The HIIT circuit to jump-start your back-to-school routine
Back to school, packed schedule, energy running low: this 10-minute HIIT circuit will get your engine running again. No equipment required, just a mat — or light dumbbells for those who want to turn up the intensity.
High-intensity interval training is THE format that fits into a back-to-work schedule: ten minutes, total effort, and immediate results. You perform five full-body movements without unnecessary downtime — 40 seconds all-out, 20 seconds recovery, two rounds, clock in hand. Warm up for two minutes first (butt kicks, ankle rotations) and then you're ready to go.
1. Jump squats
With feet hip-width apart, lower into a squat then explode upward, using your arms for momentum. Land softly with knees aligned. Dumbbell variation: hold a light dumbbell in each hand, tucked against your shoulders during the squat phase — lower your arms for the jump if balance is an issue.
2. Mountain climbers
In a plank position with hands under your shoulders, quickly bring one knee then the other toward your chest, keeping your back flat and hips low. Dumbbell variation: place your hands on two short dumbbells to slightly elevate your support and intensify your core engagement.
3. Burpees without the jump
Lower into a squat, place hands on the floor, kick your feet back into a plank, optional push-up, return to starting position and stand up — skip the final jump to protect your joints, picking up the pace instead. Dumbbell variation: hold a light dumbbell in each hand throughout, including during the plank, for added core strengthening.
4. Alternating reverse lunges, fast pace
Take a big step back, let your knee graze the floor, then push back up strongly to return to standing and switch sides, maintaining a steady tempo. Dumbbell variation: hold a dumbbell in each hand, arms at your sides, to add load to each lunge.
5. Energetic jumping jacks
Open and close your arms and legs in rhythm, keeping your movements light and the tempo high until the timer runs out. Dumbbell variation: hold a light dumbbell in each hand, raising your arms to shoulder height with each opening to engage your shoulders.
Two rounds, ten minutes, a real energy booster. HIIT works because it pushes you hard in a short amount of time: you don't need an hour of exercise to revive your energy and motivation at the start of the season. Give it your all for those 40 seconds, and really breathe during the 20 seconds of rest — it's that contrast that does the work.
Listen to your body: a racing heart is fine, joint pain is not. If you get tired, remove the jump from the squats or slow down the tempo without any guilt — the goal is to last the ten minutes, not to set a performance record. We aren't promising a transformed physique overnight here, just a short habit that, when repeated, really changes the game. See you next week for the next session.