Training
Best HIIT Workouts to Do at Home
Short, hard bursts of simple bodyweight moves, done in your living room with no kit and hardly any space. Here is exactly what to do, for how long, and how to keep it kind on your joints.
The short answer
- The best at-home HIIT workouts use simple bodyweight moves like squats, high knees, mountain climbers, press-ups and lunges, done in short hard bursts with rest between. You do not need equipment or much space. A simple format is 30 seconds of work and 30 seconds of rest for each move, repeated for two or three rounds.
- Warm up for a few minutes first, then work hard for each burst and rest fully between.
- Swap jumping moves for low-impact versions to protect your joints and keep the noise down for downstairs neighbours.
- Want it built into a balanced week? Edge builds at-home HIIT into a full plan alongside running, strength and mobility.
15 to 25
Minutes for a solid at-home HIIT session
0
Pieces of equipment you actually need
18,000+
Members training with Edge plans
HIIT stands for high-intensity interval training. The idea is simple. You work hard for a short burst, then rest, then repeat. Because the effort is high, you get a lot done in a small window of time, which is exactly why it suits training at home. You do not need a gym, a rack of weights or a treadmill. Your own body weight and a small patch of floor are enough.
This guide gives you the best at-home HIIT moves, a simple work and rest format, a full sample workout, low-impact swaps to protect your joints, and clear guidance on how long to train. It is written for beginners, so start where you are and build from there.
What is a good at-home HIIT workout?
A good at-home HIIT workout uses a handful of simple bodyweight moves, arranged so you push hard for a short burst and then rest before the next one. A reliable beginner format is 30 seconds of work followed by 30 seconds of rest, cycling through five or six moves, then repeating the whole set for two or three rounds. That gives you a session of roughly 15 to 25 minutes including a warm-up.
The key is genuine effort in the work phase. During your 30 seconds you should be breathing hard and finding the last few reps tough. The rest phase is there so you can recover enough to go hard again. If you are cruising through every burst, pick faster or harder moves. If you cannot finish a burst with decent form, slow down or swap in an easier version. Good form always comes before speed.
Always start with a short warm-up of three to five minutes. March or jog on the spot, roll your shoulders, swing your arms, and do a few slow squats and gentle lunges to wake up your legs and hips. Finishing with a couple of minutes of easy walking on the spot and some light stretching helps you cool down.
What HIIT exercises can you do at home?
The best at-home HIIT exercises are bodyweight moves that raise your heart rate and work several muscles at once. You can build almost any home session from this short list:
- Squats. Feet about shoulder width apart, sit your hips back and down as if reaching for a chair, then stand tall. Great for legs and glutes.
- High knees. Jog on the spot and drive each knee up towards hip height. A strong heart-rate raiser in a tiny space.
- Mountain climbers. From a press-up position, drive one knee towards your chest, then switch, like running on the floor. Works your core and shoulders.
- Press-ups. Hands under shoulders, body in a straight line, lower your chest and push back up. Drop to your knees to make them easier.
- Lunges. Step one foot forward and lower until both knees are bent, then push back and swap sides. Builds leg strength and balance.
- Jumping jacks or step-jacks. Jump feet out and in while raising your arms overhead. For a quieter, lower-impact version, step one foot out at a time instead of jumping.
Mix a lower-body move, an upper-body move and a full-body cardio move so you spread the effort around and keep the session balanced. Rotating your moves also stops any single area from tiring out before the workout is done.
A sample at-home HIIT workout
Here is a complete beginner-friendly session. Warm up for three to five minutes first. Then work through the six moves below, resting between each, and repeat the whole circuit for two or three rounds. Finish with a short cool-down.
| Exercise | Work | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Bodyweight squats | 30 seconds | 30 seconds |
| High knees | 30 seconds | 30 seconds |
| Press-ups | 30 seconds | 30 seconds |
| Mountain climbers | 30 seconds | 30 seconds |
| Alternating lunges | 30 seconds | 30 seconds |
| Jumping jacks or step-jacks | 30 seconds | 30 seconds |
Low-impact swaps. To go easier on your joints and keep the noise down for downstairs neighbours, replace jumping moves with stepping versions. Swap jumping jacks for step-jacks, swap high knees for marching high knees where one foot always stays on the floor, and slow mountain climbers to a controlled step rather than a fast drive. Press-ups can be done on your knees or against a wall. These swaps keep the intensity honest while being much kinder on knees, ankles and floors.
