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15 Exercises For Women To Burn Fat


Have you tried HIIT for fat loss? HIIT (high-intensity interval training) burns fat effectively. In this form of exercise, you do small bursts of high-intensity exercises and space them out with resting phases. HIIT is effective for weight loss, toning, and fitness (1), (2).

Did you know HIIT is not cardio? It is an anaerobic exercise. It works by depriving the muscles of oxygen during the small bursts of intense exercise. This helps the body burn fat even 1-2 days after you leave the gym! So, if you are looking for “The Workout” to lose fat, tone up, and boost fitness, then “HIIT” it!

Here are 15 HIIT exercises you can do to burn more calories in 4 minutes than 60 minutes of cardio. Scroll down!

15 HIIT Exercises For Weight Loss, Toning, Fitness

Before you begin the HIIT session, you must warm up. Here’s a sample warm-up routine.

Warm-Up

  • Head tilt – 1 set of 10 reps
  • Neck rotations – 1 set of 10 reps
  • Shoulder rotations – 1 set of 10 reps
  • Arm circles – 1 set of 10 reps
  • Wrist rotations – 1 set of 10 reps
  • Waist rotations – 1 set of 10 reps
  • Ankle rotation – 1 set of 10 reps
  • Standing touch toes – 1 set of 10 reps
  • Side lunge – 1 set of 10 reps
  • Spot jogging – 3 minutes
  • Standing side crunch – 1 set of 10 reps

Now that your muscles are prepared, start the HIIT exercises. I have designed a full-body HIIT workout for fat loss, toning, and fitness. It comprises 3 sessions of HIIT for 30 minutes. Let’s begin!

HIIT Session 1

Do 3 sets of 15 reps of each exercise mentioned in session 1. Take 10-15 seconds rest between each set.

1. High Knees

Works On: Lower abs, quads, hamstrings, hip flexors, glutes, and calves.

Steps

  1. Stand straight. Keep your legs shoulder-width apart and look straight ahead.
  2. Jump, bring your right knee up and place your right foot back on the floor.
  3. Jump and bring your left knee up and place your left foot back on the floor.
  4. Do this alternately and at high speed. This should look like you are spot jogging, except that your knees are higher. You may keep your arms extended in front of you and let your knees touch your palms when you do the exercise.

2. Burpees

Works On: Calves, quads, hamstrings, abs, chest, shoulders, triceps, biceps, glutes, and lats.

Steps

  1. Assume a partial squat position. Make sure to keep your spine neutral, your weight on your heels, shoulders pinched back, buttocks pushed out, and arms in the front.
  2. Squat thrust and touch the floor with both your palms. Support your lower body by extending your legs behind. Keep your toes flexed on the floor.
  3. Do a push-up. Flex your elbows and touch the floor with your chest and then get back up to a squat thrust position.
  4. Do a frog jump by bringing both the legs near your palms and then doing a jump squat by raising your hands above your head and jumping up.

3. Jumping Lunges

Works On: Calves, quads, hamstrings, adductors, hip flexors, glutes, and lower abs.

Steps

  1. Stand straight with your legs shoulder-width apart.
  2. Put your left leg in front, keep your spine straight, flex your knees and go down. The femur of your right leg should be perpendicular to the floor.
  3. Jump, and before landing, put your right leg in front, with the left femur perpendicular to the floor.
  4. Jump, and before landing, put your left leg in front.
  5. Do this at a higher intensity.

REST – 60 Seconds

4. High-Intensity Jumping Jacks

Works On: Calves, quads, hamstrings, adductors, hip flexors, glutes, shoulders, lats, and core.

Steps

  1. Stand straight with your feet hip-width apart and shoulders relaxed. Look straight ahead.
  2. Jump and move both your feet laterally apart. Simultaneously, move your hands from the sides to over your head.
  3. Jump again and bring your hands and feet back to the starting position.
  4. Jump and move both your feet laterally apart and simultaneously move your hands from the sides to the front.
  5. Jump again and bring your hands and feet back to the starting position.

5. Mountain Climbers

Works On: Lower abs, upper abs, obliques, shoulders, triceps, lats, hamstrings, glutes, and quads.

