Hit the pavement and build some muscle!
Suns out, guns out! 💪🏼 It’s time to get your sweat on with this 40-Minute Outdoor Run + HIIT Workout! There’s no equipment necessary, just your body and a determined attitude. It’s the perfect way to break up long runs and you’ll be toning every muscle in your body along the way.
Heyoo! Who’s been loving being able to work out outside lately? 🙋🏻♀️ I know I have for sure! I plan out my workouts about a week ahead of time, but if it’s nice out, I ditch what I have planned and head outdoors.
Recently I’ve been doing a lot more run/walks – run ½ mile, walk ½ mile. It’s like a HIIT workout! I can go a lot longer and I really enjoy walking as an “active recovery.”
As I get older, I realize my body can’t take the high intensity workouts day in and day out. My muscles get more sore and my knees start to ache. So I’m doing my best to slow it down. I’ve taken up walking and I’ve been trying new workouts, like Barre.
It’s actually been really fun to get out of my old workout routine and mix it up during quarantine. I haven’t gone back to the gym yet, but I’ll probably start incorporating those workouts here soon too. One thing is for sure, I will be continuing my outdoor workouts because I love that vitamin D, sunshine in my face, sweaty mess feeling 🙂
So let’s get to it!
40 minutes is all you need – plus or minus depending how quickly you move! Start with a kick warm-up, whether that’s walking for 5, a nice stretch or some foam rolling, get that body loose!
You’ll start with a ¼ mile run. If you don’t have an apple watch or fitbit to track your distance, there are a ton of apps you can use – MapMyRun is one of them. Run about .15 miles out then turn around because you’re going to want to use your step for the strength portion.
If you don’t have a step, no worries, all these moves can be done without. You might just get some added resistance 😉
Once you get back to your house you’ll perform 3 strength moves – one lower body-focused, one upper body-focused and one core-focused. You’ll be hitting it all!
The majority of the moves are 10 – 15 reps. If you use one leg or arm, it’s 10 reps on each side, if you use both legs/arms in the move (like the straight leg tricep dip) it’s 15 reps. That’s how you can remember!
There are ton of modifications you can take to make each exercise easier:
- Walk instead of run
- Pushups on your knees instead of toes
- Choose incline instead of decline
You can also make things harder:
- Run ½ mile instead of ¼ mile
- Perform all arm moves at a decline for added resistance
- Add weights to your leg exercises and tricep dips
Whatever your fitness level, you can do it! 👊🏼
40 Minute Outdoor Run + HIIT Workout
View the full 40-Minute Outside HIIT Workout here.
Round 1
- Run – 1/4 mile (option to walk)
- Split Lunge (10 reps each leg): Place foot on bottom step and perform a lunge driving back knee down to ground. Keep chest lifted and try to lower until front thigh is parallel to the ground. Lift back up and repeat.
- Inverted pushups (15 reps): Place both feet on the bottom step, place hands on ground so your booty is in the air. Bring elbows wide as you lower your head down to the ground, straighten arms and press the ground away as you lift.
- Inclined or Declined Plank + Cross Knee Driver + Spider Knee (10 reps each leg): With hands on step (or feet on step and hands on ground), get into a plank position. Drive your knee across to opposite elbow and then bring back and and bring that same knee on the outside to the same side elbow (oblique crunch). Repeat with the same leg for 10 reps and then switch sides.
Round 2
- Run – ¼ mile
- Inclined Sumo Squat (10 reps each leg): With one leg on the step, knees wide, toes pointed out. Perform a sumo squat. Option is to come up on the toes for the foot that is on the step.
- Straight Leg Tricep Dips (15 reps): Straighten your legs and bring your booty off the side of the step. With fingers pointed toward booty, lower body down so the backs of your arms come down to 90 degrees. Squeeze to lift. Repeat.
- Inclined or Declined Plank + Knee Driver + Glute Lift (10 reps each leg): With hands on step (or feet on step and hands on ground), get into a plank position. Bring knee straight into chest (not crossing) and then bring it back out and with a straight leg, lift behind you while squeezing your glute. Repeat 10 reps, then switch to the other leg.
Round 3
- Run – ¼ mile
- Narrow Deep Squats (15 reps): Bring feet close together, right under hips and squat down keeping knees behind toes. Squat down to the bottom step if you can (or maybe the 2nd step) and then lift to standing position.
- Incline pushups (15 reps): With hands on step get into a plank position. Bring elbows wide and lower chest down to elbow height. Press the step away to lift.
- Plank to Child Pose (15 reps): With hands on the ground, or on a step, come into plank. Then bring your booty back like you’re performing a child’s post, but keep knees off the ground. Shoot forward and hold plank for a second before repeating.
Round 4
- Run – ¼ mile
- One-Legged Squats (10 reps each leg): With one leg out in front of you, squat down to sit on the top step/porch. Lift back to standing and repeat for 10 reps and then switch legs.
- One-Legged Tricep Dips (10 each leg): With one leg down and the other up, not touching the ground, bring your booty off the side of the step. Fingers pointed toward booty, lower body down so the backs of your arms come down to 90 degrees. Squeeze to lift. Repeat 10 reps on one leg and then switch.
- V-sit In/Outs (15 reps): Come into a russian twist position on the step. With hands place right beside you or slightly behind you, bring legs straight out and then back in. Repeat.
Round 5
- Run – ¼ mile
- Step Ups (10 reps each leg): Facing the steps, step up to the highest one and drive the opposite knee forward. Slowly lower back to staring position and repeat 10 reps, then switch legs.
- Pushup Taps (10 reps): With hands on step (inclined), or feet on step (decline) or on the ground (normal), get into a plank position. Perform one pushup and then tap your hand to the opposite shoulder. Repeat, alternating hands.
- Incline Plank Turns (10 reps each side): With hands on step (inclined), or feet on step (decline) or on the ground (normal), get into a plank position. Twist and open up to your right, hold for one second, bring back to center and then twist the other direction.
Round 6
- Run – ¼ mile
- Two-Legged Squat Jumps (15 reps): Perform a squat jump onto either the bottom or top step, step down and repeat. (Now this is a way to finish a workout!)
- Tricep Pushups (15 reps): Go on the side of the step and get into plank positon, with arms closer together and eyes of the elbow pushed forward. Elbows should go straight back and arms should scrap the sides of the body.
- Decline Plank + Knee Driver (10 reps each leg): With hands on step (inclined), or feet on step (decline) or on the ground (normal), get into a plank position. Drive knee in towards chest, hold for one second, release and repeat for 10 reps, then switch legs.