Do you need equipment for HIIT at home?
No. One of the best things about HIIT at home is that it needs no equipment at all. Every move in the sample workout above uses only your body weight, and you can do the whole session in a space about the size of a yoga mat. A soft mat or rug is nice for floor moves, and supportive trainers help, but neither is essential.
If you want to add variety later, a light set of dumbbells or a resistance band opens up more options. That is a nice-to-have rather than a requirement. Beginners get plenty from bodyweight moves alone, and keeping it simple makes it far more likely you will actually train regularly, which matters more than any bit of kit.
How long should an at-home HIIT workout be?
Because the effort is high, HIIT sessions are short. A good at-home HIIT workout runs about 15 to 25 minutes in total, including a warm-up and cool-down. The hard working portion is often only 10 to 15 minutes. If you are brand new, start with two rounds of the circuit and see how you feel. As you get fitter, add a third round or shorten your rest slightly.
Two or three HIIT sessions a week is plenty for most people, with easier days or rest in between so your body can recover. HIIT is demanding, so more is not always better. Spacing sessions out and mixing in gentler movement like walking or mobility work gives you the benefits without burning out.
Are at-home HIIT workouts effective?
Yes. At-home HIIT is a genuinely effective way to build fitness. Working hard in short bursts challenges your heart and lungs and works your muscles, and you can get a real training effect in very little time. Because it needs no equipment and no travel, it is also one of the easiest kinds of training to keep up week after week, and consistency is where the results really come from.
HIIT is intense by design, so build up sensibly. Start with fewer rounds, use the low-impact swaps when you need them, and always warm up first. If you have any health or heart concern, or you are new to hard exercise, it is sensible to check with a suitable professional before starting HIIT. Listen to your body, stop if something hurts, and progress gradually.
Where Edge fits in
A home HIIT circuit is a great tool, but it works best as part of a balanced week rather than on its own. That is where Edge comes in. Edge gives you an AI-built, coach-checked training plan that is ready within a day, and it builds at-home HIIT into a bigger picture alongside running, strength and mobility, so you are training the whole of you rather than repeating the same session.
Your plan flexes around your life, tracks your progress, streaks and habits, and syncs with Apple Watch, Garmin and Coros. If a day does not suit you, Flexi Swap lets you move things around. And you can message a real coach anytime if you want a hand. More than 18,000+ members already train with Edge. There is a free 7-day trial, then plans start from £19.99/month.
Start training with Edge
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best at-home HIIT workout?
The best at-home HIIT workouts use simple bodyweight moves like squats, high knees, mountain climbers, press-ups and lunges, done in short hard bursts with rest between. You do not need equipment or much space. A simple format is 30 seconds of work and 30 seconds of rest for each move, repeated for two or three rounds.
What HIIT exercises can you do at home?
You can do squats, high knees, mountain climbers, press-ups, lunges and jumping jacks or step-jacks, all using just your body weight. Mixing a lower-body move, an upper-body move and a full-body cardio move keeps the session balanced.
Do you need equipment for HIIT at home?
No. At-home HIIT needs no equipment at all. Every move can be done with just your body weight in a space about the size of a mat. A light set of dumbbells or a resistance band can add variety later, but they are optional.
How long should an at-home HIIT workout be?
About 15 to 25 minutes in total, including a warm-up and cool-down, with the hard working portion often only 10 to 15 minutes. Two or three sessions a week is plenty for most people, with easier days or rest in between.
Are at-home HIIT workouts effective?
Yes. At-home HIIT is an effective way to build fitness because short hard bursts challenge your heart, lungs and muscles in little time. It is intense, so build up gradually, use low-impact swaps when needed, warm up first, and check with a suitable professional before starting if you have any health or heart concern.