Steps

  1. Get into the plank position. Place your hands a little wider than shoulder-width apart and keep your core engaged. Make sure your elbows are directly below your shoulders.
  2. Draw the right knee in, towards your chest, without lifting the hips.
  3. Bring the right leg back to its position and draw the left knee in towards your chest.
  4. Bring your left leg back to its position.
  5. Do this at a higher speed without lifting your hips.

HIIT Session 2

Do 3 sets of 15 reps of each exercise in session 2. Take 20 seconds rest between each set.

6. Rope Jumping

Works On: Hamstrings, glutes, quads, calves, adductor, abductor, wrist flexors and extensors, biceps, and core.

Steps

  1. Stand straight with your feet lesser than hip-width apart. Hold the rope ends, and keep your elbows close to your torso.
  2. Start with normal rope jumps.
  3. Change these normal jumps to one-legged jumps. Alternate between your right and left legs.
  4. Change, jump forward and backward for a few seconds.
  5. Again, change, jump left and right for a few seconds.

7. Jump Squats

Work On: Hamstrings, glutes, quads, calves, and lower abs.

Steps

  1. Stand straight. Keep your spine neutral, look straight, and keep your shoulders relaxed. Your legs should be shoulder-width apart, and keep your feet 45 degrees out.
  2. Push your hips back, bend your knees, and draw your hands together close to your chest and come to a sitting position (squat).
  3. Get back up and jump as high as possible. Throw your hands to the sides to gain momentum.
  4. Land softly on the ground on your feet. Do not land on the ball of your feet to prevent injury.
  5. Get back to the squatting position again.
  6. Do this at a higher speed but with precision.

Rest – 10 secs

8. Russian Twist

Works On: Obliques, lower abs, upper abs, hamstrings, and quads.

Steps

  1. Sit on the floor, legs close together, knees bent, and feet flat on the mat.
  2. Lean back a little and lift both feet off the floor.
  3. Join your palms together, core engaged. This is the starting position.
  4. Now, twist your upper body to the left. Move your head to the left as well.
  5. Twist to your right.
  6. Do this at a higher speed 40 reps.

Rest – 10 secs

9. Sprint

Works On: Hamstrings, quads, calves, adductors, glutes, and core.

Steps

  1. Start by slowly jogging on the treadmill for 10 seconds.
  2. Set your treadmill incline at 3 degrees, speed 12-14 mph, and start running. Sprint for 20 seconds.
  3. Rest for 10 seconds, where you can walk or jog at 4-6 mph.
  4. Sprint again for 20 seconds and jog at 4-6 mph.
  5. Do this thrice.

Rest – 120 secs

HIIT Session 3

Do 3 sets of 20-25 reps for each exercise. Take 20 seconds rest between each set.

10. Flutter Kicks

Works On: Abs, lower abs, quads, hamstrings, and glutes.

Steps

  1. Lie down on the mat and place your hands close to your body.
  2. Lift your legs off the floor.
  3. Lower your left leg, but do not let it touch the floor.
  4. Bring the left leg up and simultaneously lower the right leg.
  5. Do this at a higher speed to “flutter” your legs as if you were swimming.

11. Bicycle Crunches

Works On: Lower abs, obliques, glutes, hamstrings, and quads.

Steps

  1. Lie down on your back. Lift your head off the ground. Support your head by placing your thumbs behind your ears and the rest of your fingers at the back of your head. Avoid tucking your neck.
  2. Lift your legs off the floor and bend your knees. This is the starting position.
  3. Now, extend your right leg. Do not drop your foot on the floor.
  4. Simultaneously, twist your upper body to touch the right elbow to the left knee.
  5. Inhale and come back to the starting position.
  6. Exhale, extend your left leg, and twist your upper body to touch the left elbow to the right knee.
  7. Inhale and come back to the starting position.
  8. Do this exercise at a faster pace.

12. Ab Crunches

Works On: Upper abs, middle abs, and lower abs.

