HIIT training: what is it, types, exercises for men and women, benefits and contraindications

In our dynamically developing world, every hour is of great value. Few people can afford to devote time to regular exercise. Achieving good results in a short period is a dream that can come true.

Spend just one hour a week on sports and stay in excellent physical shape, burn fat and build muscle in 15 minutes of exercise - all this is a HIIT training system. She has managed to establish herself all over the world. Let's take a look at what this unique direction means.

What it is

HIIT training is high-intensity interval training, a mix of aerobic and anaerobic exercise, alternating cardiorespiratory and strength exercises of varying degrees of intensity. The essence of the training is to “start and pump up” metabolic processes in the body, increase the endurance of the heart and muscles, and accelerate fat burning. Among other advantages of the direction, experts note three main advantages of HIIT:

Training time is only 15 minutes 3 times a week. This is a convenient option if you don’t have free time to maintain good physical shape.
HIIT helps prepare the body for a hike in the mountains or a cycling marathon and increases endurance significantly.
Training allows you to achieve noticeable results in losing weight in a short period of time.

Even more benefits of HIIT

High-intensity interval training will save you time because it will take less time to get the results you want. Agree, 30 minutes on an exercise bike or ellipse is a rather tedious activity. HIIT is exhausting to the fullest, but this type of training will not let you get bored.

Another benefit of HIIT is that you can work out almost anywhere with or without any equipment! The possibilities are almost endless: you can work with a weight loss jump rope, weights, dumbbells, a rubber band or your own weight. The only limitation is probably that HIIT may not be suitable for a cardio training room, but here everything depends only on your imagination.

So choose - long, monotonous exercises on cardio equipment for weight loss or high-intensity interval training. There are a huge number of exercise combinations for you and a lot of benefits - maximum fat burning by accelerating metabolism and increasing the amount of fat-burning enzymes, as well as muscle building. And all this in the shortest possible time!

Scientific background

In a professional sports environment, interval training has long established itself as a quick and safe method to get the body into the desired shape. Coaches use this kind of “buildup” to prepare the athlete for competitions, after which they return to the normal pace of training. The essence of the method is that training using the HIIT system increases the frequency of contraction of the heart muscle to 80% of the maximum, taking the body out of its stable comfort zone for a few seconds. As a result, endurance increases significantly.

Research on the effects of HIIT on humans has been conducted all over the world: in Japan, the USA, Great Britain, Brazil, and Russia. Both athletes and untrained people leading a passive lifestyle took part in the experiment. Scientists have confirmed that short interval training allows you to burn 6 times more calories and body fat than regular fitness classes at a steady pace. The result of the research was the adaptive HIIT program.

The most useful home cardio workout

Any aerobics exercise at home will give results if it is performed with the correct technique and in the allotted time. However, not everyone is suited for the same thing, especially when it comes to doing cardio at home. The right choice depends on your body type, fitness level and personal preference.

We recommend that you watch a few different online workouts from Motify before you make your decision. Evaluate for yourself training with different trainers and different approaches. This will give you a good idea of what you might like. Properly selected activities will bring you joy and motivate you to new sports victories.

Motify's Competitive Advantage

With the Motify online training service, you can exercise with professionals right from home. We don't limit you and give you the opportunity to choose your trainer from dozens of certified cardio specialists from all over the world. By subscribing, you get unlimited access to all our instructor videos.

Watch different videos, learn techniques and track your results during training. There is simply no easier way to get in shape.

What are the benefits of interval training?

HIIT is among the TOP fitness trends in 2022 and 2022. Thanks to this method, the fat burning process continues even after the end of the lesson for a period of 5 to 24 hours. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has concluded that metabolic acceleration occurs after the end of training, and the effect continues to grow with each subsequent session.

For those who have lost weight using a calorie counting system at least once in their life, the principle of the “swing” is well known, when the body adapts to a decrease in kcal consumption and the weight stops moving down. In this case, it is recommended to alternate between fasting and overeating. HIIT works the same way. Interval training helps:

quickly “dry” the body, replace fat deposits with muscle mass;
improve the body’s energy reserves several times;
increase endurance and strength;
maintain normal weight, even with increased calorie intake;
strengthen the heart muscle;
reduce cholesterol and sugar;
improve immunity, eliminate the development of ischemia and type 2 diabetes;
get rid of overwork and depression;
increase testosterone and growth hormone.

How the training works

Why is the word “fat burning” put in quotation marks? For the simple reason that interval training for weight loss, like any other training, can be called fat-burning only conditionally.

Strength training, even “for relief,” does not burn fat on its own. The essence of interval training is also somewhat different - the main thing here will be to accelerate metabolic processes, which will increase calorie consumption throughout the day. Direct fat burning is possible under some conditions during low-intensity long-term cardio, but the process of losing weight will still depend on diet, because if you eat sweets all day after training, you will only gain weight.

So remember, training alone is not enough to lose weight, even if it is super effective. You also need to watch your diet.

Creating a Calorie Deficit

Let's look at some basic principles of getting rid of excess subcutaneous fat.

