No-Equipment Tabata HIIT Workout (lower body)

By Lee Funke

Published 10/16/2014 • Updated 11/27/2020

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Owwwwwwwieeeee.

= waking up the day after leg day.

Today’s workout is an at-home workout (it can be done in the gym too!) that focuses on lower body, cardio, and high intensity interval training. I am ALLLL about no-equipment HIIT/tabata workouts. My yoga sculpt class has a lot of HIIT segments weaved into it because I truly believe it is one of the most effective workouts you can do. 

HIIT spikes your heart rate up with max effort and then brings it back down with brief recovery. REPEAT. HIIT increases your metabolism and improves overall fitness. That means….you can eat more and your workouts will start to get easier! #boomsauce Did I mention that HIIT workouts are short and sweet? Yup- you don’t need much when it comes to this kind of exercise. 30 minutes or less and you’re good to go.

The workout below focuses on the Tabata Protocol, my FAVORITE kind of HIIT workout. Why? Because there are amazing songs on Spotify that act as your timer and your juke box. Yah I said juke box. It’s a 4 minute long workout that’s composed of 8 different intervals. 20 seconds of high intensity followed by 10 seconds of rest/low intensity. But really, it’s my favorite kind of HIIT because you know exactly how long you need to work for and when the pain will be over 😀

This workout should take you about 25 minutes to complete as there are 5 full tabatas, which are 4 minutes long each. I will give some modifications and challenges (regressions and progressions) within the workout descriptions in case you have knee/joint issues and need to back off a bit, or maybe you want to kick it up a notch OR have access to a gym where you can use some sort of resistance such as weights. 

Alternating Curtsy Lunge: Start with your feet hip-width apart. Then step your right leg back so that your right foot is to left of your left leg. Lunge down and press pack up to stand feet hip-width. Alternate sides. Make sure to keep your chest lifted and back flat!

• Regression: Instead of alternating, do stationary curtsy lunges. Alternate legs every round. 
• Progression: Incorporate dumbbells and add an upright row as you stand.

High Knees: Start with feet hip-width distance apart. Drive your knees up to your chest as you run in place. Keep your chest lifted and back flat.

• Regression: Slow your pace down and instead of the plyometric, bring elbow to knee, adding a twist. 
• Progression: Keep your arms up and above your head.

Alternating Jump Lunges: Start in a scissored position with one leg in front of the other. As you inhale, drop down to a 90/90 lunge keeping your front knee stacked over your ankle and chest lifted. As you exhale, explode up, jumping and switching your legs landing with the other leg in front. Repeat. 

• Regression: Perform stationary lunges. Alternate legs every round.
• Progression: Hold a 5-10 pound dumbbell or plate in your hands as you perform the exercise.

Tuck Jumps:  Start with feet hip-width distance apart. Jump up and pull your knees into your chest. Repeat.

• Regression: Perform butt kicks
• Progression: After you perform your tuck jump lower down into a squat. Repeat.

In and Out Jump Squats: Begin with feet hip-width distance apart. As you inhale, lower down keeping the weight in your heels and chest lifted. As you exhale, explode of the ground landing with your feet together. Jump to explode again back into your squat. 

• Regression: Perform normal squats.
• Progression: Hold a 5-10 pound dumbbell or plate in your hands as you perform the exercise. 

Before I go! A. You should get Spotify. B. You should check out my Tabata Playlist on Spotify! I have tons of songs that will coach you through your tabata while playing music at the same time! SCOREEEE. Check it-