High-intensity interval training—or HITT—is a phrase being thrown around by fitness pros ad nauseam to describe any workout that alternates between intense bursts of activity and periods of lower-impact exercise, but there’s been a lot of research to back up the claim that working up a sweat this way is way more effective at torching calories than just sticking to a continuous pace.
One Canadian study found 10 minute-long sprints on a standard stationary bike with one minute of rest in between three times a week will do more for your muscles than hours of biking at a consistent, less strenuous pace. So it’s not surprising then that some of the most popular (and effective) fitness studios in the country use HIIT as the foundation of their classes. From rowing to cycling and even trampoline classes, there are hundreds of HIIT studios to try out right now, but to save you the hassle, I tested out four of the best—and found out how you can re-create those workouts at home.
Flywheel
What to expect: A 30- to 60-minute class on a stationary bike that also incorporates dumbbells for an extra challenge. Also, I enjoyed the music almost more than the class itself, which is a bonus.
By working some of the larger muscles in your body for up to 60 minutes, you’re guaranteed to torch fat: “Flywheel classes consist of interval training, which causes your heart rate to spike and then come down repeatedly. This is the best way to keep your heart rate elevated all day, and when your heart rate is elevated all day, your metabolism is higher. You are also working the largest muscles on your body—your legs, which means you need more energy, which ultimately leads to a higher calorie burn,” said Flywheel Master Instructor, Holly Rilinger, adding that you can expect to burn an impressive 600 to 800 calories in one class.
What the studios look like: Each class studio is designed with stadium-style seating, which means no one’s view of the instructor is obstructed. When the class is on, the room is pretty dark, and some use LED lighting for special effect. There’s a leader board at the front of the class, which will tell you who’s working the hardest—and no, you don’t have to include yourself on the board if you don’t want to.
How to try it at home: If you have a stationary bike at home or a gym membership, here’s how you can re-create some elements of Flywheel away from their studios. “Music is a key ingredient to my classes,” said Rilinger. “My suggestion is to create a playlist of 10 or 11 of your favorite songs. This playlist can include a variety of music and tempos. Pedal to the beat of the song. At key moments when the music picks up, pick up the pace and head into a sprint. Most songs have three key moments where this happens. When the song is slower, imagine you are on a hill and turn up the resistance,” she explained.
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Bari
What you can expect: This hybrid workout blends dance cardio, trampoline cardio, and slower muscle-sculpting moves in either a 30-minute or 55-minute session. I’m personally obsessed with the trampoline element, as I felt as though it delivered a much deeper burn than most other HIIT classes I’ve done in the past, and it’s completely low impact and great for your joints—and, yes, my muscles were sore for days.
“Typically high-intensity training calls for a ton of impact on your joints, but because one of our primary modalities is trampoline cardio, we’re able to achieve that same high-energy and high-calorie burn while minimizing joint impact. You feel like you’re running on clouds, but your heart rate skyrockets,” explained Alexandra Bonetti, founder of Bari.
A big bonus is that you can expect to torch between 600 and 800 calories in Bari’s cardio classes: “It’s one of the most effective and efficient forms of training because you burn more fat, build a healthier heart, and increase your metabolism,” Bonetti said.
I tried a private session, but group classes are available—and much more affordable. All the prices and the schedule are available on their website.
What the studios look like: Clean, airy, and welcoming, with some added character in the form of neon signs.
How to try it at home: “To emulate trampoline cardio, alternate one minute of quick jump-roping with one minute of light, slower jump-roping. Be sure to keep your abs engaged through both forms of cardio. For full Bari workouts at home, stay tuned for our online workouts debuting this spring,” said Bonetti.
Tone House
What to expect: Even after the short warm-up, I was completely exhausted—but don’t let that put you off. If you can handle the first 10 minutes of the class, you can definitely stomach the following 50. Basically, you follow a circuit for the first half of the class that includes a row of obstacles lining the far wall of the gym and instructions on how you should move around them (like, for example, frog jumps). Then you sprint back up along the other side of the gym to start the circuit again. It’s extreme!
“The workouts are team-oriented, and the competitive, motivating, and encouraging atmosphere guarantees optimal fitness results,” Tone House’s founder, Alonzo Wilson, told us, adding that the class utilizes movement-based training, which is “critical to making any physical improvements, from burning more calories, improving overall strength and endurance, and gaining more flexibility.”
If you do this workout regularly, you’ll likely see quick results that include enhanced coordination, agility, balance, and motor control—and, of course, weight loss: “The utilization of more muscle groups or the entire body during a training session expends more energy and results in a more effective and efficient workout rather than targeting or isolating specific muscles,” Wilson explained.
While Wilson said that the number of calories burned depends on each individual’s exertion, people have burned more than 1,000 calories in the 60-minute class—impressive!
What the studio looks like: Tone House is lined with black Astroturf, and the dim lighting and thumping music keeps you motivated.
How to replicate a class at home: Try to master a push-up scorpion. “Begin in high plank push-up position. Complete one push-up and then flip over to the left so that you’re in a backwards table top. Extend the right hand and left leg up to touch. Flip back over to high plank and repeat. Do for one minute, flipping to the left and then one minute flipping to the right (and then left hand touches right leg),” suggested Wilson.
CityRow
What you can expect: This class isn’t easy and involves alternating intervals on and off the row machine for 45 to 50 minutes. I liked that the class targets the whole body, and the fast pace means I never had a chance to get bored.
“Our classes are programmed specifically to test you in short, medium, and long time durations while constantly varying the movements and asking you to perform them at a high intensity; but more so, our emphasis is on safety, good movement, and only adding load (weight) when it’s appropriate for that individual athlete,” explained head trainer Jared Stein.
What the studio looks like: “My studios look like CrossFit gyms; they have all the toys you could want,” Stein said.
How to replicate a class at home: Stein recommends a workout centering around 21, 15, then 9 reps of burpees, air squats, and tricep dips (off a couch or counter). “Perform 21 repetitions of the burpees, air squats, and dips, then continue right into the round of 15, and finally into the round of 9. This is meant to be done as fast and as safe as possible,” he said, adding: “It’s short, it’s simple, and it’s 135 reps!”
