You’ll have to react quickly to make each run right during this non-stop session.

W

hile the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has halted the cadence of everyday life for just about everyone, the world is now beginning to adjust. We’re all handling the challenges of social distancing and self-isolation differently—but that doesn’t mean that we have to go it completely alone in every sense.

At DOLCE LIBERTA, we’re using this period as an opportunity to build up our community and share as much useful, positive information as possible. For everyone stuck missing their typical workout routines with gyms and fitness centers closed down, we’ve done our best to provide as many at-home workout options as possible.

Gerren Liles, founding Mirror trainer and creator of All Out Studio’s High Power HIIT program, hosted the latest session. His HIIT workouts are designed to cram as much safe, effective work into as little time as possible.

Today’s workout requires some space to move around and four small objects to use as a prop—dumbbells if you have them, water bottles, or even sneakers will do. Otherwise, as is usual for one of Liles’ routines, you’ll use only your bodyweight. You’ll be tasked with reacting quickly to respond to Liles’ commands for this non-stop session, so make sure you’re ready to get ready to work.

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Gerren Liles’ Line and Back HIIT Workout

Warmup

The key to making HIIT work: The intensity. You can’t coast through your work periods when doing HIIT. The protocol is designed to give you chances to go hard, so you need to take advantage of those chances.

That means working hard, but it doesn’t mean going completely 100 percent with your intensity. If you’re completely new to exercise, don’t go truly all out all at once. Instead of 15 to 30-second intervals executed at near-100 percent intensity, intervals of one to three minutes at closer to 80 percent of maximum effort, followed by up to five minutes of lower intensity exercise, have also been shown effective for weight loss in sedentary populations.

In group fitness settings (and among far too many trainers) HIIT and “interval training” are often used interchangeably. Make no mistake: True HIIT requires you to be explosive and intense during your work period. Basic interval training, however, minus the high-intensity aspect, is what you see most on the group fitness scene: Work periods here are typically larger than rest periods.

Place the four objects out in front of you in a row, spaced about a foot apart from each other and six feet from your own starting position. Assign each object a number, 1 through 4. You’ll begin at the starting position performing an exercise, until Liles calls out a number (or a series of numbers) associated with the objects in front of you. Run up to the row of props, touch the object that he called out, then return to the starting point to begin performing the exercise. If he calls out multiple numbers, return to the starting line after each touch. Each round last for 3 minutes.

The Exercises

• Squat Jumps
• Pushups with Shoulder Taps
• Lunge to Split Jumps
• Plank to Hip Dips
• Burpee 180° Turn

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Feature article: 7 Benefits of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)