30-Minute Zone Cardio HIIT

Hey, everybody, I'm Amy from Bodyfit by Amy. And this is your zone cardio workout. This is an all body weight cardio workout, working through the different heart rate zones. So yes, we need a little bit of zone two, but we're also going to get some higher intensity and some sprint intervals. And with all of it, I will give you lots of different options to work to your fitness level. Are you ready? Let's do it. All right, let's start. Just getting our muscles warm, getting our energy up, getting our body ready to move you. You can just get a little march. Pump those arms. We're not going to do anything too crazy today. We have four quick circuits. Each circuit has three moves. Roll those shoulders. The moves are somewhat similar. So we're building on that first move. That is your back to basics. Your first move is going to be that lower intensity, low impact zone one and two, right? So we're just getting everything moving and for that we are going to go for 60 seconds. I know that feels like a long time. Right, let's take it right here. A little touch. Pump those arms up and down. Our second move, we're going to take it to a hit round. So that is going to drop down to 30 seconds so you'll get a longer recovery after that. It'll be a one to one ratio. So 30 seconds of work followed by 30 seconds of recovery. So that is in those higher zones. Let's tap behind so we get a little work in that transverse plane. Open up the hips as we bring those arms up. So then we will finish that circuit or the exercise with a 20 second sit sprint interval. Right? So that is the one where we really go out. We get a longer recovery after that and then we do it all again. So we're getting a little zone 2 or low impact, low intensity. Let's step it out right here. Big step right up and up right here. And then we are taking it to a hit interval, working up into the zones three or four. And then we finish with sit, which is zone four, hopefully zone five. Now the last, our sit interval is going to give us some options and the hit interval too, to take it a little higher impact, some jumping. Take it right here, flat back down and then round it up. So a reminder, if you can try, and I'm going to give you lots of different options if it feels good on your body to do some jumping. It is very important for bone density, right? As well as getting our heart rates up, creating that stimulus that we need as our hormones are changing as our hormones are declining in perimenopause and menopause, we have to really shock our body back into knowing that we're working hard and responding. Let's roll those hips right through here. So that is why we're adding in some sit intervals, and we're really going for it. I'm going to talk you through it. I'm going to give you lots of different options. I'm going to encourage you to be where you are today. But the thing I want you to remember, let's tap it out and reach here, is that we need all of it, right? This we're focusing on getting those different zones. We need some days where we go all zone two, right? Where we just get all low impact. Maybe it's a walk or a hike or just getting on your bike at a low intensity, something like that. And then we need some days where we really focus on the higher intensity. This is going to be a combination of both, but we're going to keep it short. All right, so we're starting with circuit one, and our very first exercise is going to just be a little march. Then we're going to take it to some high knees. Then we're going to take it, if you want, to the floor with some climber knees. Now, we do have a few things where we go down to the floor. Within those, I'm going to give you an option to keep it up top. All right? But that is the sprint interval. So here's what we got. Watch me here. Your first 60 seconds is just a march or a walk, whatever you want it to be. I'll give you some options to take it up and back. Second one, we're going high knees, and you can either do a hot high knees or here, 30 seconds. Last one, you can either do a standing climber going hard or a climber here bringing it in. Now we'll get a little bit longer recovery. As those work intervals get shorter, our recovery will get longer. So that's where we really go for it. All right, so starting with just one full minute, let's march it. Here we go. So we're just getting warmed up, right? We already got that warm up, so that heart rate should start to be climbing in those lower zones, right? So we got a full minute. You can get those arms pumping. You can bring your knees up higher if that feels better for you. And if you want, you can take it up and back. I don't have my music in my ear like I do for those walking workouts, but I do have Some fun walking workouts. You want to try them on the channel and within the app, Right. So we're about halfway there. 