Need a change from the usual boring cardio sessions at the gym? Head to your local park for a great High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) session and you’ll torch far more calories than you would by running on a treadmill or elliptical at the gym.

HIIT is simply intermittent bout of high intensity work followed by a period of rest or active recovery. The idea is to spike your heart rate close to your maximal zone (about 85% HR Max) and then to allow recovery before raising it again. This can be done by just about any type of exercise, running, jumping, lifting, pulling, pushing. Basically as long as it elevates the hear rate quickly and then allows for recovery, it can work as HIIT.

Benefits of HIIT

1) Efficiency – 20 minutes of true HIIT will burn as many calories as 45 minutes of steady state cardio (50-65% HR).
2) Increased Fat Burn – HIIT raise the bodies basal metabolic rate for up to 24 hours after exercise, thus you burn more calories even while recovering.
3) Healthier Heart – By training in an elevated HR zone will improve cardio vascular health and help lower your resting heart rate
4) No Equipment Necessary – HIIT can be done by simply sprinting or running stairs as fast as possible, no expensive equipment needed
5) Minimize muscle loss – By doing HIIT you are still taxing the muscles in a way that will not result in muscle loss that can often occur during extended cardio vascular training
6) Increase in HGH Levels – HIIT taxes the body in a way that promotes the body to release HGH raising its levels in the blood stream allowing for increased muscle production and healing

Simple Outdoor HIIT Workouts

Option 1
Steady State Cardio vs. HIIT Body
Set up 2 cones about 30 yards apart.
Sprint from cone A to cone B, walk back to cone A.
Repeat 20 times

Option 2
Find a park bench
Do 20 jumps on to the bench, rest for 30 seconds, then do 20 push ups with feel elevated on the bench, rest 30 seconds, perform 20 steps ups for each leg on the bench, rest 30 seconds.
Repeat circuit 10 times

Option 3
Go to the monkey bars at a park
Perform a burpee quickly followed by a chin-up. That’s 1 rep, do 10 reps then rest for 1 minuteRepeat 5 times

Option 4

Take some battling ropes to the park and anchor them to a bench. Perform 10 seconds of alternating slams, 10 seconds of outward circles, 10 seconds of double arm slams. Rest for 30 seconds
Repeat 10 times

Option 5
Make use of your local athletic track. Run the straightaway, walk the bends.
Repeat 5 times
Next head to the stadium stairs, jump up about 20 stairs one at a time, then walk down.
Repeat 5 times