HIIT workout plan: short, hard intervals done right
HIIT works because the hard parts are truly hard and the sessions are short. Most HIIT goes wrong by doing it every day at medium effort. This prompt has your todo.is agent build a HIIT workout plan with exact work and rest times, moves that suit your joints and space, and a sensible number of sessions so you recover between them.
The prompt
- Make me a 6-week HIIT workout plan. Fitness level: [FITNESS LEVEL]. I'll do HIIT [HIIT DAYS] a week, about [MINUTES] minutes including warm-up, using [EQUIPMENT OR PLACE]. Impact: [IMPACT PREFERENCE]. Other training I do: [OTHER TRAINING]. Give each session exact work and rest times (like 30 s on, 30 s off), the moves, rounds and how hard each interval should feel on a 1 to 10 scale. Progress the work-to-rest ratio over the weeks. Include a proper warm-up and cool-down. Make me an MP3 timer for each session with a voice saying "go", "rest" and the next move, plus a PDF of the plan.
What to change
- [FITNESS LEVEL]: E.g. "fairly fit, I jog twice a week", "beginner".
- [HIIT DAYS]: Two or three is enough for most people, e.g. "2".
- [MINUTES]: E.g. "20".
- [EQUIPMENT OR PLACE]: E.g. "bodyweight in my living room", "exercise bike", "rower", "kettlebell".
- [IMPACT PREFERENCE]: E.g. "low impact, no jumping" or "jumping is fine".
- [OTHER TRAINING]: E.g. "weights 3 days a week", or "none".
Example result
- 6-week HIIT plan: 2 sessions a week, 20 minutes
- Fairly fit, jogs twice a week · living room, bodyweight · low impact, no jumping · weights 3 days a week
- Effort scale
- • Work intervals: 8 to 9 out of 10. You can't talk; you could not keep this up much longer.
- • Rest: 2 to 3 out of 10. March on the spot or stand and breathe.
- Warm-up (5 minutes, every session)
- • March 1 min · Arm swings 30 s · Bodyweight squats 15 · Reverse lunges 8 each side · 2 x 15 s fast feet at about 6/10
- Session A: lower body focus
- • Fast squat to calf raise · Skater step (no hop) · Mountain climbers, slow and controlled · Glute bridge pulses
- • 4 moves = 1 round, 4 rounds
- Session B: upper body and core
- • Shadow boxing, fast punches · Plank shoulder taps · Push-ups, any version · Speed step-ups onto a low step
- • 4 moves = 1 round, 4 rounds
- Work-to-rest progression
- • Weeks 1 to 2: 20 s on, 40 s off · 3 rounds
- • Weeks 3 to 4: 30 s on, 30 s off · 4 rounds
- • Week 5: 40 s on, 20 s off · 3 rounds
- • Week 6: 40 s on, 20 s off · 4 rounds
- • Rest 1 minute between rounds
- Fitting it with weights
- • HIIT on Tuesday and Saturday, weights Monday, Wednesday, Friday
- • Avoid HIIT the day before a heavy leg session
- Cool-down (4 minutes)
- • Walk around 2 min, then hip flexor, hamstring and calf stretches
- Your timer files
- • One MP3 per session and week (e.g. HIIT_Week3_SessionA.mp3): a voice says "Go: fast squats", counts down the last 3 seconds and announces the next move
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and fill in your level, HIIT days, minutes, equipment, impact preference and other training.
- Paste it on the Today screen in todo.is or send it to your agent on WhatsApp or Telegram.
- You get a PDF plan and an MP3 voice timer for each session you can play from your phone.
- When week 6 feels easy, ask your agent for a new block with harder moves or longer rounds.
Tips for a better result
- Two or three HIIT sessions a week is enough. More usually means lower quality and slower recovery.
- If you can chat during the work intervals, it's not HIIT. Push harder or shorten the intervals.
- Low-impact HIIT is still HIIT: bikes, rowers and fast step-ups get your heart rate just as high.
- Ask your agent for a voice in your language or a different pace for the timer MP3s.
HIIT workout plan: FAQ
- How many times a week should I do HIIT? Two to three times a week, with at least a day between, suits most people. Hard intervals need recovery to work.
- Is HIIT better than cardio for fat loss? HIIT saves time, but steady cardio and daily walking burn a similar amount overall. Fat loss depends mostly on your calorie deficit.
- Is HIIT safe for beginners? Beginners can do HIIT with longer rest periods and low-impact moves. If you have heart problems, high blood pressure or other conditions, check with a doctor first.
- Can I do HIIT without jumping? Yes. Fast squats, step-ups, shadow boxing, mountain climbers and an exercise bike give hard intervals without jumping.
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