30 seconds. Again, heart rate should be climbing just a bit. Nothing too crazy, but getting that heart pumping and then we'll breathe as we get into our hit interval. Right. The idea is that not only do we get the work, but we get the recovery. Cuz that gets our body responding. 10 seconds. Either walking up and back or just a March. We got 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Catch your breath now we got the high knees. Now if you want, it can look like this little hop. It can be here. I think that's what I'm gonna go for. Or just bringing it up. Low impact, but getting that heart rate up. So we want to be a little bit getting that heart rate up where it's a little harder to carry on a conversation. Not totally breathless, but a little bit more. So we got 30 seconds of those high knees. Let's get it done. Working hard in three, two, one. Here we go. So I'm doing this and again, you can take it here or if it feels better to be here. But it's a hit interval, so we're going harder. Right. Should feel that heart rate getting up. I'm adding a little hop step. You can kind of see it if you see it from the side and really trying to get my knees up and my arms up, right? Yes, you can. Five seconds. Four, three, two. And breathe. All right, so getting it up there. All right. I'm still in zone two. That's okay. It's a little harder to get it climbing in the very beginning of the workout. But then when we really go for it as we get into the workout, it gets up right. So we want those highs and lows, peaks and valleys. Last one here, team. So we have 20 seconds of that climber. You can do a standing climber like we just did, or you can do it on the ground, but this is it. I want you to go for it. So join me on the mat or standing. We have 20 seconds of a climber. Drive those knees in the chest. Going fast, going hard. Sprint interval in 3, 2, 1. Here we go. Drive them in. So this is the one where we do want to get a little bit breathless in a way that's safe for you. Drive Those knees in. 10 seconds to go. Go for it. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Bring it up slowly. So after our sprint intervals, we're gonna get at least a full minute, if not longer, to bring that heart rate down. So that is why when we're doing those, we want to really go for it, all right? We want to need that recovery, right? So really going for it. We're going to do each one of those again, starting with the lower impact, working our way up to the hit and into the set. But for now, you got about 30 more seconds. You can walk it around, catch your breath. Should be seeing it. Get up there a little again. We're in the beginning of the workout, so it's a little slower to climb. But now you know what you're doing. We're going to do it again. So 60 seconds of that march, that walk, 30 seconds of our high knees, 20 seconds of a climber. All right, Breathe. Oh, and if you need water, grab it. I'm going to get it at the end of the circuit, but you can certainly grab it when you need it. All right, hopefully that heart rate came back down. We're back to our march in 3, 2, 1. Right. So we gradually work our way into it. There is this idea, something that's been going all around the Internet and the social media world is that we, when we get to a certain age as women or when we're in paramenopausal menopause, that we should only do zone cardio. Zone two cardio. Get that out of your head. You can still go do hit, and we need it. You can still do something sit. We definitely need it, but we need them to be different, right? So either in a workout like this, where we alternate the way we're doing it, you can walk it up and back if you want, or tagging some sit intervals at the end of another workout and having some days where you do go low impact, right? We want our easy days to be easy and our hard days to be hard, and we want that intensity level to get up there, but in very specific, smaller increments, right? We don't need 45 to 50 to 60 minutes of hit. All right, Catch your breath. Breathe. Get ready to go into those high knees. So you got a second to catch your breath, right? Just getting up there. Remember, this time, it could be whatever you need it to be. It can be this. It can be this with a little hop step, but we want to get in those higher level zones, higher intensity intervals. Not quite the sit yet, but we're taking it here, so catch your breath. We got 30 seconds to go. I know it's gonna feel like there's a lot of down time in this workout, but as we get to those other circuits, you're gonna need it a Little bit more. Here we go. 30 seconds. And again. If it's better for you, you might find this to be a better hit, or even keeping it grounded. Low impact of bringing those knees up but finding away to really get the heart rate up into those zones. 3 and 4, if we're working on a five zones, right? 