HIIT Challenges

I loved Self Magazine's April 2012 Drop 10 workouts.  I searched all over their website and couldn't find the 10 week HIIT workouts.  Sure enough, since I love anything ToneItUP, I saved the 2012 magazine so now I have the workouts again!

 

Self Magagine's Drop 10 - 10 Week HIIT Challenege (April 2012)

Week 1

Calorie Sizzler: Spring for 8 seconds.  On a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 is the effort it takes to run water and 10 is the effort it takes to run a race, aim for 8.  Recover for 12 seconds at level 5.  Repeat for 15 minutes.  That's one workout down.

Inches Eraser:  Take care of business with this 27-minute quickie.  Sprint your patootie off at level 8 for 90 seconds.  Then back off for 3 minutes at level 4 while you contemplate your awesomeness.  Repeat 6 times total before cooling down.  Oh, yeah!

Downsizing Duet:  Around a track, on the elliptical, in the mall, wherever the heck you happen to be, move 2 miles at a level 6 (One calorie-crushing caveat: If your on a bike, which makes it less difficult to cover serious territory, triple the distince.)

Week 2

Belly Slimmer: Bust a move at level 10 for 8 seconds.  Sure, it's tough, but you know you can do anything for a mere 8 seconds!  Then rest up for 12 seconds at easy-peasy level 4 to catch your breath.  Repeat the intervals for 20 minutes

Sexy Sixer:  Your mission while you sweat for the next 24 minutes: Picture how foxy you'll look in a two-pieve.  Got the image?  Chase it!  Sprint for 60 seconds (level 9); slow down (level 4) for 3 minutes.  Repeat 6 times total.  Thank us later.

Double Play:  Last week, you knocked out a 2-miler.  This week, add a half-mile victory lap to your workout by stretching it to 2.5 miles.  Stay at level 6 the entire time to help you train your body to burn gluclose for energy, rather than store it as fat.

Week 3

Middle Whittler:  You know those rock-your-socks-off intervals you did in Workout 1 of Week 2?  Do 'em again, but add resistance (hit hills, carry small weights, up the incline), so your 8-second sprints are at level 10 and 12-second recoveries are at level 6.

Engine Revver:  On tap today: your longest sprints yet, but you don't have to push your limits.  Do 2 minutes at level 7; recover for 2 minutes at nice-and-easy level 4.  Repeat 6 times total.  You'll be done in less time than it takes you to watch an episode of 30 Rock. 

High-Fiver:  Do a one-woman 5K (3.1 miles).  Power-walk, jog, skip, Rollerblade, crawl, waltz, whatever.  Even though there won't be a crowd cheering you across the imaginary finish line, raise both hands over your head and feel victorious.

Week 4

Pound Pounder:  Do intervals for 20 minutes: 8 seconds at all-out level 10; 12 seconds at moderate level 6.  Side-shuffle, pedal backward or stand up in the saddle to mix up your catch-your-breath stretches.  Peace out, pudge!

Plateau Buster:  Do intervals for 40 minutes: 3 minutes at level 7; 2 minutes at level 4.  Repeat 8 times total.  Kick those intervals' butt!

Slow Slimmer: Cover 5 miles your way today.  That's it.  This will be a walk in the park compared with your last interval workout.  No, really, it could literally be a walk in the park.  Your only mandate: Put the fun in fitness.

Week 5

Fat Fryer: Do intervals for 10 minutes: 8 seconds at moderate level 7; 12 seconds at no-sweat level 4.  Then up your sprint to level 10 and your recovery to level 6 for 10 sweaty minutes.  Push your limits and you'll have none.

Flab Fighter: This is your last HIIT workout, so make it count.  Sprint for 2 minutes at level 8; recover for 2 minutes at level 5.  Repeat 10 times total.  Now show that tape measure who's boss.

Perfect 10: Do a 10K.  (That's 6.2 miles.)  Done your workouts to date?  You're so ready.  Keep a steady pace and as you finish, think about how far you've come.