Health & WellnessBeginnerPreview
HIIT Workouts
Master the fundamentals of high-intensity interval training by understanding the physiology, designing evidence-based protocols, and executing sessions safely as a beginner.
Beginners with basic movement literacy who want to improve cardiovascular fitness and metabolic health using structured high-intensity interval training.
Course content
Workbook & downloads
Put the course into practice — a printable workbook plus editable templates you can fill in and reuse.
Preview the workbook
This workbook is your hands-on companion to the HIIT Workouts course. Each section maps to one course module and contains exercises, worksheets, and checklists that turn the theory into logged, measurable practice. Complete each section during or immediately after the corresponding module to lock in the concepts and build the data you need to personalise your training.
The Science of Intervals
Translate the physiology into personal benchmarks you will track across the full 8-week program.
Exercise: Energy System Self-Audit
Without looking at the lesson, write your answers from memory. Then check against Lesson 1.1 and note any corrections.
- Name the three energy systems and the approximate duration each primarily fuels at maximal effort.
- Describe in one sentence what EPOC is and why it matters for a beginner choosing between HIIT and steady-state cardio.
- You are designing a session and want to primarily stress the glycolytic system. What work interval duration range would you choose and why?
Worksheet: Baseline Fitness Metrics
Complete these three tests on Day 1 of Week 1, then repeat on Day 1 of Week 4 and Day 1 of Week 8. Record results in each column.
- Test date (Week 1)
- Resting HR — 3-morning average (bpm)
- Step test recovery HR at 1 minute (bpm)
- Max mountain climbers in 30 seconds (reps)
- Test date (Week 4)
- Resting HR — Week 4 (bpm)
- Step test recovery HR — Week 4 (bpm)
- Mountain climbers in 30 seconds — Week 4 (reps)
- Test date (Week 8)
- Resting HR — Week 8 (bpm)
- Step test recovery HR — Week 8 (bpm)
- Mountain climbers in 30 seconds — Week 8 (reps)
- Notes on conditions (time of day, sleep night before, stress level)
Checklist: Module 1 Concept Mastery
- I can name the three energy systems and their approximate contribution time at maximal effort
- I know my estimated HRmax and have calculated my Zone 4 heart-rate range (80–90% of HRmax)
- I understand the Borg CR10 RPE scale and can identify what RPE 7–8 feels like in my body
- I have recorded my three baseline fitness metrics in the Baseline Worksheet
- I know two warning signs of overtraining and what to do if I observe them
- I understand why EPOC is real but smaller than most marketing claims suggest
Protocol Design: Ratios, Formats, and Exercise Selection
Design and document your first two HIIT sessions using the protocol builder framework before attempting them.
Exercise: Protocol Builder Practice
Use the five-step protocol builder from Lesson 3.2 to design two original sessions: one for a weekday (time-limited to 20 minutes total) and one for a weekend (25–30 minutes total). Write out each session in full detail.
- Weekday session (20 minutes total): state your goal, list 4 exercises with levels, set ratio and rounds, calculate total interval time and verify it fits the time budget.
- Weekend session (25–30 minutes total): use at least 5 exercises, introduce one new exercise from the beginner menu not in your weekday session, and explain why you chose that exercise.
- For one of your sessions, identify which exercise carries the highest injury risk for a beginner and describe the Level 1 scaling option you would use in Weeks 1–2.
Worksheet: Exercise Selection Reference Card
Fill in the Level 1, 2, and 3 version for each exercise category. Use the three-level rule from Lesson 2.2. Leave the Notes column blank until you have actually performed the exercise.
- Exercise category: Jumping jacks — Level 1 version
- Exercise category: Jumping jacks — Level 2 version
- Exercise category: Jumping jacks — Level 3 version
- Exercise category: Squat — Level 1 version
- Exercise category: Squat — Level 2 version
- Exercise category: Squat — Level 3 version
- Exercise category: Mountain climbers — Level 1 version
- Exercise category: Mountain climbers — Level 2 version
- Exercise category: Mountain climbers — Level 3 version
- Exercise category: Push-up — Level 1 version
- Exercise category: Push-up — Level 2 version
- Exercise category: Push-up — Level 3 version
- Notes on which level you used in Week 1
- Notes on which level you advanced to and in which week
Checklist: Session Design Readiness
- I understand the difference between 1:2, 1:1, and 2:1 work-to-rest ratios and when each is appropriate
- I have designed at least one complete session using the five-step protocol builder
- I have identified a Level 1 scaling option for every exercise in my Week 1 session
- I know the five-minute warm-up structure and can execute it without referring to notes
- I know the five-minute cool-down structure and have selected the relevant static stretches for my chosen exercises
- I have estimated the total time for my first session and it fits within 22 minutes
Your 8-Week Beginner Program
Log every session across the 8-week program and track the two progressive overload milestones.
Worksheet: 8-Week Session Log
Record every session as you complete it. Do not fill in future sessions in advance. Use the RPE column to record your average work-interval effort and your rest-interval effort separately (format: work/rest, e.g. 8/4).
