HIIT your body from head to toe in 40 minutes with this minimal-equipment, maximum-results workout.
High-intensity interval training — HIIT for short — isn’t just a cardio phenomenon.
This training style, which intersperses high-velocity all-out bouts of activity with short rest
periods, has been shown to improve fat burning and aerobic fitness in a more efficient
manner than typical long-form steady state cardio. But this form of training can also be
super effective with weight workouts as well, upping the calorie burn and turning up the
intensity.
With that in mind, the following 40-minute full-body HIIT workout with weights —
courtesy of Houston-based certified personal trainer and owner of Bombshell Bootcamp
Cari Shoemate (cari-fit.com) — is perfect for anyone looking to shed some pounds while
shaking up their typical resistance-based routines.
To do it, you’ll only need one barbell and 2-4 weight plates — which can mean anywhere
from 10-pound plates to the traditional 45 pounders, depending on your strength and
fitness levels. Just be aware that a full-body HIIT workout with weights like this is tough
and geared toward experienced lifters who have been resistance training steadily for at
least six months.
“You’ll want to warm up for five minutes before you start the first of the four HIIT ‘blocks,’â€
Shoemate explains, adding that the warmup can consist of, say, jogging on the treadmill, or
a lower-intensity ride on the elliptical, or jumping rope and calisthenics.
As for those four “blocks,†they are simply 10-minute segments of time, according to
Shoemate. Within each block are 30-second to 60-second periods of medium-to-high-
intensity work broken up with one-minute rest periods. You’ll finish with a five-minute
cooldown, which can be a walk on the treadmill, a selection of yoga poses, or a slow-paced
pedal on the stationary bike.
“I love this session, as well, because it will make you think outside the box when it comes to your workout equipment”, Shoemate adds. “There are so many great muscle-building exercises that can be done with just a barbell and plates, and it’s fun to get creative.”
Side-to-Side Tuck Jumps
Place the barbell on the floor without weights and stand alongside it in athletic “ready
position†— elbows bent, both hands out in front of you, core tight, and knees slightly bent
with roughly a shoulder-width stance. Keeping your chest up and back flat, squat down and
then explode upward as high as possible and to the side, bringing your knees toward your
chest as you quickly reach your hands around them, then open back up as you land on soft
knees on the other side of the barbell. Repeat immediately by jumping back over the bar to
the start.
Standing Shoulder Press
Clean the bar to shoulder level, holding it with an overhand grip just outside shoulder
width, palms up and elbows pointed forward, your upper arms near parallel with the floor
as the bar rests atop your upper chest. Your feet should be set directly under your hips,
toes angled slightly out. From this position, explosively drive the bar overhead to full elbow
extension, hold it there for a one count, then lower it until it touches back down to your
upper chest.
Upright Row
With your feet shoulder-width apart, stand holding a barbell in front of your thighs with a
wide, overhand grip. Maintain a slight bend in your knees, with abs tight and eyes focused
forward. From here, flex your deltoids to pull the barbell up toward your chin while
keeping the bar as close to your body as you can, letting your elbows bend and rise toward
the ceiling — they will finish above the level of the bar at the top. Hold the top for a second
before slowly lowering the bar to the start position.
Kneeling Single-Arm Shoulder Press
To start, assume a half-kneeling position, left knee down, right leg out behind you with that
knee elevated slightly off the floor. Hold the center of the barbell at shoulder level in your
left hand, elbow bent — focus on balancing it so it stays parallel to the floor. From here,
press it upward to full elbow extension (without locking out) for 30 seconds, then switch to
a right-knee-down stance and complete 30 seconds with the right arm. Keep your core tight
and torso upright throughout.