10 seconds to go. Yes, you can. 3, 2, 1. And breathe. All right, team, I know mine's a little slow climbing, that is. Oh, hey. All right, last one. We got 20 seconds. Sprint interval as hard as you can go. I'm gonna cross my knees on that mountain climber from the ground, you do you. Then we'll get a breather, we'll get water, and we'll go into circuit two. All right? So go ahead, join me on the mat if you can. Driving those knees across. Either way, go hard. Three, two, one. Here we go. 20 seconds only. But get it up there. You got water coming, so go hard in a way that is good for you. Be where you are today, but challenge yourself. We're halfway there. Go for it. In these last five. 3, 2, 1. Slowly make your way back up. There we go. Now it's slowly getting up there. All right, guys, catch your breath. Let's grab some water. Now, I do use an apple watch. Some of you have a fit better apple watch or fitness tracker. Great way to track your heart rate. Don't overthink it. Don't get too into the numbers. We're not that worried about it. We want to go by how we feel. Cheers, y'. All. Within that, we want that heart rate to be climbing steadily, then get that higher intensity and then take it in that sprint. So whatever that means for you. I was feeling a lot more than my watch was telling me, so I'm gonna forget about my watch. I'm gonna go by how I feel. This next one, we're gonna get some more muscles involved. So we're taking it to a squat. We are gonna get 60 seconds, so if you want to make it a small half squat, you can. We're gonna step out, reach up. Second round squat, and knee cross to get that hit. Then we're going squat jump. I'll give you some options. All right, team, go ahead. Squat. Three, two, one. Step it out. And reach. Now maybe you're like me, and your muscles are feeling a little tired from yesterday. If that's the case, that's okay. You don't have to get as low. You can keep it a half squat, right? If you're feeling it, we know that the more we get more muscles involved, especially those big muscles that require a lot of energy in our lower body, the more that heart rate gets up. Right. Are you feeling it? Yes. Breathe. We're halfway there. And again, if you need to take a few where you don't get as low and then a few where you do get as low, that's a great option. Yes. You can now make these first two circuits not too crazy. So in the last two we can really go for it. Don't try to conserve your energy. Just go within these zones. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, breathe. All right, next one is a squat and a knee cross. What's going to help that heart rate to get that higher intensity is hands behind your head. So if you can squat knee, squat knee, if you're able, you can even add a little jump at the top, but it's not required. All right, we got 30 seconds, then we get a 30 second breather and then we take it to that jump. All right, team, hands behind the head. Squat and knee, whatever that looks like for you. Let's do it. Cross. You don't have to actually get elbow to knee, but let's get the abs involved, let's get the core involved here. Here. Yes, you can with or without the jump. Again, if your legs are tired and you need a little breather, don't get as low, but really get that power. We got five, four, three, two and one. Ho. Now it's getting up there. Right, 30 seconds to breathe. Catch your breath. And when you're letting that heart rate come down, you can walk around, you can tap it out, whatever helps you regulate. All right, this last time, 20 seconds of a squat jump. If you can here, power it up. I want you to leave the ground. If that's not right for you, I want you to at least bring one knee up so you can, as you come down, absorb the impact. Again, that jumping is super important for our bones. So let's get it done. We got 20 seconds. Squat, jump or power squat. Here we go again. It can look like this, it can look like this, it can be low to high. Whatever you got. Less than 10 seconds. Breathe, breathe. Three, two, one. And relax. @ least a minute, if not longer, to breathe. Walk it around if you need to. Now, I know it seems counterintuitive. For many years we've had this idea that as we get older, we should stop doing high impact. But the reality is, yes, we may have to adjust depending on how we feel feel, depending on what's going on with our joints, with our bones. But we need impact, we need plio, we need power to keep those joints strong. So do not believe the idea that you have to stop jumping at a certain age, or if you feel a little bit of pain, that that means you're never going to do it again. Certainly don't work through pain, but work through, through, at a lower impact, through some of that tightness, some of that tension, and then work your way into something a little higher intensity. It doesn't have to be a full on jump, but something that gives you a little bit of that plyo and power. All right, let's step it out for two. Here we go. Squat and reach for two again. Low to high. This is back to your zone one, two, right. You don't have to get as low. I know those quads are burning. If you want to, you certainly can. But I know this is a long round of squats, so if you want to just