In order to lose weight, in addition to intense training, you need to create a calorie deficit. Simply put, you need to consume fewer calories than you burn during the day. Without this condition, all further conversation is meaningless. The deficit should be no more than 20% of the norm. If you consume less, the effect will be the opposite.

It would seem, what does training have to do with it? You can simply eat less, maintain a deficit and lose weight. But let’s go through all the principles step by step.

So, the first thing to lose weight is to create a calorie deficit. But it is worth remembering that our body receives the missing energy from two sources: from our fat reserves and from our muscles. If we do not actively use muscles, that is, train, then muscle mass will be primarily used to cover energy needs.

Also, as already mentioned, interval training accelerates the metabolism, which leads to increased calorie consumption by the body. Your norm may increase, for example, from 1600 to 1800-1900 kcal per day, which will allow you to eat more and not starve yourself. And the training itself requires certain energy expenditure.

That is why - a positive effect on metabolism and calorie consumption, as well as preservation of muscles during weight loss - in addition to a proper diet, we also need training.

Androgen training

Fat burning is regulated by stress hormones, in particular adrenaline and norepinephrine. But the influence of other hormones is also important. For example, cortisol can destroy muscle and, conversely, promotes the accumulation of fat.

And growth hormone and testosterone during weight loss act in such a way that muscle mass is not subject to catabolism. This means that we must ensure that they predominate in our hormonal background. Exogenous administration of drugs is not the best idea for an amateur; it is better to leave this to professional athletes. And that is why amateurs need training. It is in response to training that the human body releases androgens and somatotropin that we need so much. Research shows that interval training shows a noticeable increase in testosterone levels.

Harm and contraindications

It is believed that HIIT classes are not suitable for beginners, and to switch to interval training, certain physical preparation is required. This statement is not entirely true. Extreme sports training is suitable for everyone who is relatively healthy, but before starting classes you must undergo a medical examination and tests. Absolute contraindications to HIIT:

diseases of the heart and blood vessels;
suffered a stroke or heart attack;
diagnosed type 1 diabetes;
long-term smoking and alcohol consumption.

In other cases, the type and intensity of exercise depends on the initial physical condition of the person. Provided you have a reasonable approach, HIIT training is acceptable even in the treatment of obesity. The main thing is to constantly monitor your heart rate using a fitness bracelet or heart rate monitor during exercise.

The effect of interval training on the body dictates certain restrictions in diet and lifestyle:

It is recommended to refrain from taking fat burners, caffeine, stimulants or cardiovascular drugs before training;
You should not drink drinks containing fast carbohydrates and sugar;
You should not visit the sauna after class (a cold shower or swimming pool is better for relaxation);
It is forbidden to combine hiit and a carbohydrate-free diet (this can lead to a sharp drop in blood sugar levels and fainting).

Beginners should only exercise under the guidance of a trainer, who will help develop a detailed training plan with a gradual increase in time and intensity of stress on the joints and nutrition recommendations. Most video lessons describing the regime are designed for physically fit and absolutely healthy people.

The first workouts should take no more than 5-15 minutes. You can set aside about an hour a day two or three times a week and this is enough to change clothes, take a shower and have time for a restorative massage session or have a snack at a healthy food cafe, for example, at the LaSalute club. After a high-intensity workout, many people notice a strong appetite.

Alarming symptoms after HIIT that you should immediately pay attention to: a constant feeling of fatigue, acute muscle pain and shortness of breath. This condition is a reason to stop training and immediately consult a doctor.

Fat burning supplements for men

Weider | Super Nova Caps?

The fat burner significantly accelerates the fat burning process with regular training and belongs to the class of thermogenics. Created on the basis of plant extracts.
Category: Fat burners More about the category

Take 2 capsules daily.

Does not contain ephedrine, which is banned in most countries due to its extremely dangerous biological activity. As an analogue of ephedrine, “Super Nova Caps” uses synephrine, which is completely devoid of the side effects of ephedrine, despite the fact that its action is very similar to the action of ephedrine. The drug also contains caffeine to stimulate the nervous system, create concentration and increase endurance; salicin (willow extract) with other components helps burn fat; green tea extract, which, like synephrine, provides a thermogenic effect. Weider's "Super Nova Caps" formula also includes additional components - quercetin, chromium and ascorbic acid. They act as adaptogens and help maintain the health of the immune and nervous systems. In addition to fat burning, Super Nova Caps improves the tolerance of a low-carb diet, increases activity, suppresses appetite, helps concentrate, speeds up metabolism and stimulates the central nervous system. Can be used both on rest days and during the training process to speed up the body’s adaptation to various loads.

Red Star Labs | S-BCAA Powder 2:1:1 ?

balanced complex of BCAA amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, valine) with a branched side chain in the traditional ratio of 2:1:1
Category: BCAA More about the category

Mix 1 serving of product with 250 ml of water or milk. Consume 1-2 servings per day based on your needs and diet. Use before and after training. On non-training days, consume between meals.