Landmine Reverse Lunge into One-Arm Press
Place one end of the barbell, unweighted, into a corner or against the bottom of a wall. Load
the appropriate amount of weight on the other side and stand facing the bar, holding the
end of the weighted side of it in your right hand at shoulder level. Step back with your right
leg into a reverse lunge, descending to a point your left thigh is parallel to the floor and
your right knee is just above the floor (it should not touch down). From here, return to
standing as you extend your right arm to lift the bar overhead to full extension. Pause for a
moment at the top, then step back again with your right hand as you bring the end of the
barbell back down to shoulder level. Repeat for reps on the right; later in the workout,
you’ll do reps with the left arm and leg.
Landmine Squat
Keeping the barbell tucked in landmine position against a corner or bottom of a wall, face
the loaded end with a stance slightly wider than shoulder width, holding the ends of the bar
securely with both hands at your upper chest. Your core should be tight, back straight and
knees slightly bent. Lower yourself into a full squat, thighs parallel to the floor, your hands
remaining in place at your chest, then return to standing by powerfully extending the hips
and knees.
Fast Toe Taps on Bar
Stand facing an unweighted bar on the floor — you should be at the center of the bar in athletic ready position. From here, you’ll quickly alternate bringing one foot up to tap the top of the bar while the other foot goes back to the floor, generating a smooth and fast rhythm that feels like a standing-in-place sprint.Alternating Side Lunge with Knee-Up
From a standing position, take a long step out to one side, bending that knee to lower your torso and hips toward the floor. Your trailing knee will be extended, with that foot remaining in contact with the floor. At the bottom, return to a standing position by driving through your heel and straightening your knee, continuing the motion to bring the trailing leg into a full high knee-up. Lower that foot to the floor, then step out to the opposite side to repeat the sequence.Stiff-Legged Deadlift
Stand upright, feet shoulder-width apart and a slight bend in your knees, holding a barbell in front of your upper thighs with an overhand grip. Keeping your chest up and core tight, lean forward from your hips, pushing them rearward until your torso is roughly parallel to the floor. As you lean forward, keep your arms straight and slide the bar down your thighs toward the floor until it reaches your shins. At the bottom, keep your back flat, head neutral with the bar very close to your legs. Flex your hamstrings and glutes and lift your torso while pushing your hips forward until you bring the bar back to the start position.
In-and-Out Squat and Step
Stand with your feet in a narrow stance inside shoulder width, holding a bar across your upper back. Your knees should be slightly bent and your toes turned out a few degrees. Keeping your head in a neutral position, abs tight and torso upright, bend at the knees and hips to slowly lower your glutes toward the floor until your thighs reach a point parallel to the floor. Return to standing by powerfully driving up through your heels, extending at your hips and knees. For the next rep, step out with the right foot to a point your feet are shoulder-width or slightly wider, and perform another squat. For the third rep, step back into the narrow stance, and for the fourth, step out with your left foot to assume a shoulder-width or slightly wider stance. Continue the pattern for 30 seconds.
Traveling Burpees
Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart, facing a barbell set longway in front of
you on the floor. Start by squatting down as you put your hands out in front of you, then
kicking your legs out behind you as your hands reach the floor. From this position, you’ll
lower yourself to the floor for a full push-up, then quickly press yourself back up with your
arms while pulling your feet in underneath you again. Extend at the hips and knees to
return to standing, continuing through with your hands overhead into a jump to propel
yourself over the bar. When you come back down, immediately turn around and descend
into the next rep.
Overhead Triceps Extension (with plate)
Stand holding a plate in both hands behind your head, elbows fully bent. Keeping your head
straight and lower back tight, extend your elbows until your arms are straight and the
weight is directly overhead. Squeeze the triceps for a one count, then slowly lower the plate
back behind your head.
Standing Biceps Curl (with plate)
Stand holding a plate in both hands, arms extended and at your sides so the weight is in
front of your hips. Maintaining tight abs and an upright posture, contract your biceps to
curl the plate toward your chest, keeping your elbows at your sides throughout. Hold and
squeeze the biceps at the top, then slowly return the weight along the same path.