do a little step and reach. Reach, reach. Yes, you can step out for two this time, just for a little variety. Right. There's that heart rate. I'm in zone two right where I want to be now. My watch is catching up. We got 15 seconds again. If you want to get low with it, you can. If you want to, just take it more of that side step. That works too. Low to high. Three, two, and one. Catch your breath. All right, so squat and knee across up there. Yes. Get low. Bring that knee across again. If you don't want to get as low, at least get that power coming across. Get it done again. As we land, we're going to get some of that pio, some of that power, some of that good work for our joints, for our bone density and to really work our muscles, get our hearts pumping. All right? So however you need to get that. Hands behind your head. 30 seconds in three, two, one. Keeping those hands up is going to make things harder, right? Yes. Breathe. Five seconds to go. Three, two, and breathe. Ha. Yes. Walk it around or tap it out, whatever you need in that moment. I know most of us grew up with this idea that we needed to be burning calories all the time and working as hard as as we can and never stop moving in a class or a workout. But we know better now. We want that recovery, because then we come back into that next one stronger. All right, so we got 20 seconds of sit coming up. I want you to go for it. Go hard. We're going to get that squat jump. This is our second time through. So then we go and we get. And we get that water so let's go for it. Little longer recovery this time. That's a intentional whatever it is for you. Driving the knee up, coming up on the toes. Power squat or squat jump. Here we go. Yes, you can. Whatever that is for you. Either way, I want that heart rate up to a level that it feels like a sprint. Right where you need that recovery. Yes. Team, five seconds. Four, three, two. And breathe. Let's grab some water. Not much more. All right. All right. We kept it. Not too crazy with those cheers, y'. All. We're going to this next round. Again, we've got circuit three. Here's what we got. Watch me here while you get that recovery. A little tap back, right? A little pop back if you can. You're gonna either pop it back, pop it in, or you can walk it back, walk it in. If that's not right for you, you can lunge it back or tap it back, but a little more intensity, all right? And then if you can, we're getting fun. Full burpee. And what I'm going to tell you guys is we're only these last two circuits, we're only going through everything once. So we're mixing it up so that full burpee, if you can. We're getting all the way down in a way that's good for you. Jump it up if you can. If the jumps are not right for you, walk it out, walk it back, do the push up, bring it back in one time through of each. 60, 30, 20, and then we get our last round. All right, we're cutting these circuits in half for this last round, but we're gonna go for it. Not a lot of moves in this workout, but a lot of intensity. All right, so we got 60 seconds. Let's go ahead and start with that little tap back. Arms can be in front or over the head in three, two, one. If you're feeling spicy and you want to make this one a lunge, you can. Now, I know I got all those over achievers out there. You don't have to do that. You can just pick up your pace a little bit. But Again, this is 60 seconds of a moderate intensity, so it doesn't have to feel like you're really getting a hit workout yet, right? We got that coming with our pop back or walk back. So tap it back, add a little quickness to it if you want. Or low to high, up to you. We have 15 seconds to go. These are all a little bit different, but I wanted to have a few different things in these last two circuits. 10 seconds. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, and. All right, team. So walk it back, pop it back, or lunge it back. So so many options. But it's a higher intensity interval. So if for you, this is your high intensity, getting down on the lunge, go for it. Otherwise, walk it back, walk it in, bring it up. Or you could do that on a bench or pop it back. Not all the way down yet. We got 30 seconds of hit with a pop back. Let's get ready. In three, three. In two, one. Here we go. And up. I really want you to also think, especially in the hit intervals, about making sure you get a really strong plank. Bring it in, bring it up. All right, not cheating those moves up. I know we're getting tired. That's why this workout's getting shorter as we go, right? 