return slowly.


For an effective full body HIIT workout, perform each of the aforementioned exercises for at least 30 seconds, and rest for 20 seconds before moving on to the next exercise.

Once you’ve completed a circuit of all the moves, take a break for a minute or so, and complete three sets of the entire circuit.

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