Build Your Own Interval Training Routine

I often get the question posed to me "I don't know what exercises to do in my interval training routine". The answer is very broad. The reason is interval training moves can honestly come from any sector of the fitness world. You could do short bursts of intense cardio, strength training, core training and even yoga and palates moves.

I often recommend making a list of 10 interval training moves that you like to do and 10 that are very difficult for you. Then simply picking 2 from each list and criss crossing them and doing each for 30 seconds. Then taking a 30 sec to 1 minute break.

The actual list doesn't have to just stop at 10. There are literally hundreds of different interval exercises that you can do. In my opinion bodyweight exercises are some of the best exercises that you can include in your interval training moves list.

This is because bodyweight exercises can be done anywhere, are usually difficult and also are safe for anyone. You can really crank up a lot of bodyweight exercises by simply putting some extra weight into them... Then they are not bodyweight exercises anymore, but you get my point. Simply add some dumbbells to you bodyweight squats, add a weight belt to your dips and chin-ups and add a medicine kettlebell to you pushup exercise and add some rows at the end.

Here is a good list to use for some body weight exercises:
Single Leg Squats
Push ups
Push ups with Reach Up
Dips
Push Up Rows
Chin-ups
Bodyweight Squats
Burpees
Plank
Side or Front Lunges

Above is a list of 10 exercises. You can actually use this list as 10 of the exercises for the above workout plan that I listed. Just get another list of 10 exercises that you like to do, and make up some random intervals using these interval training moves.

One of the main points that I am trying to make is not to spend all your time focusing on what's in your workout but to spend much more time focusing on adding intensity to your workout. That's what is going to bring you some real results. The goal of interval training is to burn calories and build muscle; this is what makes it so effective, far more effective than normal cardio. In fact if you add the intensity needed to your interval training moves you can burn more calories and be done your workout in half the time. Its really a cool training technique.