5 Simple HIIT Workouts for Overweight Beginners

HIIT or high intensity interval training, offers big benefits, especially for overweight beginners.

This type of workout can be easily done without using any weight and gives results faster. HIIT exercises help build lean muscle definition, promote calorie burn, and improve aerobic capacity as well. The best part? HIIT workouts burn calories and fat in a short period of time. So if time is keeping you from achieving your fitness goals, high intensity interval training can be the best option to start your weight loss journey.

HIIT workouts are performed at high intensity for a shorter duration and are incredibly effective at shedding extra kilos and toning the body. While every exercise, if done correctly and consistently, burns calories, the higher intensity of HIIT exercises allows the body to continue burning calories even after the session is over.

Just 15 minutes of HIIT training can help you burn as many calories as a treadmill run of approximately 30 minutes. The key is to focus on compound movements that challenge entire muscle groups at once without impacting your joints and bones.

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HIIT Workouts for Overweight Beginners

Perform three sets of 10-12 reps for each exercise mentioned below without stopping. After every set, take a 20-second break in between and immediately go for the next set.

On that note, here's a look at five such exercises:

1) Bicycle Crunch

Bicycle crunches are one of the best HIIT workouts to target the midsection, glutes, and arms.

Start the exercise by lying on your back with your knees bent at 90 degrees. Keep your abs engaged and hands behind your head. Lift your upper back, and try to balance yourself on your hips. Straighten your left leg as you rotate your torso while pulling your left elbow towards your right knee. Reverse the movement to the initial position, and switch sides to repeat.

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2) Burpee

Burpees is another very intense HIIT exercise that engages all the major muscles in the body, but it mainly targets the chest, biceps, shoulders, lats, glutes, and calves.

Start the exercise in a squat position, and bend down, keeping the spine straight. Extend your legs behind you to get into a push-up position. Do one push-up, and bring your legs together in the front while doing a frog jump. Standing up straight, jump in the air, and repeat the entire sequence a few more times.

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3) Jumping Jack

Jumping jacks are a calorie-blasting HIIT exercise that target the entire body and help reduce weight.

Stand straight with your feet at hip distance, and keep your shoulders relaxed. Look straight, and jump in the air with your feet apart. Simultaneously, as you jump, bring your hands up, and bring them down as you continue. Repeat the exercise a few times.

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4) Side Forearm Plank

Want to tone up your obliques and mid-section? Try side forearm planks to see results. This exercise works great for the upper body and helps reduce abdominal and side fat.

To do it, lie on your right side with your right elbow just beneath your shoulders and feet stacked on top of one another. Slowly try to lift yourself off the mat by putting your bodyweight on the side of your right foot and right forearm.

Ensure that your body is in a straight line from feet to head. Engage your abs to lift your left arm straight up, and hold the posture for a few breaths. Repeat the exercise on the opposite side.

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5) Lunge Jump

Lunge jumps are a challenging variation of a standard lunge exercise and help burn a great number of calories while also enhancing heart rate.

Start this HIIT exercise by taking a lunge position with your left foot in the front and spine straight. Bend your legs to go down, and ensure that your leg is perpendicular to the floor. Jump as high as you can and, as you land, bring your opposite leg to the front. Repeat the exercise by alternating legs.

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Takeaway

While the aforementioned HIIT workouts do not usually require any piece of gym equipment, you can use dumbbells or kettlebells to make the exercises more challenging and intense.

However, for beginners in particular, it's best to perform them without any weight to master the correct technique of the moves. Most importantly, it's recommended to seek advice from certified fitness trainers to perform the exercises correctly and avoid injury.