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. All right, this is it. Last one. 20 seconds only. That's a burpee. Going all the way down if you can. Keep that pop up if you want, but add some intensity. Add a sprint or again, tap it back, but make it a sprint interval for you, what does that mean for you? And your heart rate. If your heart rate is getting up high, just doing that tap back, Keep that. We got 20 seconds. Let's go for it. In three. In two, one. Here we go. All the way down if you can. All the way up. I know nobody likes burpees. Most people don't. I don't. But that is why we are getting just one round. Yes. Five seconds. Three, two, one. Now it's up there, right? Catch your breath. Water. If you need a team, one last circuit, and it's quick. All right, Cheers, y'. All. Okay, we're back to here. Catch your breath. Let that heart rate come down. I know mine is up there in zone four still, so that's why we get longer recovery. Here's what we got. We're going to do a transverse, so that's opening up on the diagonal. We're gonna do a lunge into it and a reach, side reach. So I want you to think of it as a little stretch and a reach. When we take it to hit, we're gonna go toes out. Now it's a transverse. Squat, jump, Squat, jump, squat. Then jump through the center. If the jump is not right for you, you just reach. When we get our hit, we're 180 degrees side to side. That can be squat or no squat, but we're moving, moving in the transverse. So not quite 180, but you know what I mean. All right, team, are we ready? Transverse reach. 60 seconds. This is our last round. 60, 30, 20 is all we need. Let's get it done. Breathe. Step out in that transverse. Lunge and reach it. Here we go. Lunge and reach. And again. You don't have to get super low. Look, I know that we all did a workout probably yesterday, depending on how you schedule the workouts, where we got a lot of lower body and even some high impact, right? I know. I get it. It. And up. Right here and up here. 30 seconds. If you don't want to get as low, don't get as low. Just shift your weight to get the stretch and move on that diagonal, right? We're opening up the hips so we get that mobility to move for our joints. Breathe. Hand up. 15 seconds. Yes, you can. Ha. 4, 3, 2, 1. All right. Not so bad, right? We're back down. Yes. All right, now we're gonna take it with that little jump. So now it's a transverse squat. So like a plie here. You don't have to get super low with it and either a little hop to the center or power reach. Up to you. 30 seconds. Up that intensity to that hit interval. Let's get it done in three, two, one. Here we go. You can step it out and jump or low, little jump in the center Again, you don't have to get super low. I know those legs are tired. Yes. Breathe. Five, four, three, two, one. Yes. All right, team, last one. Whatever it is for you, if it's that jump. I know. I feel it too. If you want to do the full jump, right to left, left to right, or turn, add some intensity or add some arms. Any of that is going to be that sprint interval for you. You figure out what is best for you. Can we get it done? I think we can. We got 20 seconds, and that is it, team. Then we are cooling it down. So hang with me for 20 more. We're gonna breathe for just a few more seconds. Remember, you can go here to here, full jump, or step it. Let's sprint it. Here we go. Yes, you can. It's only 20 seconds. Finish strong with me because no bonus, nothing else after this. Hang with me. Five seconds to go. Four, three, two, one. And breathe. I know. Catch your breath. Oh, right, Right here. Walk it around the room. Just give yourself a second. When I used to teach class in gym spaces for many, many years, at the end of a hard cardio class or boot camp class, I would always have them walk around the room because it gives you that minute to just kind of recenter yourself. Shake it out, whatever space you have. I know some of us are working out in tight spaces. That's okay. All right, team. Hopefully you felt that, right? So just a little step in front. Swing those arms. Hopefully you felt the difference. Remember, these differences does not mean that every cardio workout needs to be like this. Some are going to be more on the active recovery zone 2 side. Some are going to be. Let's tap behind more of your hit and see. Sit right. Either way, we just want to be specific about it, right? Being aware that we don't want to be going hard, hard, hard, hard, hard all the time throughout a 45, 60 minute workout. Honestly, who has time for a 60 minute workout? Most of us don't. Right, let's take it right here. Let's get a little stretch to the hamstring. We're going to keep these stretches pretty quick, but I want you to stretch your back as you stretch your hamstring and your calf. Lean towards that if you need to grab onto the wall. You can can please get some more stretching on your own, Especially maybe some calf stretches. You can push your heel down in the back or down off of a step. And the other side right here. Take it back. S those arms out right here. So get some more mobility and flexibility, stability after this workout and also throughout your day and your week. I know. Breathe. Stretching it out right here. Walk those feet in slowly. Round it up. Let's get one big deep breath in and out. You did it. That was your z own cardio for perimenopause and menopause workout. Great job.