The 18 Best HIIT Workouts for Cardio

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts are becoming increasingly popular for their time efficiency, ability to be completed without any equipment, and the benefit the workout provides to your metabolism. HIIT is an easy way to take your cardio workout to another level by improving your endurance and burning calories fast. You can use HIIT during all your cardio workouts, for everything from jumping rope to rowing. 

High-intensity interval training has been in the top seven fitness trends for the last five years, according to the American College of Sports Medicine’s annual survey of world fitness trends. Its sustaining popularity is due, in part, to its adaptability. It can be used with any number of exercise modalities, including just bodyweight exercises, and can be adjusted for any fitness level.

Looking to learn more about HIIT cardio workouts? This blog will cover: 

• What are HIIT cardio workouts?

• The benefits of HIIT cardio workouts

• The 18 best HIIT workouts for cardio

• Example of a 20-minute HIIT cardio workout 

Let’s dive in!

What are HIIT cardio workouts?

High-intensity interval training workouts are designed with short bursts of activity done at maximum or near-maximum intensity levels, followed by short recoveries. Intervals can usually last anywhere between 10 and 60 seconds, and overall workouts can be anywhere from 10 minutes to 30 minutes or more, after a proper warm-up. HIIT is traditionally done as a cardio workout, but versions that include weights are also popular. 

Much like a vehicle engine that stays warm even after it’s been turned off, your metabolism allows your body to continue burning calories even after your workout is complete. Several studies have shown the intensity of a HIIT workout can boost this afterburn effect even more than a steady-state workout. 

The benefits of HIIT cardio workouts

Just like any type of exercise, HIIT workouts have lots of benefits that make them an ideal choice, including: 

• Time efficient

• Adaptable

• Easily adjustable 

• Able to burn lots of calories in a short amount of time

• Able to build muscular endurance

• Able to reduce blood pressure and heart rate

• Able to improve cardiovascular fitness

1. Time efficient

Your life is busy, and your schedule is hectic. You need a workout that maximizes results in a short amount of time. HIIT cardio workouts do the trick. If your work intervals are intense enough, even a 10-minute workout can raise your heart rate significantly, leaving you plenty of time to get on with your day.

2. Adaptable 

A HIIT workout simply involves rounds of activity and rest, so the activity portion can be anything you want, as long as you’re working hard. You can do a HIIT workout on a treadmill, a rowing machine, a fitness trampoline, a jump rope, or even doing jumping jacks in your garage. Your workout can be adapted to anything you have access to, and can even be done with your own bodyweight if you don’t have any particular cardio machines.

3. Easily adjustable

Not only is a HIIT workout versatile enough to be done with any cardio exercise, but it can be customized for almost any fitness level. You just need to change the interval duration or change the number of intervals you do. You can also adjust the intensity levels of some of the intervals if you need a workout that’s not so tough but still effective.

4. Able to burn a lot of calories. 

As we’ve already mentioned, HIIT cardio workouts rev up your calorie burning machine. Studies show the number of calories burned during a 30-minute HIIT workout is significantly greater than the calories burned during other types of cardio workouts for the same amount of time.  

5. Able to build muscular endurance

Improved muscular endurance can help you maintain good posture and stability, as well as help with everyday activities. Exercises that force you to contract muscle groups repeatedly (like HIIT!) help to build muscular endurance. 

6. Able to reduce blood pressure and heart rate

HIIT workouts also have important health benefits. Like other forms of exercise, HIIT can reduce blood pressure and heart rate in populations commonly suffering from high blood pressure, such as those who are overweight or obese.

7. Able to improve cardiovascular fitness

Again, like other forms of exercise, anything that gets your heart rate elevated for a sustained amount of time, improves your heart, lungs, and vascular system. When these systems work more efficiently, you feel better and can sustain an active lifestyle for longer.

The 18 best HIIT workouts for cardio

As you can see, HIIT is versatile, beneficial, and easy to fit into your workout routine. But it might still be challenging to know exactly where to start. 

Below, we’ve outlined 18 workouts for a variety of exercise types, including no-equipment options. Do as many intervals as you want to—or have time for—and be sure to include a moderate-intensity warm-up and cool-down of 5–10 minutes each. 

