15 HIIT Exercises You Can Do At Home to Boost Metabolism and Build Muscle

When it comes to getting the most bang for your workout buck, high-intensity interval training — or HIIT — is hard to beat.

By frequently changing up your pace and type of movement, HIIT challenges the body in a unique way. By alternating between spurts of more intense exercise and rest periods you can speed up the metabolism , build muscle, burn fat and increase endurance. Plus, HIIT workouts don't only allow you to burn more calories during the workout itself, but afterward as well. This is because the style of training creates an "after-burn effect," in which you burn more calories while at rest.

It doesn't have to be complicated to turn your workout into a HIIT routine. For example, adding a set of sprints to your run, or a set of jump squats to your regular squats, will do the trick. Here are some of my favorite high-intensity exercises you can sprinkle into a strength or cardio routine . Or string them together with a short rest in between to create your own HIIT routine at home!

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15 exercises for a HIIT workout at home

A strategic combination of both strength training and cardio exercises will allow you to create a high intensity workout at home without any fancy equipment.

Simply choose 5 exercises and put them together into a circuit. Repeat the circuit 3 times through. HIIT workouts are intense, so I suggest doing them every other day at the most to allow your body time to recover. On rest days, help your muscles recover with 30 minutes of steady state cardio like walking, biking or swimming.

I always remind people that high intensity doesn't have to mean high-impact. You can still do a HIIT workout if you have knee, hip or joint pain. I provided low-impact variations for every high-impact exercise. So, listen to your body and choose the variation that works for you.

Jumping jacks

Perform 30 jumping jacks. Jump both feet out to the sides as you raise the arms out to the sides and up overhead. Bring the arms down as you jump the feet back to center.

• Modification for lower impact: Step your right foot out to the right as you raise the arms out to the sides and up overhead. Return your right foot back to center as you bring the arms down. Then, step your left foot out to the left as you raise the arms out to the sides and up overhead. Return your left foot back to center as you bring the arms down. Continue alternating.

Jump squat

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Perform a regular squat, bending at the knees and sitting back into a squat position. Then, push off your toes and jump up explosively. Bring your arms up straight into the air as your feet lift from the ground. Try to keep a controlled movement, landing softly and in control before exploding into the air again. Perform 10 repetitions.

• Modification: Remove the jump. Come up on to your toes, keeping the feet touching the ground.

Marching in place

With your feet as wide as your hips, pump your arms as you walk or run as fast as you can in place. Pretend that you're walking quickly after something, but you're on a treadmill not covering any ground. To up the intensity even more, pick the pace up to a run!

• Modification: Simply walk in place as quickly as you can, making sure to set one foot down before picking up the other.

Lateral Banded Walk

Step into the resistance band with both feet so that it is around your thighs, right above the knee. Open the feet as wide as the hips to create tension on the band. Lower down into a half-squat position while pulling your navel in toward your spine and pressing down through the heels. Then shift your weight over to your left side, and step sideways to the right. Bring your left foot slightly in, keeping tension on the band, and continue to side step to the right like this for 10 steps (or however many steps you have room for!). Then repeat to the left. 

• Modification: Remove the band and perform this exercise bodyweight only.

High knees

This move is similar to marching in place, but you will bring each knee up toward your chest, to about hip height, when you lift the foot off of the ground. Run in between each high knee to keep the pace up.

• Modification: For a low-impact modification, you can walk the high knees by placing each foot down before raising the opposite leg and knee.

Heismans

Standing with your feet as wide as your hips, shuffle to the right for five steps. (A shuffle is when you step to the right and then your left foot follows, stepping toward your right so that you're moving laterally.) After five shuffles, bend your knees into a half squat and then jump up reaching your arms up toward the ceiling and landing with soft knees. Repeat to the left. Perform five times to each side.

• Modification: Perform the same exercise, but eliminate the jump by stepping from side to side.

Burpee

Begin in squat position with your feet shoulder-width apart. Place both hands on the floor and shift your weight onto your hands. Kick your feet back behind you so that you're in pushup position. Perform one pushup, making sure your back is straight and your core is engaged. Jump your feet forward so that you are back in a squat position and stand up. With your arms above your head, jump up. When you land, go straight into squat position and repeat. Perform 10 burpees total.

• Modification: Because the move incorporates common exercises, it's easy to eliminate one or two of the steps to make the move more accessible. I recommend skipping the jumps and performing a modified pushup instead of a full pushup. All of the movements remain the same, but instead of jumping after the pushup, simply step forward to return to the squat and then eliminate the jump at the top. When in pushup position, lower the knees and perform a pushup on your knees.

Skaters

Start with your legs a little wider than shoulder-width apart and your arms at your sides. Step the left leg behind the right leg at a slight angle into a reverse lunge. The right knee will bend to a 90-degree angle. Then switch sides by pushing off the right foot and jumping to the left, landing with the left foot in front and the right leg back in a reverse lunge position. Swing the arms as you jump. Alternate your arms as you switch sides and channel your inner speed skater! Repeat 5 times to each side or for 20 seconds.

• Modification: For a low-impact modification, only bend the knees halfway and go into a halfway reverse lunge. Simply step side to side before sinking into the lunge position instead of jumping.

Lateral shuffle

Shuffle to the side four times. Repeat to the other side.

• Modification: Instead of jumping from foot to foot, make the move low-impact by stepping side to side.

Mountain climbers

Begin in plank position, keeping your back straight, your hips low and your core engaged. Bring your right knee under your chest, driving it toward the left elbow, and tap your right foot on the floor. Step it back to plank as you quickly bring your left knee toward the right elbow and tap the foot on the floor. Continue alternating your legs, keeping a steady pace. Remember to breathe and concentrate on engaging your abs, glutes, and hamstrings. Complete 20 total, 10 on each side.

• Modification: In the plank position described above, hover your right knee and foot above the ground as you bring the right knee toward your chest, and then step it back to plank. Repeat with the left leg.

Plank jacks

The plank jack falls in between plank and mountain climbers in terms of intensity, making for a perfect stepping stone. In plank position, begin jumping your feet out and in as if you would if you were doing a standing jumping jack. Keep your core and glutes engaged, and try not to let your hips bounce. Repeat for 10 reps. (For a low-impact modification, step each foot out to the side and back instead of jumping.)

• Modification: Instead of jumping the feet out, step the left foot out to the side and then back in, then the right foot out and in. Continue alternating.

Toe touches

Lying down on your back, reach your legs up toward the ceiling. Curl up with your head, neck and chest, and engage your abs. Pulse your hands up toward your toes 10 times, then lower down and rest.

• Modification: Instead of reaching for your toes, place your hands behind your head and crunch up toward your feet.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com