20-minute HIIT workout for legs and glutes

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a training style that primarily focuses on explosive, workout periods with recovery intervals in between. This training approach is the opposite of endurance training, in which you want to ration the energy to keep going. You will be able to perform this exercise for a specific time interval period of time but utilizes every punch of your energy. HIIT focuses on your muscular endurance while challenging your cardiovascular system, it lets you go longer & harder. The lower-body HIIT routine gets the heart pumping effectively and quickly while strengthening the leg muscles. In this article, we will describe a 20 minute HIIT workout routine. This will not only improve your strength but give you toned legs that would look great in workout shorts. 

The beauty of this workout regimen is it can be done anywhere & everywhere, as it incorporates no gym equipment. This lower-body high-intensity training approach will make you give out 100% of your energy through intense bursts of workouts. Also, these workouts boost your metabolism means you will get to burn more calories, shed more fat & get to improve your cardiovascular fitness in a short interval of time.

The Workout 

You will need a workout mat for doing these exercises. This 20-minutes lower body HIIT workout session consists of two workout circuits. 

Circuit 1

• High knees
• Fire hydrant
• Flutter kick
• Curtsy lunge to reverse lunge to hop

Circuit 2

• Donkey Kicks
• Calf raises 
• Jump squat
• Glute Bridge

Instructions: 

Do each workout in Circuit 1 for 40 seconds, take 20 seconds between each exercise before moving to the next one. Complete in For two times then take a two-minute break and more to the next circuit. Do the same with the other circuit. 

• High Knees

Start this exercise by standing tall on your feet opened hip-width apart. Make sure to keep your chest lifted & abs tight while quickly driving the knees closer to (one at a time). Then swing the arms, keep your focus on taking the hands from hip to your chin level and make a rhythm with the knees.

• Fire Hydrant

Start this exercise by getting down on your all fours. Place your wrists underneath your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips, keeping your core engaged throughout. With the leg bent, start lifting the right knee to the side, up towards the ceiling like you are being pulled by an unseen string. Be mindful to keep the core engaged while allowing your body to type to its left while lifting. Then lower the knee back to the starting position. Do for 20 seconds on each side. 

• Flutter Kick

Lay down with the faceup up and arms on the side. Engage the abs & lift your legs almost 6 inches above the floor. Make sure you keep the lower back flat throughout the motion. 

• Curtsy Lunge to Reverse Lunge to Hop

Start by standing on your feet, open shoulder distance apart, both hands on hips. Step with your left foot at the back and lower right knee. Then bend the front knee at a 90-degree angle. Drive the right heel and come back to the starting position. Then bend both knees at 90 degrees and undergo a lunge. Keep your core engaged & hips tucked. Sometimes it can be helpful to place your hands on your hips so you can make sure your hips aren’t tilting to the side or forward and back. Push off your knee closer to your chest and hop. Then come back to the reverse lunge position. That’s 1 rep.

Circuit 2 

• Donkey Kicks

Start by going on your all fours, position the hands under the shoulders & place the knees underneath your hips. Make sure you keep the right knee bent at an angle of 90 degrees & flex your foot while lifting your knee till it gets leveled with your hip. Then lower your knee without touching the ground. 

• Calf Raises

Start this exercise by standing up straight with your feet held together. Then lift the heels off the ground & balance the toes. Hold the moment, then lower the heels back closer to the floor. For adding challenges you can do it by holding weights in both of your hands.

• Jump Squats

Start this workout by standing on your feet a little wider than shoulder-distance apart, and your toes slightly turned out, and both of your hands at the front of the chest. Keep your core engaged till the chest gets lifted, shift your whole weight onto the heels, then push the hips back, while bending the knees for lowering into the squat. Then jump as high, swinging the arms down at the sides for momentum. Make sure you keep the back straight & chest lifted. After that, land softly. 

• Glute Bridges

Start this workout by lying flat on the back with both of your knees bent & feet flat on the ground hip-distance apart. Then extend both of your arms straightened up with your shoulder up. Squeeze the glutes while raising the hips off ground a few inches. Hold the moment before lowering yourself again.