We have all heard that High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) can be very effective. You could say that I’ve sort of done HIIT during my Couch to 5k days. My husband actually uses that app for this purpose! However, my run pace during the C25k wasn’t my fastest because I was training myself for endurance. The concept of running just one mile back then was scary!

However, I recently found this 15-Minute HIIT Workout that you don’t have any excuse not to do!

{Source: Greatist.com}

The first time I tried it was on my treadmill because I could easily watch the seconds and switch my pace. I was doubtful that I would feel like I did anything after just 15 minutes.

But I was wrong.

After just one circuit, my heartrate was up; I was breathing heavily; I started to sweat and I welcomed that one-minute of walk/rest time!  I felt exhilarated after I was finished. I felt like I did a real workout. It was then that I realized that I had NO EXCUSE not to workout.  Everyone has an extra fifteen minutes in a day. If you can’t do your normal workout, do this.

This is great for all fitness levels.

You can adapt the 30-20-10 technique to any type of workout – walking, rowing, biking, using the elliptical… you name it! Plus, you go at your own pace. My fastest pace may be the “relaxed pace” of another runner. It doesn’t matter. It’s benefiting me!

What if I don’t have a treadmill?

We’ve had some pretty great weather here, so I wanted to try this training outside. However, I didn’t want to have to look at a watch or timer the whole time. I went in search of an app. There are a ton of interval apps out there with great ratings! Most of them are free. I downloaded a handful, but none of them were what I wanted. Some allow you to customize your own interval program. However, I wasn’t finding one that would allow me three levels of intervals. Most would let me enter a timer for only one high and one low interval to be repeated a designated number of times.

Then I found this app.

I was really lucky to find the Intervals App because I didn’t remember seeing it in my iTunes search for one. Instead, I discovered it through AppsGoneFree. This is an app that I already have on my phone that offers up to five free apps every day. These are apps that are normally not free, but have been released as free just for the day. I don’t always look at the offerings because a lot of them are kids games or things I don’t need cluttering my iPhone.

However The Universe must have known that I needed it because that particular day, I checked the AppsGoneFree just to kill some time. There it was, in all its glory – a free intervals app. The ratings for the app aren’t that great – about 3 stars out of 5. So I probably would have never bought it for $2.99 otherwise.

The app design and function might be very basic for what you need; but it was perfect for me because I could program these intervals:

• 30 Seconds – Comfortable Pace
• 20 Seconds – Run Fast
• 10 Seconds – Sprint

I put those in there five times followed by a one-minute walk break with two cycles. With my warm-up and cool-down (which the app also prompts), it’s a 15-minute workout! The app also counts down 5-4-3-2-1, which I find encouraging during the sprint portion.

Truly, whether home or away, there is no excuse for me not to do this workout.

What are your favorite workout apps?

Cheers~
Carrie