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    Low-Volume HIIT Is the Best Way to Torch Fat in a Time Crunch

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    Love boot-camp classes but in a time crunch? Good news: low-volume HIIT is just as effective. Less than 20 minutes of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can reap just as many benefits as the traditional 30 minutes a day recommended by the surgeon general, according to new research published in the Journal of Physiology. “In many cases, the low-volume variations of HIIT provide comparable and, at times, superior improvements for a variety of health outcomes when compared to longer but lower-intensity aerobic training interventions,” says study author Angelo Sabag, Ph.D., of Western Sydney University in Australia.

    Along with strong quads and a six-pack, perks of low-volume HIIT include a decrease in blood sugar levels and a stronger heart. “It improves the responsiveness of our muscles to insulin and allows us to better use blood glucose and fatty acids,” says Sabag. “HIIT also improves the heart’s ability to pump blood more effectively and circulate oxygen and nutrients to organs and muscles.”

    Looking to give low-volume HIIT a try? Sabag suggests this favorite routine: 10 x 60 seconds running or cycling at 80-90 percent of max effort, with 60 seconds of active recovery (i.e. walking) at 30 to 50 percent effort between intervals. “If you are relatively untrained, start with five intervals and progressively increase the number until you can achieve 10 per session,” Sabag.

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      Beat Boredom and Burn Fat With This Super-Shredder HIIT Workout

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      HIIT is effective for melting body fat, but burpeeing to oblivion can be a soul-sucking means to a sculpted end. Instead of reverting to autopilot and blasting through the usual rotation of mountain climbers and jump squats, try this power endurance HIIT workout, courtesy of Lululemon’s newest brand ambassador and bootcamp maestro, Akin Akman.

      “These exercises strengthen neuromuscular pathways and unlock fast-twitch muscle fibers to help you move freely across all planes of motion,” Akman says. Rather than aggravating knees and ankles, this HIIT workout strengthen joints and tendons while improving bone density. “You’ll move and react sharper, becoming more receptive, focused and alert,” says Akman. Plus, all this single-leg work promotes longevity and peak performance.

      Directions: How to Do the Power Endurance HIIT Workout
      Exercises 1 and 2 are AMRAP super­sets: Do as many reps as possible in 1 minute, then immediately begin second move without rest. Repeat superset on opposite side; that’s 1 round. Rest 45 seconds between supersets and 2 minutes between rounds. Perform 3 to 5 rounds.
      1A. Side Lunge Pivot Reach With Row (shown above)
      Hold dumbbells at sides with a neutral grip, feet hip-­width apart. Take a big lat­eral step out with left leg, pivoting foot and torso to face forward, as you descend into a lunge and reach arms to frame front leg. Engage lats and draw elbows back to row weights. Drive through left foot to pivot back to start. Go immediately to 1B.

      Skater With High Pull and Lateral Hops Marius Bugge for Men’s Journal1B. Skater With High Pull and Lateral Hops
      Stand on left leg with soft bend in knee and right hand holding a dumbbell, palm facing you. Lean forward as you raise right leg behind you, and draw left arm back for counterbalance. Jump left foot to the left. Stabilize, then immediately jump back to the right, landing on right foot as you explosively perform a high pull, bringing weight to shoul­der. Stay on right foot and hop laterally (side to side) 4 times. Go back to 1A; switch sides.

      Single-leg Oblique Dip Marius Bugge for Men’s Journal2A. Single-leg Oblique Dip
      Stand on left leg with right leg bent at 90 degrees, foot flexed, holding a heavy dumb­bell in left hand. Don’t rush: Keep obliques and glutes engaged as you dip toward the left. Go immediately to 2B.

      V-formation Tennis Drill Courtesy Image2B. V-formation Tennis Drill
      Stand in a split stance, right foot forward, left foot back, holding a medicine ball with both hands. Rotate your torso and hips, drawing med ball to left hip. Shuffle forward at a diagonal, plant your feet, then wood­chop the med ball from right hip to above left shoulder keeping arms mostly straight. Shuffle back and repeat. Go back to 2A; switch sides.

      BOSU Ball Side Plank to Snatch Marius Bugge for Men’s Journal3. BOSU Ball Side Plank to Snatch
      Plant right hand on BOSU ball, then come into a side plank, shoulder stacked over wrist and feet staggered with bottom foot behind, top foot in front, hips off the ground. Hold a dumbbell in your left hand, palm facing you. Engage core and snatch weight overhead, then lower and repeat. Note: You can do a high pull instead of a snatch. Make it easier by com­ing into a forearm plank or removing the BOSU altogether. Perform as straight set AMRAP: 1 minute each side.

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      This Might Be the Hardest Dumbbell Workout You Ever Try

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      Expert Tip: To up the intensity if you don’t have adjustable dumbbells, add a heavy band, do more reps, slow the movement down to create more time under tension, or hold the contracted position of the exercise.
      Directions: Add this dumbbell workout to your weekly regimen once per week; do it twice per week with cardio on opposing days if you need a new program. Complete the exercises in Part 1 for the prescribed number of reps, taking 20 to 30 seconds rest between moves, and 30 to 45 seconds between sets. Once you’ve completed all 3 sets in Part A, rest for 60 to 90 seconds, then complete the triset in Part 2. Complete the exercises for the prescribed number of reps, taking 20 to 30 seconds rest between moves, and 30 to 45 seconds between sets for 3 total sets. Beginners should use 20- to 25-pound dumbbells, intermediate lifters can do 30- to 40-pound dumbbells, and advanced can go 45 pounds and higher.

      The Most Effective Dumbbell Workout of All Time
      PART 1: DUMBBELL SUPERSET
      A. Single-Arm Eccentric Push Press
      Stand with feet at shoulder width, holding a dumbbell in right hand with a neutral grip at shoulder height, elbow bent at 90 degrees. Lower into a quarter-squat, then explode up, driving through legs to press the dumbbell overhead. Pause, then slowly lower to start position. Complete 4-5 reps, then switch sides.
      Single-Leg Renegade Row With Eccentric Isometrics Marius Bugge for Men’s Journal
      B. Single-Leg Renegade Row With Eccentric Isometrics More