Steps

  1. Lie down on the floor and bend your knees. Keep your legs close together and your feet flat on the floor.
  2. Push your back to the floor so that there’s no gap between your lower back and the floor. Place a rolled towel under your back if it helps. Place your hands on your head and lift your head. Do not tuck in your neck.
  3. Inhale and engage your core. This is the starting position.
  4. Start crunching by exhaling and lifting your upper body as if trying to touch your chin to your knees.
  5. Inhale and go back to the starting position.
  6. Do this at a faster pace. However, be careful about maintaining the form.

13. Arm Curl Jack Knife

Works On: Abs, glutes, biceps, quads, and hamstrings.

Steps

  1. Hold a dumbbell with two hands and sit on a mat.
  2. Bend your knees and keep your feet together and flat on the floor.
  3. Lean back a little and lift your feet off the floor.
  4. Keep your arms curled close to your chest and hold your core tight to balance your body on your glutes. This is the starting position.
  5. Extend your legs back and simultaneously extend your arms. Do not drop your legs on the floor. Lean back further to balance your body. Exhale as you do so.
  6. Bring your legs and arms back to the starting position. Inhale.
  7. Do this at a faster pace.

14. Battle Rope

Works On: Biceps, shoulders, upper back, glutes, quads, and hamstrings.

Steps

  1. Hold the handles of the battle rope. Position your feet shoulder-width apart. Roll your shoulders back, chest out, and look straight.
  2. Bend your knees to get into a half-sitting position. Keep your elbows close to your body and your forearms at 90 degrees with your upper arms.
  3. Pick your right arm slightly up and slam the rope on the floor as you bring your arm down. Simultaneously, lower your left arm and pick it up to slam the rope on the floor.
  4. Once you gain momentum, do this at a faster pace. Remember to keep your back straight and shoulders rolled back.

Rest – 20 Seconds

15. TRX Pull-Ups

Works On: Chest, shoulders, biceps, and lats.

Steps

  1. Secure the TRX strands to a bar.
  2. Hold the handles, extend your hands, and keeping your spine, glutes, and legs in a straight line, walk forward so that you are at 30-45 degrees with the floor. Balance on your heels and keep your feet hip-width apart. Make your palms face each other, tighten your core, and squeeze your glutes. This is the starting position.
  3. Without bending your knees, curls your hands and bring your chest close to the handles. Exhale.
  4. Inhale and go back to the starting position.

These are the 15 HIIT exercises that can help you lose weight, burn more calories than cardio, become fitter, and improve muscle tone. Let’s take a look at the benefits of doing HIIT at least twice a week.

Benefits Of HIIT Workout

HIIT offers the following benefits (1), (2):

  • Improves cardiovascular fitness.
  • Helps tone the body by improving muscle mass.
  • Increases fat burning capacity.
  • Reduces body fat.
  • Boosts weight loss.
  • Boosts agility and flexibility.
  • Improves balance and coordination.
  • Enhances mood and reduces stress.
  • Improves attention.
  • Improves sleep quality.

Conclusion

Doing high-intensity interval training at least twice a week, interspersed with cardio and bodyweight/weight training, will help you burn fat faster, shed excess weight, and immensely improve your fitness and endurance levels. You will also become more proactive and energetic, sleep well, and experience a better mood. Don’t wait – start your HIIT training today!

Frequently Asked Questions

How many times a week should I do HIIT to lose weight?

You can do HIIT 3 days a week to lose weight, build muscle mass, and increase muscle strength and power.

Can you do HIIT training to burn fat every day?

It depends on how fit you are. You can start by doing HIIT thrice a week, and then do it every day after you have built the stamina. Make sure you do not overdo it to prevent the chances of being injured.

How long should you do HIIT training?

HIIT should be a part of your fitness regimen. There is no end to it. You can make HIIT more challenging as you move up the difficulty levels.

Is cardio or HIIT better for weight loss?

A mix of cardio and HIIT is ideal for weight loss. Yes, HIIT is more effective, but if you are a beginner, start with cardio. After two weeks, slowly start incorporating HIIT into your workout regimen.

What should you eat after a HIIT workout?

After you have completed your fat-burning HIIT workouts for the day, you can have a protein shake (if you don’t get enough protein from whole foods) or a healthy meal consisting of lean protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats. Moreover, you should have a post-workout drink based on your body type. Talk to your dietitian to find out what is best for you.