11 Moves For Your No Equipment HIIT Workouts To Try Today!

When you don’t have equipment at home, or can’t make it to the gym, one of the best things you can do is a no-equipment HIIT workout.

What are HIIT Workouts?

HIIT workouts stand for high-intensity interval training.

These workouts are not long at all, but they use a lot of intensity with short breaks in between each move. The great thing about HIIT is that most of them also don’t use any equipment.

There is a movement among the fitness community to use body weight as your equipment. This means you don’t use kettlebells, resistance bands, or anything else.

You use only your body. What this means is that you need to map out your moves and routines to get the most out of what your body can bring to the party, but also what it can drop and tone as well.

In other words, it is all about your body and moves that require no equipment.

If you are nervous about doing no equipment workouts because you don’t think it will build muscle, think again!

Many of the moves are not only cardio based, but can provide some excellent sculpting for your body. 

No Equipment Body Sculpting Workouts!

We wrote more about Why try no equipment workouts? if you would like to understand more of the benefits and reasoning, otherwise, let’s get started!

Here are a few of the easiest and most effective no equipment moves that you should consider.

Jumping Jacks

There is nothing wrong with an ordinary jumping jack during your HIIT routine. It doesn’t require any equipment and can be done anywhere as long as you don’t have people below you who might be bothered by the noise.

These are also good when you are working out outside and need a quick and easy way to burn some extra calories. Challenge yourself by either setting a number limit or a time limit for doing them consistently without any breaks.

Plank Variations

When you start looking through HIIT workouts, one thing you will notice is that a lot of planks are involved. Sure, the traditional plank just requires you to hold your balance for 30 seconds or longer, but there are some other variations that require a bit more movement. These are a lot tougher than they look, so don’t be fooled into thinking they aren’t good for a HIIT workout. 

Plank to Pushup

One variation you can try is plank to pushup. You will hold the plank for several seconds, then move down into a pushup, then go back up to the plank and hold it. 

Both planks and push-ups are hard to do and excellent no-equipment workouts, but why not combine them? This gives you the extra ab work when holding the plank, while giving you even more resistance for a good arm workout when you’re doing the push-up.

The main difference is that with a plank, you are holding it for a number of seconds, while push-ups are constantly moving up and down. Try holding a plank for 10-20 seconds, doing a push-up, then holding the plank again. Continue doing this for as many reps as you can.

One Arm One Foot Planks

As you advance you can do planks that are on one foot, one arm, shoulders, ankles and neck support and more. The basic plank will use your abs and core. 

Squats

Yes, squats are one of the easiest things you can do that requires no equipment. You may think this is old hat news, but keep in mind there are things you can do to change up your squats. For example, one of the more popular options is to find a three-minute song and do squats for that entire song. The trick is to do your squats to the beat of that song. For example, songs like Call Me Maybe are popular. You can also place your legs further apart than normal, do the squats lower, or add them into a circuit workout that is all body resistance based. 

Squat Variations

Another exercise that works good for HIIT workouts is the squat. Similar to planks, the squat is excellent for your body, and has some different variations to be good for a high intensity, but short workout.

Pencil Squat

The pencil squat is a full-body workout, where lift your arms in the air for the squat, jump up to straighten your body like a pencil, then when you land, you go down into a squat.

Jump Squats

Jump squats are excellent for a HIIT workout, where you want to burn fat in a shorter period of time. You are going to combine squatting and Jump squats are excellent for a HIIT workout, where you want to burn fat in a shorter period of time.

You are going to combine squatting and jumping in the same movement. Stand with your legs shoulder width apart, then go down into a squat. When you come up, you want to do a jump to where both feet are off the ground, then back down into your squat.

Leg Up Sit Ups

This is another version of a sit up that is really going to sculpt your abs, while also giving you an excellent leg and arm workout at the same time.

You will start by lying down on your back, with your arms extended over your head and your legs straight out in front of you. While you start to move your upper body into a sit up, you will also be bringing your legs up toward your chest as you bend your knees.

Touch your toes with your hands, then go back down and try to repeat for 10 reps.

Spider Crawl

A disclaimer for this move is that you need to have strong wrists before you do this workout. It is a really good arm and shoulder workout that also uses full body muscles, but it can be hard on the wrists.

For the spider crawl. Start by sitting on the ground with your knees bent and your arms behind you, with hands flat on the ground.

Now lift your butt off the ground and start crawling backward on your hands and feet. Go a few feet back, then a few feet forward.

Mountain Climbers

If you have ever done plank or HIIT workouts, you are probably accustomed to mountain climbers.

This is going to start you off with a full plank with your hands on the ground and legs reached behind you, but instead of just holding a plank, you bring one leg in toward your chest, then the other leg. Continue as if you were climbing up a mountain, but while holding the plank.

Lunges

Lunges come in various forms. In fact, there are so many styles of lunges that you can do a full body workout on a circuit.

These lunges can be your traditional walking lunges, mixed with yoga poses, spider lunges, and side lunges. These will work your core, your abs, your legs, your thighs, and your arms and shoulders. 

Weighted Lunges

Lunges are also commonly recommended as a no equipment workout, but you can go one step further by holding weights while you do them. This turns a lunge into a full body workout that is also increasing how much fat you burn. When you add weights, the extra muscle power is really going to help you burn more fat. 

You can hold your arms at your side while holding weights, or try lifting your arms above you while holding onto a kettlebell during the lunges. This can also be done when you are doing squats.

No Equipment Workouts

So are you ready to give it a try?

One of the perks of no equipment workouts is that you can do it literally anywhere. Whether you are traveling and need something to do in a hotel room, or you want to spend time at the park but also get a workout, these moves will be easy for you to get in a good workout.

By taking a few of these moves into account, you can help establish a bodyweight, no equipment, routine for your workout. Keep in mind, you can change these ups to work with your schedule, goals, or lifestyle as well. 

Don’t forget to combine with a proper diet and nourishing food. Take the time to prepare yourself a good quality breakfast like these chia and apple oats, or snack on some energy bites.

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