• Mountain climbers

• Jumping jacks

• Burpees

• Cycling

• Jump rope

• Rowing machine

• Treadmill running

• Treadmill hills

• Battle ropes

• High knee sprints

• Rebounder/Fitness trampoline 

• Stair running

• Kettlebell swings

• Box jumps

• Swimming

• Plank jacks

• Jump squats

• Jump lunges

1. Mountain climbers

1. Start in a push-up position.

2. Pull one knee up to your chest.

3. Quickly switch legs, keeping a fast pace.

4. 30 seconds of mountain climbers, 30 seconds rest.

2. Jumping jacks

1. Start with feet together and arms at sides.

2. Jump and spread feet wide and lift arms overhead.

3. Land lightly and bounce back to start quickly.

4. 40 seconds of jumping jacks, 20 seconds rest.

3. Burpees

1. Start in a standing position with arms at sides.

2. Drop to a squat with hands on the floor.

3. Kick feet backwards and perform a push-up.

4. Jump feet back to squat and stand.

5. 20 seconds of burpees, 40 seconds rest.

4. Indoor cycling

1. Pedal at a high resistance at around 60–70 RPM, for 45 seconds.

2. Pedal easily for 15 seconds.

5. Jump rope

1. Hold the rope at your sides and rotate it with your wrists.

2. Do single jumps for 60 seconds, maintaining an even pace.

3. Rest 30 seconds.

6. Rowing machine

1. Row at 30–32 strokes per minute for 60 seconds.

2. Row at an easy pace for 60 seconds.

7. Treadmill running

1. Sprint at a fast pace that still allows you to maintain good form for 20 seconds.

2. Jog or walk on your treadmill for 60 seconds.

8. Treadmill hills

1. Walk or jog at a moderate pace, incline between 8% and 10% for 60 seconds.

2. Maintain the same pace with a 2% incline for 60 seconds.

9. Battle ropes

1. Start in a quarter squat position holding the ropes.

2. Lift one arm and slam the other down.

3. Alternate as fast as you can to create waves for 30 seconds.

4. Rest 30 seconds.

10. High-knee sprints

1. Sprint in place, lifting knees as high as possible for 40 seconds.

2. Walk in place for 20 seconds.

11. Rebounder/fitness trampoline

1. Jump into a squat position and touch one hand to the rebounder, bounce up and repeat, switching hands for 40 seconds.

2. Rest or bounce lightly for 20 seconds.

12. Stair running

1. On a solid staircase of at least 10 steps, sprint up one step at a time.

2. Walk back down for rest.

13. Kettlebell swings

1. Start with feet hip-width apart, holding a lightweight kettlebell in both hands.

2. Hinge at hips and swing kettlebell with straight arms.

3. 30 seconds of swings, 30 seconds of rest.

Related blog: 28 Best HIIT Workouts for Beginners 

14. Box jumps

1. Stand in front of sturdy box of at least 18 inches tall.

2. Jump and land with both feet on the box, step down.

3. Jump for 45 seconds, rest for 15 seconds.

15. Swimming

1. Freestyle or butterfly sprint for 30 seconds or one pool length.

2. Slow-pace swim or float for 30 seconds rest.

16. Plank jacks

1. Start in a high plank, or push-up, position.

2. Jump your feet out wide and quickly jump them back to start.

3. 40 seconds of jacks, 20 seconds of rest.

17. Jump squats

1. Start with feet shoulder-width apart.

2. Squat down as low as you can go, explode up into a jump as high as you can go, and land softly.

3. Squat jump for 30 seconds, rest for 30 seconds.

18. Jump lunges

1. Start in a staggered stance with one foot forward.

2. Lower into a lunge, jump up and switch legs in the air.

3. Jump lunge for 20 seconds, rest 40 seconds.

Example of a 20-minute HIIT cardio workout

Looking for more inspiration? Here’s a sample 20-minute workout you can do on a rowing machine:

• Warm up for four minutes at a moderate pace

• Row at 26–30 strokes per minute for 60 seconds

• Recover at a moderate pace for 60 seconds

• Repeat intervals six times

• Cool down for four minutes at a moderate pace

With the ability to use any exercise resources you have, do a workout anywhere, and adjust it for your fitness level, high-intensity interval training has benefits almost too numerous to count. HIIT cardio is so adaptable and versatile, it can easily become a workout staple in your exercise routine. If you’re looking for a variety of workouts you can do at home, Hydrow’s extensive library of instructor-led workouts will help you reach your goals. 

Learn more about Hydrow today!