Hate burpees? This HIIT home workout will burn fat while standing up

If you don't like running or other forms of steady-state cardio exercises such as cycling, one of the alternative suggestions you'll see on fitness websites like this one is to do high-intensity interval training or HIIT. It's over in a very short space of time and is a lot more intense than a slower, steadier jog. It can also be done inside, a great alternative for the winter months. 

However, there's a big barrier here: such an intense workout usually involves the best exercises for weight loss like burpees, crunches, planks, and other exercises which involve getting up, sitting down, and otherwise lots of interaction with the floor. This can be problematic for several groups of people, including older exercisers, those who suffer joint or mobility issues, and people who are currently overweight. 

Using the best exercise machines to lose weight, such as rowing or elliptical machines offer a safe, low-impact solution, but not everyone has the space to store them, or can access the gym. If you're looking for a weight loss workout that doesn't involve the floor, this brand new 30-minute YouTube workout from Anna Engelschall, aka growingannanas (opens in new tab), is perfect for you. 

With a massive 1.26 million subscribers, Engelschall is no stranger to developing killer HIIT workouts–this one just happens to be tailor-made for those who prefer standing up. Featuring liberal use of squat movements, this is a great workout to net you sculpted buns and core muscles as well as make you sweat. Interested? Check out Engelschall's video below. 

Watch the 30-minute standing HIIT workout here:

How it works:

Featuring pounding beats to keep you on rhythm, grab your best yoga mat or fitness mat and get ready to roll. HIIT workouts rely on periods of intense exercise followed by short periods of rest. The end result is a more efficient weight-loss workout than steady-state cardio such as running. 

This has been highlighted by loads of studies over the years. The University of New Mexico (opens in new tab), the University of Rome, and the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (opens in new tab) all found in separate studies that HIIT workouts produce similar cardiovascular benefits to steady-state cardio in a much shorter space of time, making it ideal for a busy lifestyle or somebody who just wants their exercise over and done with. 

Engelschall's workout opts for a very small rest period, just 10 seconds, followed by 50 seconds of work. Despite its simple premise–all standing moves–this workout will require a small amount of fitness experience, and coupled with a few moves involving jumps, it's probably not suitable for complete beginners. However, for those with a base level of fitness who don't want to do floor movements for whatever reason, this workout will hit the spot.  

There's never a single move repeated in quite the same, which means you're hitting your muscles in lots of different ways. For example, you'll be doing lunges moving forwards, in addition to side-to-side and reverse lunges.

Good luck! If you enjoyed this workout, try taking on our 30-day HIIT workout challenge.