Torch Calories, Build Muscle and Improve Endurance With This 20-Minute HIIT Workout

Like peanut butter and chocolate, some things get even better when they're combined. That's the case for high-intensity interval training (HIIT) that blends cardio and strength training — you burn calories and build muscle in a single sweat session.

It gets better: Because HIIT is so intense, you continue to burn calories even ​after​ your workout is complete, per the American Council on Exercise.

All you need is a few feet of space for this dynamic body-weight HIIT workout, designed by Holly Rilinger, personal trainer, Nike master trainer and creator of The LIFTED Program. The routine alternates between challenging full-body strength moves and cardio — but you can modify to accommodate any fitness level.

"[This workout] gives you the ability to customize work capacity and go as hard as you can go," she says.

Follow along as Rilinger demos this tough-but-rewarding workout.

Mindfulness is an important part of Rilinger's fitness strategy. "Very early on, I realized that my mental game needed to be just as strong as my physical game," she says.

Before you begin this workout — or any of Rilinger's programs for the 'Your Year, Your Way' Challenge — follow along with this 2-minute meditation to help you stay present and get the most out of every movement.

For the 'Your Year, Your Way' Challenge, Rilinger designed a four-week progression so that your workouts get harder (and you get stronger) throughout the month. Each week, you'll decrease your rest period by a few seconds.

Regardless of the week, three things will always remain the same when you do this workout: You'll always start with 60 seconds of jogging in place to warm up, you'll always cycle through the circuit three times and you'll always want to take a few minutes to stretch afterward to cool down.

1. ​Jump Squat:​ Swing your arms as you jump to help propel you upward, Rilinger says. (If you can't or don't want to jump, do a standard squat instead.)
2. ​Bicycle Crunch:​ Keep this movement slow and deliberate, Rilinger says. Hold your shoulders up off the ground the entire time, if possible.
3. ​Skater:​ Clear a lot of space so your side-to-side jumps can be big and powerful, rather than delicate and dancer-like, she says.
4. ​Alternating Knee Drive:​ Keep your eyes forward during this high-powered skipping movement.
5. ​3-Step Shuffle:​ Bring your knees up high as you alternate taking three steps to the left, followed by three steps to the right.
6. ​Crab Toe Touch:​ If lifting your hips is too challenging, keep your butt on the floor.
7. ​Cross-Body Climber:​ While you want to go fast on this move, don't sacrifice form for speed. Slow down as needed, Rilinger says.