HIIT/Cardio Without Equipment?

I’ve noticed that even with complexes and other fast and hard fat burning strength workouts, authors like Cosgrove still have clients move to the bike at the end for HIIT.

If I’m traveling to a client’s office to do cardio with them, what can I do for HIIT?

A few things I’ve thought of on my own - and would appreciate opinions on:

  • Using dumbbells and powerlifting moves for hard but lower reps which is evidently not enough, if I’m interpreting those articles correctly and you still have to go to a bike afterwards

  • Incorporating step-ups and high kicks and “aerobics” movements into what would essentially be an aerobics workout while trying to use dumbbells for resistance - but this wouldn’t be great for HIIT.

  • Work with kettlebells

  • Burpees, jumping into and out of body positions, etc.

Anyone have good links, ideas, article recommendations, etc?

I think the moves you listed are fine I really like the burpies etc body weight stuff that attacks the whole body

Phill

Dot Drills are great. Charles Stayley has an atricle about them at bodybuilding.com.

Chad Waterbury recommends these three moves in his “GPP” program:

a. Situp/Standup/Jumpup: one move
b. Squat Thrust/Pushup/Pullup: one move
c. Walking lunges

His protocol is 90 s each of moves a,b, and c, with 10 s between rounds, then 60 s rest, then repeat for a total of 4-6 giant sets. It’s a puker!

The “pullup” in move b obviously requires a bar–you can get creative with tree branches or roof ledges if you don’t have one OR just cut the move and do squat thrust/pushups. Still a killer. Good luck–Andrew

[quote]CLewis wrote:
If I’m traveling to a client’s office to do cardio with them, what can I do for HIIT?[/quote]

Hand pads are awesome for this. It’s fairly easy to teach a halfway decent punch, so go to town with combining jabs (front hand punch) and crosses (back hand punch) for timed rounds. Alternate with a dumbbell movement, jump rope, or a bodyweight movement.

If you want to get fancy (and if you have any martial arts background), maybe include basic kicks and/or knee strikes.

True, that wouldn’t be too HIIT-ish. You could try some kind of Tabata bodyweight routine; use a weighted vest for bonus points.

Contrary to the advertising, 98% of the things you can do with a kettlebell, you can replicate with a dumbbell. Use a Powerblock or other adjustable DB for even more versatility, while keeping the compact size.

Bodyweight complexes are killer, for sure. Cosgrove and Craig Ballantyne both have boatloads of info out there.

Tabatas are good for this too. For Tabata thrusters all you’d need is a couple of dumbbells.

Got some kind of count-down timer? Some stop watches come with this feature.

30sec Burpees
30sec Jumping Jacks
30sec Pushups
30sec Mountain Climbers
30sec Jumping Jacks
30sec Burpees
Rest 1 Minute
repeat as much as you like

I call these “Ring Drills” and use them as conditioning tools for fight prep. You can mix and match any number bodywieght exercises for these.

No Timer?
60 Jumping Jacks (really push these hard)
20 Pushups
30 Squats
60 Jumping Jacks
20 Divebombers
30 Squat Jumps
60 Jumping Jacks
20 Pushups
30 V-Ups
60 Jumping Jacks
20 Divebombers
30 Mountain Climbers
60 Jumping Jacks
20 Pushups
30 V-Ups
60 Jumping Jacks
20 Divebombers
30 Squat Jumps
60 Jumping Jacks
20 Pushups
30 Squats

Takes about 15 minutes. Will fry the body.
I usually do 1 minute sprints/runs, but can’t at my current location. Jumping rope is also a good substitute.