Sample Class: HIIT The Highway

High-intensity interval training is still enjoying a wave of popularity,
thanks to its ability to stimulate results in less time than other
formats. Help attendees stay focused, engaged, and motivated to meet their
fitness goals as you mix it up with HIIT the Highway. This class features
dedicated 40-second work efforts followed by 20-second recoveries. One
unique aspect of HIIT the Highway is that it uses athletic drills that
relate to running and power, for a nice combination that truly
exhausts energy reserves.

The open-road blocks focus on running-based
movements. These drills alternate with power-trip blocks that incorporate
plyometric exercises. Perform each drill twice, allowing participants to
learn the drill in the first round and then push to their maximum capacity
during the second round. This class is easy to coach and cue and simple to
understand, while still being challenging for the participant. Get ready
to blast through barriers, cover ground and push speed limits in your next
class!

Class Details: 
HIIT the Highway

Total Time: 60 minutes
Format: high-intensity cardio 
and plyometrics

Goal/emphasis: to challenge anaerobic capacity and train for 
sports conditioning

Equipment Needed: interval timer 
or stopwatch

Music: high-energy music with a 
driving beat—tunes that make you want to run! 140–145 beats per minute

Injury Prevention Tips

• HIIT isn’t for everyone. Make sure participants
  know they should push themselves to their own personal edge and can pace
  themselves as needed.

• Be sure participants are spaced far enough apart
  to perform the different movements. If drills require extra space, do
  them as a group so that everyone moves uniformly.

• Since this class requires no equipment, carefully check the studio floor to ensure it is
  completely free of equipment and there are no obstacles in the room.

• Provide cues for all level options to ensure that everyone feels
  successful. Give low-impact options for all plyometric drills.

Warm-Up (5–8 minutes)

Keep the warm-up exercises simple and athletic.
The goal is to get participants ready to run and jump, so make sure
joints and muscles are prepared.

• Start with basic squats and arm 

  circles.

• Jog forward, and then backpedal 
to start point.
• Do 3-count
  lateral shuffle right, 3-count lateral shuffle left.

• Do small
  track-kicks, 4× on 
each side.

• Perform lateral lunges, alternating 
R
  and L.

• Repeat above as needed to properly warm up the class.

Work Phase (40–45 minutes)

Each open-road block includes three drills
(utilizing the 40/20 split), with a total time of 6 minutes. Each
power-trip block is composed of two drills (utilizing the 40/20 split),
with a total time of 4 minutes. Include 1 minute of rest after each
power block before you begin the next round.

Open Road, Block One

• Do quick run forward to lateral shuffle back; hop back to start
  position. Repeat.
• Do fast feet moving forward 6×, pivot, and run back
  to start position. Repeat.
• Alternate R and L long lateral shuffles with
  floor-touches. Repeat.

Power Trip, Block One

• Do three
  plyometric squat hops moving forward and three plyometric squat hops
  moving backward. Repeat.
• Do three jumping jacks to one flying jack or
  power jack. Repeat.

Open Road, Block Two

• Do track-kicks moving
  up 4×, pivot, and run back to start. Repeat.
• Sprint forward, touch
  floor, backpedal with high knees to start. Repeat.
• Perform M-shaped
  drill: Run-run up, backpedal at diagonal, run forward at diagonal,
  backpedal straight out. Repeat.

Power Trip, Block Two

• Do burpees to 8-count, then wide fast-foot run. Repeat.
• Do two lateral step-touches to one flying jack. Repeat.

Open Road, Block Three

• Do “1-2-3 hold” (3 quick steps with balance hold). Repeat.
• Perform jump-knees to six quick runs. Repeat.
• Do quick run forward, shuffle R, quick shuffle L, backpedal to start point. Repeat.

Power Trip, Block
Three

• Do track-kicks with power hop to floor-touch. Repeat.
• Jump rope” side to side and do power hop on 8-count. Repeat.

Open
Road, Block Four

• Do quick, 5-count shuttle runs R and L. Repeat.
• Perform U-shaped drill: Run-run forward, backpedal out, lateral shuffle,
  
run forward, backpedal out. Repeat.

• Do two-level run: Perform
  high-knee run forward, low-quick run backward. Repeat.

Power Trip,
Block Four

• Do two-knee repeater to plyometric hop-switch
• Do plyometric hop-burpee to plank-jack.

Cool-Down (5 minutes)

Cue participants to jog around the room in a
circle, then power walk, and finally simply walk around the room in a
circle. Give everyone time to drink some water, and then lead the group
through the following flexibility moves:

• Standing quadriceps stretch:
  Balance on one leg and grab opposite foot with same-side hand. Press
  foot into hand as you release quadriceps. Hold at least 10–15 seconds
  and switch sides.
• Standing hamstring stretch: Place one heel on ground,
  keeping same leg active and outstretched. Lean torso back slightly to
  feel stretch in hamstring. Hold at least 10–15 seconds and switch
  sides.

• Standing crossover gluteal stretch: Place ankle over opposite
  thigh and do quarter squat to feel stretch in gluteal muscle. Hold at
  least 10–15 seconds and switch sides.

• Standing calf stretch: Lean
  against wall, placing one leg behind while opposite leg is bent. Bend
  and straighten leg to feel stretch in gastrocnemius and soleus muscles.