10 Tips to Make Your HIIT Workout Even Harder

HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) is, by far, one of the best ways to improve your fitness levels, build muscle mass, and burn through stubborn body fat. 

But what if there were ways you could even speed-up that process, making your HIIT workouts that much more efficient? Well, thankfully, there are. Here are ten 10 tips to make your HIIT workout even harder.

1. Bump up the Heat

Feel like you could work-up even more of a sweat? Well, consider layering up on insulated clothes or, if you can, increase the temperature of the studio you're in, should you really want to feel the sweat pouring down your face. Not only will this make you sweat more, but it’ll help you burn even more calories than usual.

2. Increase Your Weights

Not feeling too much of a burn? Time to step-up the weights—gradually, at least. Try doing your weighted reps by increasing those weights in one, two, or five-pound increments. 

3. Stay Longer in Each Interval

One of the best ways to make your HIIT interval workouts harder is simple: make them longer. Try staying in each interval for 15 more seconds than you did before. If it’s a rep-counting exercise, try doing 10 percent more repetitions per set.

4. Grab the Jump Rope

Most of us haven’t picked up a jump rope since elementary school, but jumping rope is still one of the most hard-hitting, whole-body workouts you can do. Better yet, a little goes a long way. 

Start by doing 30-second sets, with 15-second breaks in between, till you find your stride. And if you want to, opt for one that has adjustable weights in the handles to get a better upper body workout.

5. Stretch, so You Can Be Your Best

It’s imperative to thoroughly stretch both your upper and lower body before doing a HIIT workout. This helps you not only perform at your best during each interval but ensures your muscles can properly recover afterward. Generally speaking, you'll want to hold each stretch between 30 and 45 seconds to reap the benefits.

6. Go Up Hill, Fight Gravity

If you're used to doing your sprinting intervals on level ground, mix things up a bit—and head for the hills. Trudging up a hill, be it by burpy-jumping or through fast-paced sprints, will definitely help take your HIIT workout to the next level. 

Can’t find a solid hill to utilize, but next to the ocean? Sand sprints, too, are a great way to boost the intensity levels of your dashes. 

7. Workout out Early

Studies show that people have the most energy during the day between 6am and 5pm. Take advantage of that time window, giving you the boost you need to go even harder during your HIIT workout. Conversely, doing your workout too early or too late in the day can hamper your ability to go all-out.

8. Practice Mindful Breathing

All of us, for the most part, don’t give a second thought to breathing. However, by practicing mindful breathing techniques, you can both improve and intensify your HIIT Workout. 

For active sets, try occasionally holding your breath for 5 seconds to help force your lung capacity to grow. Afterward, use your rests to do deep breathing exercises.

9. Keep Your Heart Rate Up

How fast your heart beats during any workout is the best barometer to see how hard (or not) you’re taking it. Now, thanks to wearable technologies, it’s easier than ever to see what your heart rate. Depending on the person, try to stay in the upper regions of your suggested heart rate figures, trying each time to also stay longer in them, as well.

10. Get Into a Bit of Friendly Competition

There’s a reason why people tend to perform better on race or game day than usual. Research shows that our minds actively amp-up our bodies when we’re consciously competing. So next time you do your HIIT workout, try to see if you can partner with a friend for a little friendly competition. If you’re more of a solo HIIT-er yourself, join an online forum or community to match stats, numbers, and times.

Follow these tips on how to increase the intensity of your next HIIT workout, and body-fat-percentages and pant-sizes will thank you for it.

Need help getting started on a HIIT workout program? Sprinterval is an app that helps people get started with high-intensity interval training (HIIT) with sprints.