HIIT Workouts are the best form of cardio exercises that aim at maximizing the athletic performance of the body. However, it is a common assumption that HIIT workouts are not suited for fitness newbies, Nonetheless, fitness experts do not agree with this opinion.
To begin with HIIT exercises, you have to take care about taking the right step and right move. Asserting more pressure than you can bear may result in injuries, thus it is crucial to listen to your body and not exceed the limit of what your body can bear.
Before getting started with the HIIT workouts, newbie fitness enthusiasts must count on the following precautionary measures.
Precautionary Measures For HIIT Workouts
Before starting with HIIT workouts, it is essential to understand that HIIT workouts are not for everyone. If you are someone who hasn’t worked out for quite a long, you must begin slowly as High-Intensity interval training may have adverse effects on your body. Following are the precautionary measures you need to consider before incorporating HIIT workouts into your daily workout routine.
1. People who have issues with their joints, tendons, and bones are advised not to get involved in these exercises.
2. If you have any respiratory issues or are having asthma, try to begin with light and medium-intensity exercises, because HIIT workouts require a good aerobic base.
3. These fast pace exercises also are not recommended for people who are taking blood pressure medications. The reason why blood pressure patients must not include HIIT workouts in their routine is, that these exercises may cause severe cardiac events.
4. HIIT workouts require a fast pace and thus are not recommended to pregnant women as well. However, these exercises are suitable for women who are fighting weight gain after delivery.
5. Diabetic patients are also not advised to get involved in such workout routines.
6. If you have experienced any Knee, shoulder, ankle, or any other injury in past, these exercises may prove to be dangerous. Asserting load on joints and tendons that have experienced injuries in the past may worsen your bone/tendon disorders.
Best HIIT Exercises For Beginners To Start With
If you are just kicking off your fitness journey, it is always a good idea to get yourself tested for any medical issues. Once you have consulted your health provider, and if everything turns out to be good, the following are the HIIT workouts newbies can begin with.
Tip: These exercises must be practiced for 30 minutes or less. The time duration can be increased as your body gets comfortable with the exercises.
Number One: Jumping Jack
Fitness experts have proved jumping jacks as one of the most worthy HIIT exercises that anyone can begin with. Although jumping jacks look simple they actually have great potential to improve your balance and rhythm. They are also best for improving coordination with your brain.
Practicing jumping jacks for 30 minutes or less can elevate your heart rate by involving multiple muscle groups at once. Alongside working on your multiple muscle groups the jumping exercises are a great way to release stress.
According to a study clapping jumping jacks can help improve endothelial function that plays a vital role in your immune function, and also affects your vascular relaxation and contractions.
This HIIT beginner workout also plays an important role in improving your mobility, bone density, and hip strength.
The best part about the jumping jacks is they just require your body and they can be done anywhere. All you have to take care about is, jumping right!
How To Do It?
Follow these steps to perform the jumping jacks well:
- Stand on a flat surface keeping your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms placed straight at your sides.
- Start by jumping your feet out while raising your hands up in the air.
- Repeat as many times as you can.
- Make sure you are jumping as fast as possible.
Number Two: Butt Kicks
Butt Kicks commonly known as bum kicks are a great exercise to work on your cardio fitness. These exercises can also improve your muscular strength, and endurance, and work on your entire cardiovascular system.
HIIT beginners can count on this exercise to gain better form and efficiency in their strides. These also play a crucial role in improving hamstring function enabling you to boost your speed.
If you also want to work on your core, back, and arms, you are recommended to pump your arms while doing the bum kicks.
This beginner HIIT workout also can be performed anywhere without any equipment. To do this drill follow the below steps:
- Begin by standing on a flat surface while placing your arms on your sides.
- Contract your hamstring muscle by bringing your right heel to your buttock.
- Get back to your initial position and repeat the step with your left heel.
- Repeat the steps and increase your speed as you get comfortable with the steps.
- Pump your hands also if you want to involve your upper body.
- Repeat the steps for at least 30 minutes with a workout-rest ratio of 2:1.
Number Three: Tricep Dips
Tricep dips are basic workout drills that target tricep muscles. It further works on strengthening your arms whilst improving your overall body strength. Although this workout drill seems simple, it requires great power to complete each rep.
Although this exercise is not suited for workout beginners, you can count on it after incorporating the above exercises for at least a month. It is suited to those workout enthusiasts who want to challenge their bodies.
Also, for beginners, it is suggested to practice the exercise not more than two or three times a week.
To complete this drill without getting yourself injured, follow the below steps:
You will require an immovable chair to complete this exercise.
- Once you have arranged an immovable chair/bench, sit on the edge of a chair with your hands placed outside of your hips. Keep your fingers forward.
- Keep your heels on the floor while placing your legs straight.
- To complete the drill, bend your elbow as much as possible; preferably it must create a 90-degree angle.
- While bending your elbow, lower your hips towards the floor.
- Rest for 2 seconds and press your body up while extending your elbow.
- Repeat as many steps as you can.
You may also want to read: 7 Full Body Cardio HIIT Workouts With No Equipment
The Bottom Line
There are multiple benefits of HIIT workouts. From burning calories to improving blood flow to muscles and reducing blood pressure and resting heart rate, HIIT workouts can help you reap multiple benefits. The best part of these exercises is, that they can be done anywhere and you don’t necessarily require any instrument to perform the drills.