HIIT Pilates For That Tight Body

By Sydne Kilberg on September 27, 2015

As a college female, I know too many of my friends who are literally t e r r i f i e d of the gym. And I get it, the machines are overwhelming, the fluorescent lighting is daunting, and the minute you look up in any direction you’re bound to awkwardly meet eyes with someone.

Therefore, I have put together a workout that will make you sweat like a dog without the worries of any of the aforementioned, as it can conveniently be done in the comfort of your own home.

HIIT, if you are unaware, stands for “High Intensity Interval Training”. With the altering short bursts between activity and rest, your metabolism will freak out, your core will set fire, and your fat will fall off. Okay not actually but… you get the point. Mixing this with the long and lean results produced by yoga and pilates, your entire body will benefit.

Best part? It’s only 40 minutes long. So grab a towel, plenty of water, put on your favorite workout playlist (I recommend Diplo and Major Lazor’s new song), set the timer, and begin.

P.S. I included my own little testimony at the bottom if you are in need of further persuasion~

Dynamic Stretching:

(5 each side)

Standing Knee-to-Chest

Bring each knee to your chest and rise onto the balls of your feet.

Butt Kickers
Lunge + Twist

Lunge forward, making sure to keep your legs perpendicular to the ground, back straight, and knees behind your toes as you gently twist in each direction.

Side Lunges
Standing Quadriceps
10 Push-ups
10 Jumping Jacks
10 Lateral Jacks
Arm Circles (10 forward, 10 backward)
10 Squats

Begin Workout:

Skater Plyos :60 / alternate arms and legs

Just as if you were speed-skating, lunge/jump widely out to one side while bringing your arms and back leg with you. Keep balance using your core.

Air Squats :60

Keep your heels on the ground, toes lifted, back straight, and straighten your arms above you.

When standing, slightly bend forward at the pelvis and tighten your glutes for maximum results.

Rest :30
Alternating Supermans :60
Alternating Push-up :60

Lateral Push-ups

These can be done on the knees for less impact, keep body as straight as possible.

Tricep Push-up

Bring your hands in directly beneath your shoulders.

As you lower, keep your elbows as close to the body as possible.

Triangle Push-ups

As you lower, bring your elbows out to the sides.

Rest :30
Toe Taps :60

Laying on your back, bring your shins up parallel to the ground. Lower one leg at a time and tap your toes.

Monkey Squats :60

Place fingers underneath the toes. As your squat down weight should stay on the heels, fingers still under the toes. (Looking up as you lower eases stability).

Rest :30
Crazy Crunches :60

Start with your hands extended above your head.

Slowly bring your arms out wide and your knees in.

Finish with your arms beside your body, fully crunching, legs fully pulled in and knees parallel to the ground. Come out of the position just as you came into it, and repeat.

Dive Bombers :60
Rest :30
Supine Leg Raises :60

Raise your legs completely perpendicular to the ground, making sure to keep your feet flexed and lower back as close to the ground as possible.

Lower and rise back up as slowly as possibly, make sure to breathe. Exhaling while lowering (contracting) is most effective.

Burpees :60

Begin by jumping up with your hands above you.

Come back to the ground in a squatting position with your hands on the ground under your shoulders.

Jump back to plank position. You can either reverse the motions and repeat, or push-up in between.

Rest :30
Side Plank Leg Raises :30 (each side)

Begin on one hip and forearm, with your feet behind you.

Slowly lift off of your hip, making sure not to over-extend.

Once you’ve risen to the natural height your forearm brings you, extend the top leg, and bring your arm in front of you.

Now kick the extended leg forward to meet the extended hand. Bring your leg back to the previous position, and lower back to the ground, repeat.

Don’t forget to smile

Monkey Squats :60
Rest :30
Repeat x1

The Cool Down:

Warrior II :30 (each side)

Make sure not to let your knee soar past your toes, keep a straight back, and your shoulders lowered and relaxed away from your ears.

Warrior III :30 (each side)

Bringing your body into a “T” position, make sure to align your hips with the ground and your chest up. Again, let your shoulders relax away from the ears to prevent pinching.

Bridge :60

In a bridge positions, rise to your toes. Lift one leg and flex your feet for a better burn.

You can either hold this position, or lower your heels to the ground to rise and dip, whatever feels good! Make sure to squeeze those glutes for the best booty

Rest :30
Repeat x1
Pigeon Stretch :30 (each side)

Bring one leg in front of you, bending at the knee so that the outside of that thigh is touching the ground. The opposite leg should be straight behind you like a split.

Slowly lower yourself to the ground.

Downward Dog :30

The point of this is to have all major points embracing the earth, stretch out your fingers as much as possible and grasp the ground. Toes just the same if barefoot, and heels pressed down.

Child’s Pose :30

Again, keep your fingers grasping the earth, sit back as far as possible. Bring your hands slightly to the left and right for a deeper stretch.

Whoop whoop that’s the end!

Author’s Testimony:

On May 7^th of this past year, I was involved in a car accident leaving me with a broken L1 vertebra in the center of my spine, forcing me to be on my back for one month and in a back brace with the likes of a turtle shell for three. I could not WAIT to start moving my body again. With the OK to begin working out regularly again after completing physical therapy, this circuit was and still is one of my favorites to incorporate into my workouts 2-3 times per week.

It has been only 4 weeks since I began doing this regularly again, and with clean eating, I’ve lost now 8 lbs. and am still going strong. Given I was not my healthiest while in the brace, this workout shows results, but won’t break your back… ha ha… so I highly recommend giving it a try! Happy Workout!