- Week number
- Session date
- Day of week
- Exercises performed
- Work-to-rest ratio used
- Number of rounds completed
- Total session time (minutes)
- Work interval RPE / rest interval RPE (e.g. 8/4)
- Energy level before session (1–10)
- How I felt during the session (brief note)
- Any modifications made and reason
- Highlight or personal record this session
Exercise: Progressive Overload Decision Journal
At the end of each 2-week block answer these questions honestly. Your answers determine whether you advance to the next phase or repeat the current phase.
- End of Week 2: What was your average work-interval RPE across the 6 sessions? If above 8, what will you do differently in Weeks 3–4? If below 6, how will you increase challenge?
- End of Week 4: Compare your three baseline metrics to Week 1. Describe the changes quantitatively. Based on these results, are you ready to advance to 1:1 ratio in Week 5 or do you need one more week at 1:2?
- End of Week 6: You have been training at 1:1 ratio for two weeks. Describe how your rest-interval RPE has changed compared to Week 4. What does this tell you about your lactate clearance rate?
Checklist: 8-Week Program Compliance
- Week 1: all 3 sessions completed with at least 1 rest day between each
- Week 2: all 3 sessions completed, baseline metrics recorded on Day 1
- Week 3: rounds increased to 8, two new exercises introduced
- Week 4: all 3 sessions completed, Week 4 retest metrics recorded
- Week 5: ratio advanced to 1:1 (or documented decision to extend 1:2 with reason)
- Week 6: all 3 sessions completed at 1:1 ratio
- Week 7: first self-designed session completed using the protocol builder
- Week 8: final retest metrics recorded and compared to Week 1 and Week 4
Recovery, Nutrition, and Long-Term Consistency
Audit your current sleep, nutrition, and scheduling habits and build a sustainable HIIT routine beyond the 8-week program.
Worksheet: Recovery and Nutrition Audit
Complete this audit at the start of Week 1 and again at the start of Week 5 to see how your habits have shifted.
- Average sleep duration (hours) — current week
- Average sleep consistency: same bedtime within 30 minutes? (Yes / No / Sometimes)
- Do you screen for 30+ minutes before bed most nights? (Yes / No)
- Average bedroom temperature (degrees Celsius)
- Pre-workout fueling strategy (describe what you currently do)
- Post-workout meal timing — how long after finishing your session do you eat?
- Post-workout protein estimate (grams)
- Post-workout carbohydrate estimate (grams)
- Daily water intake estimate (litres)
- Active recovery activity on non-HIIT days (describe or write None)
- Resting HR this week (3-morning average)
- One recovery habit you will change this week and why
Exercise: Long-Term Scheduling Plan
Design your post-8-week training calendar. Choose one of the three paths described in Lesson 3.3 and map out the next 4 weeks in detail.
- Which of the three paths (extend program, introduce Tabata, or hybrid with strength training) did you choose and what is your specific reason based on your 8-week results?
- Write out a sample week for your chosen path: list every session by day, exercise modality, ratio, and rounds. Include active recovery and rest days.
- Identify the biggest obstacle to maintaining your schedule over the next 3 months and describe one concrete strategy to address it.
Checklist: Long-Term Habit Infrastructure
- I have blocked my three weekly HIIT sessions in my calendar for the next 4 weeks
- I have prepared my workout space so it requires less than 2 minutes to start a session
- I have set a fixed start time rather than relying on motivation-based scheduling
- I am tracking sleep duration with a device or app and reviewing it weekly
- I have a defined post-workout meal or shake that I can prepare in under 5 minutes
- I know the five plateau-busting variables and can name which two I will change first if progress stalls
- I have completed the Week 8 final retest and compared results to Week 1
- I have chosen a next-phase path (extend, Tabata, or hybrid) and mapped the next 4 weeks
Your Action Plan
- Complete all three baseline tests (resting HR, step test, mountain climbers) on Day 1 of Week 1 and record results in the Baseline Metrics Worksheet
- Calculate your personal HRmax (220 minus age) and write your Zone 4 range (80–90%) and Zone 2 range (60–70%) in your session log header
- Design your Week 1 session using the five-step protocol builder before your first workout day
- Complete the Exercise Selection Reference Card with Level 1, 2, and 3 versions for every exercise before Week 1 begins
- Schedule all 24 sessions of the 8-week program in your calendar before starting Week 1
- After every session, log date, exercises, rounds, ratio, total time, and work/rest RPE in the Session Log — never skip this step
- Retest all three baseline metrics at the start of Week 4 and record in the Baseline Metrics Worksheet
- Complete the Progressive Overload Decision Journal at the end of each 2-week block before advancing to the next phase
- Repeat the Recovery and Nutrition Audit at the start of Week 5 to identify any habits that need adjustment
- Complete the final Week 8 retest, compare all three metrics to Week 1, then choose your post-program path and map the next 4 weeks
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