The workout world has seen a lot of fusion workouts (remember the yoga-lates, Pil-oxing, everything plus Pilates fad?). But here's one we're sure will be around for a while: weight-lifting and HIIT.
"People are always looking to get the biggest and quickest 'bang for their buck,' and workout shopping is no exception," says Joel Freeman, CPT, Beachbody trainer and creator of LIIFT4, a workout program that combines lifting and HIIT. "By lifting heavier dumbbell weights first, we target muscle growth, then smoking the calories with high-intensity interval training to finish."
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Ready to make the most of your workout time? Freeman designed this workout in two parts: weight-lifting first, followed by an intense HIIT finisher. Consider all your workout to-dos accomplished!
Part 1: Lift
Do: 10 reps of each exercise. Repeat each superset (exercises performed back to back with no rest in between) twice with 30 seconds rest in between. Rest 60 seconds between different supersets.
Superset 1
Move 1: Chest Press
- Lie on your back on the floor with a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing away from you. Hold the weights with straight arms above your chest. Plant your feet firmly on the floor and brace your abs.
- Bend your elbows and lower the weights until they are in line with your chest.
- Press the weights back up over your chest.
Move 2: Triceps Push-Up
- Start on your hands and knees with your hands a few inches in from your shoulders and fingers facing forward.
- Bring each leg out behind you, so you're in a standard plank position with your toes tucked under, abs pulled in and your head aligned with your spine.
- Hugging your elbows into your sides, lower your body just until your chest is two- to three inches off the floor.
- Press your hands into the ground to push back up to the starting position.
Superset 2
Move 3: Shoulder Press
- Stand with your back flat and your feet rooted into the ground. Hold a dumbbell in each hand.
- Lift the weights above your shoulders with your elbows bent at 90 degrees.
- On an exhale, brace your core and press both dumbbells overhead.
- Lower the weights back to the starting position with control.
Move 4: Bent-Over Row
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs.
- Shoot your hips back and hinge forward at least 45 degrees (as much as 90 degrees), keeping your back flat. Start with your arms extended toward the ground, palms facing each other.
- Draw your elbows up toward your ribs and pull the weights up alongside your lower abdomen.
- As you lift the weights, focus on squeezing the shoulder blades together.
- Lower the weights back down to the starting position with control.
Superset 3
Move 5: Front-Loaded Squat
- Hold a heavy dumbbell with both hands at chest height.
- Begin with your feet just wider than hip-distance apart. (Toes can face forward or turn out slightly.)
- Keeping your chest tall and core braced, hinge your hips back and down to sink into a squat so your thighs are parallel with the floor (or as low as you can comfortably go with good form).
- Press through all four corners of your feet to return to standing.
Move 6: Biceps Curl
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand with both palms facing outward about shoulder-width apart.
- Keeping your elbows glued to your sides and your chest upright, raise the weights up toward your shoulders.
- At the top of the motion, focus on squeezing your biceps.
- Slowly lower the dumbbells until your elbows extend fully at the bottom without locking.
Part 2: HIIT
Do: all exercises as a circuit (back to back) 3 times through. Rest 15 seconds between exercises and 30 seconds in between rounds (after you've completed all exercises once).
Move 1: High Knees
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
- Drive your right knee toward your chest and quickly place it back on the ground.
- Follow it immediately by driving your left knee toward your chest.
- Continue to alternate knees as quickly as you can.
Move 2: Squat Jack
- Stand with your feet together.
- Jump your feet apart and land in a squat, reaching your right hand toward the floor.
- Jump your feet back together as you stand up.
- Repeat, this time reaching forward with your left hand.
- Alternate which hand reaches the floor with each rep.
Move 3: Lunge Jump
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, then jump your left leg forward and your right leg back, landing in a lunge position — both knees bent to 90 degrees.
- Jump again, switching your legs midair so you land in a lunge with your right leg in front and your left leg back.
- Continue to jump back and forth as smoothly and quickly as possible.