I tried this Heather Robertson HIIT workout with 3 million views — here’s what happened

I tried this Heather Robertson HIIT workout with 3 one thousand thousand views — hither'due south what happened

A photo of Heather Robertson doing a reverse lunge

(Epitome credit: Heather Robertson)

I don't know about you lot, but after spending too much time sitting down behind my desk, or a weekend of overindulging, I observe myself scouring the internet for workout challenges.

It was subsequently the Black Friday weekend that I stumbled beyond the Heather Roberston 12 week program, which has amassed thousands of views on YouTube. Robertson is a certified personal trainer, diet coach, and author, plus she'southward created a 12-week program that promises to "build strength, burn fat, amend endurance, and increase energy and confidence," and it's absolutely gratuitous.

My body doesn't similar non moving, and so after four days of sitting down writing up fettle deals (yous're welcome), I felt sluggish and lethargic. Unrolling my mat, I opted for day 1 of Robertson's challenge — a full body HIIT (loftier-intensity interval training) workout with over three million views. The results? Robertson's workout left me with that instant muscle ache you go when yous know you lot've targeted muscles you've forgotten about for a while. Read on to observe out more.

As a fettle editor and enthusiast, I'yard ever on the lookout for new workouts. From aerial yoga, to trampolining, I've tried well-nigh of the manufacture's weird and wonderful fads over the years, every bit I believe in a higher place all else, working out should be fun. If yous're looking for more than inspiration, read what happened when I tried the Lily Sabri Squid Game workout, the Bretman Stone 'ab-solutely not' challenge, and this Pamela Reif six-pack ab conditioning.

What is the Heather Robertson Full Body Workout?

Ane of the joys of following the workout with Roberston on YouTube is that, different other trainers, she doesn't terminate the workout to explain the different moves. Like attending a group HIIT class you just follow forth and watch her technique. The full-body workout doesn't crave whatsoever equipment and can exist done from just about anywhere. I did use a yoga mat to soften the touch on on my joints, and if you're on the spotter for a new one, we've rounded upward the best yoga mats on the market place here.

If you'd rather follow along by reading the workout offset, here's what to expect:

Post-obit a warm-upwards, you'll motion into three rounds of the post-obit circuit:

30 seconds of laydown pushups: Starting lying apartment on your stomach, raising your arms and legs into the air, raising your head and torso up off the mat. Bringing your arms next to your body, with your palms flat on the floor, press up into a printing-up, before lowering dorsum down and returning to your starting position.

10 seconds remainder

xxx seconds of inchworms: Starting standing at the stop of your mat, bend at the hips and place your hands flat on the mat, and then walk your easily forward so that y'all are in a plank position, keeping your cadre engaged the entire time. Break, then walk your hands dorsum towards your feet and heighten up to your starting position.

10 seconds residual

xxx seconds of V-squeeze: Lying on your stomach, raise your arms, head and torso up off the mat. At the same time, enhance your legs, as if you're trying to make a 5 position, with your stomach still pressed into the mat. In one case you are in position, pull your arms downwardly to your sides, keeping your elbows bent and squeezing your shoulder blades together. Straighten your artillery and lower back to your starting position, and so echo.

10 seconds rest

30 seconds of shadow boxing: With one foot forward, caryatid your core and punch your arms out in front of you equally fast as possible. You should be on the ball of your foot on the back leg.

10 seconds residuum

30 seconds of hold elbow plank: Get into a plank position, with your core engaged and your body weight on your elbows. Hold for 30 seconds.

10 seconds rest

30 seconds of plank jacks: Starting from a plank position on your elbows, engage your core and think most sucking your belly push into your spine. Bound your legs out to the side, equally if you're doing star jumps, then jump them dorsum into your starting position.

You'll then get 30 seconds of residuum, before moving into 3 rounds of the 2nd circuit:

30 seconds of reverse lunges: Starting with your anxiety underneath your hips, standing shoulder-width apart, lunge back on your right leg, lowering your right articulatio genus until information technology is a few inches off the basis. Step back to your starting position and repeat on the left side.

10 seconds rest

thirty seconds of squats: Starting with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, sit downward and back into a squat. Heather keeps her arms straight out in front, but y'all can besides cantankerous them or interlace your fingers in forepart of your torso. Pause at the bottom of the squat before rising back up to your starting position.

10 seconds residual

30 seconds of side lunges: Stand with your anxiety shoulder-width apart. Have a large pace out to the left, and bend your left genu and push button your hips back. And then step back into your starting position and repeat on the correct side.

10 seconds rest

30 seconds of pop squat: For this exercise, start with your feet together and spring them out till they are shoulder-width autonomously. Every bit you do this, squat downward and touch your left paw to the floor, before jumping back to your starting position. Echo, this time touching your correct paw to the floor. Keep alternate betwixt your left and right hand.

10 seconds rest

xxx seconds chair pose: For the chair pose, go into a depression squat position with your arms raised above your head and agree for the full thirty seconds. Be warned, it'due south a killer.

10 seconds rest

30 seconds high knees: For high knees, think about jogging on the spot, but raising your knees up to your chest each time. Robertson keeps her hands out above her knees, tapping each knee to her mitt to ensure a full range of movement.

I tried the Heather Roberston full-trunk workout — here's what happened

Part of me loved the repetitive nature of this workout — by the tertiary round of each circuit, I really felt like I'd mastered the moves and knew what was coming next. I also loved the fact I could do this workout next to my desk, between meetings, and really felt similar I'd worked hard in a curt amount of time.

In my workouts, I often opt to focus on 1 muscle group at a time, then I'll train legs on a Monday, arms, and abs on a Wednesday, and dorsum and shoulders on a Fri. In-between this, I run and swim, and try and squeeze in the odd yoga or Pilates course. This full-trunk workout reminded me how much I've missed heading to grouping classes since the coronavirus pandemic. Although I was definitely working out alone in my spare chamber, I enjoyed the doubtfulness of what was coming next, and the fast-paced rotation between each do.

It sounds odd, but I also enjoyed how Roberston wasn't chatting throughout the workout, which allowed me to listen to a podcast, without missing instructions. You lot get to see a demonstration of the side by side exercise during the 10-2d rest period, but you can follow along with your phone or tablet on silent.

When it came to how I felt mail service-conditioning, my body ached, merely I felt great. I'd got a killer, full-body conditioning without touching a pair of dumbbells, or doing a single burpee. I'thou excited to see what the results are after the full 12-weeks of workouts, I just don't want to exercise another chair pose for a long fourth dimension.

Jane McGuire is Tom'due south Guide's Fitness editor, which means she looks after everything fitness related - from running gear to yoga mats. An avid runner, Jane has tested and reviewed fitness products for the by 4 years, so knows what to look for when finding a good running scout or a pair of shorts with pockets big enough for your smartphone. When she's non pounding the pavements, you'll notice Jane striding circular the Surrey Hills, taking far besides many photos of her puppy.