20-Minute Total Body HIIT Circuit

HIIT stands for High-Intensity Interval Training and it is sweeping through the fitness community like wildfire. Interval training has been around since forever, but this particular combination of high-intensity drills in a circuit training/interval rep sessions has turned out to be one of the best full body and endurance workouts ever. The best part? Because it’s high-intensity intervals, a full-body HIIT workout can be accomplished in just 20 minutes! We’ve put together a 20 minute workout using full-body HIIT and circuit workout techniques that will blow you away!

This is a series of 15 exercises at timed intervals. One circuit takes 10 minutes. It might help to have a trainer or workout buddy use a stop watch to time your intervals. Do the following circuittwice for a 20-minute whole body workout:

1:00 Jumping Jacks – Keep strong arms and legs. Do at a fast pace with controlled breathing. Engage your abs. If you move your arms you will increase the cardio effect of this move. Stationary arms with hands behind your head is ok, too.

0:30 Side Lunges – Hands on hips, straight back with core engaged. Lunge to the side so your working leg is at a 90-degree angle during the lunge. Don’t let your knee extend out over your toes or you’ll wreck your knees.

0:30 Squats – Feet shoulder width apart, arms straight out in front of you. Engage your core and squat, with your butt going back as if sitting in a chair behind you. At the bottom of the squat your legs should form 90-degree angles.

1:00 Jog in Place – This one minute interval can be intensified by jogging with high knees, but it isn’t necessary unless you just want to amp it up. Don’t just shuffle those feet for a minute; jog so that each foot is lifting at least 6 inches off the ground.

0:30 Burpees – A burpee starts by standing up straight. Go immediately into a squat position quickly. From here in one fast motion, shoot your legs out behind you and your arms in a push up position. Do a push up with core engaged, body straight. Quickly bring your legs in and return to the squat. Now jump as high as you possibly can. Land and go immediately back into a squat and that is one burpee. This is literally a full body exercise!

0:30 Lunges – With hands on hips, step forward with one leg. Bend that leg to a 90-degree angle with your knee never extending out past your toes. To come out of the lunge, push off with your foot and return to center. Now do the other side. You should feel this in your quads and glutes.

1:00 Jump Rope – Any jump rope will do. For higher intensity you can use a rope with weighted handles. Don’t let yourself get all limp and noodley; keep your back straight and core engaged. Consider this one minute jump rope interval a break but still give it your all.

0:30 Mountain Climbers – In a push up position, bring your knees up toward your chin one leg at a time. Do these quick enough so that your legs are always moving. Don’t let your hips sag or raise – keep your body as straight as possible to get the most out of this move.

0:30 Speed Skaters – This is a side to side move, with arms and body position just like an Olympian speed skater. Stand on one foot, bend your standing leg and push yourself off to the other side. You should be traveling several feet with each jump. When you jump and land, bring your arms across your body in one smooth movement. When you land, land only on the opposite foot with the other foot staying off the ground. With each jump to the side, land with a slight knee bend. You will feel this in your quads and calves.

1:00 Butt Kickers – Jog in place and with each step, kick high enough that your foot hits your butt.

0:30 Lunge Kicks – Step forward into a lunge, then kick your back leg out in front of you. Return to center and switch legs.

0:30 Squats – With arms straight in front, squat as you “sit” in your invisible chair. Keep abs engaged and keep knees from extending past your toes. Repeat for 30 seconds.

1:00 March in Place – this is a good opportunity to catch your breath. March in place.

0:30 Side Lunges – Hands on hips, straight back with core engaged. Lunge to the side so your working leg is at a 90-degree angle during the lunge.

0:30 Push Ups – keep your body straight, no sagging back or hips.

Once round of these intervals takes 10 minutes. Did you finish the list? Congratulations! Now do it again to complete your 20-minute full body HIIT workout! Love this workout? Try it for 30 days and be amazed at the results!