BCAA amino acids are essential and are not synthesized by the body, entering it from the outside with food. The more often and intensely you exercise, the more BCAAs you need. Not all of this amount can be obtained from food, so additional intake is often required. A sufficient supply of these amino acids improves protein synthesis in the body, promotes fat burning and stimulates the effective gain of high-quality muscle mass, as it prevents catabolism. When you take BCAA during workouts, you will be able to exercise more intensely because these amino acids provide a kind of energy for physical activity. Each serving of S-BCAA powder from Red Star Labs will provide you with 8.6 g of BCAA amino acids in the ideal classic ratio of 2:1:1.

Trec Nutrition | Isolate 100 ?

ISOLATE 100 is a premium nutritional protein product based entirely on the unique whey protein isolate CFM.
Category: Whey Protein Isolate Category details

mix 1 scoop with 250-350 ml of water or milk and drink after training 30-40 minutes later

This product is considered the ideal and most valuable source of proteins and is used as a supplement to a sports diet. ISOLATE 100 supplies the body with quickly absorbed building components of the highest quality, which stimulate the processes of growth and regeneration of muscle fibers. Whey protein isolate is characterized by an optimal content of the most important amino acids with an anabolic effect and active micropeptides. The unique production technology allows us to obtain a record high concentration of pure proteins. As a result, the protein is virtually free of unwanted components that could reduce its nutritional value.

Olimp Sport Nutrition | Knockout 2.0?

New formula for an excellent pre-workout complex. Benefits: 2g beta-alanine and 1g el-arginine for impact training!
Category: Pre-workout supplements

Take one serving (6.1 g of powder or ½ scoop) 30 minutes before training mixed with 250 ml of water

Ingredients: L-citrulline, beta-alanine, citric acid, L-arginine hydrochloride, taurine, L-tyrosine, silicon dioxide, flavors, caffeine, guarana seeds, barley extract, acesulfame K, sucralose, sodium cyclamate, cayenne pepper seed extract , black pepper seed extract, ramus serrata leaf extract, carotene, carmine, riboflavin, E150c, E150d, E133, indigo, chlorophyll and chlorophyllin, curcumin, anthocyanin, paprika extract, betanin, plant carbon.

Sports nutrition recommendations are indicative only. Before purchasing, we recommend that you consult with a specialist in the store.

By adding L-carnitine to the diet and following the proposed fat burning program, girls will quickly lose excess weight and tone their body in the shortest possible time.

On the website you can find information on products from different manufacturers, for example, L-carnitine from Optimum Nutrition or effective L-carnitine Dymatize and choose the right sports supplement for yourself.

Types of HIIT

The training program for an ordinary person is almost always built individually. According to the HIIT method, it doesn’t really matter what you do: jump rope, use an exercise bike, run in the park or on the track in the gym. The main thing is to alternate active efforts at the limit of your capabilities with periods of rest, carefully monitoring your pulse. In one five-minute session it is permissible to combine various types of interval training: cardio and strength training, running and jumping, stretching and squats with weights.

Tabata Protocol

This type of interval training has a clear timing: 20 seconds of maximum load alternated with a 10-second rest. One approach or circle takes 4 minutes, during which you need to perform 8 sets of any exercise: push-ups, pull-ups, squats, etc. A warm-up is mandatory to warm up and prepare the muscles.

Gerschler method

The effectiveness of interval training is determined by your heart rate. The heart rate accelerates to 80-85% of the maximum, and then 2 minutes are given to rest, during which the heart rate should recover to 120 beats in 60 seconds. The sets continue until the heart rate stops falling during rest. This is a signal to stop training. On average, the duration of a lesson is 20-30 minutes.

Fartlek

Group interval sprint based on competition using a standardized protocol:

10 minutes warm-up, jogging;
10 minutes of running at high speed;
5 minutes of brisk walking to relax;
100 m straight, race;
100 m race on a slope, uphill;
A 5-minute cool-down walk takes the body out of stress.

Exercise bike

This type of HIIT involves:

5 minutes of warm-up in a calm mode;
30 seconds – maximum speed at high resistance;
1 minute – rest at a medium or slow pace with minimal resistance.

Beginners should not choose complex sets of exercises. This will not be of particular benefit, since the body needs time to adapt to the stress. For the first month, running, swimming, jumping rope, cycling or orbitrek are suitable. Then classes can be diversified with weights, alternating work on machines and strength exercises.

Depending on the desired result: lose weight, build muscle mass or increase endurance, you can choose interval training with an emphasis on cardio, strength or mixed.

Each professional has his own HIIT system in his arsenal, developed taking into account personal experience and based on the level of preparedness of the target audience. Therefore, it is more comfortable and safer for a beginner to exercise under the supervision of a trainer, at least until the body is in minimally good physical shape. Then you can continue studying at home.

Cardio without jumping: what types of activities are there?

There are not as few of them as it might seem at first glance. Experts consider the following types of activities to be safe for your knees and effective for losing weight.

Swimming . If your goal is to lose weight, it makes sense to master any sports style and exercise for at least 50 minutes. Why? “The fat burning process starts in 40 minutes if you exercise at a heart rate of 60-70% of your maximum (this is equivalent to fast walking or swimming),” says Alexandra Chuprakova, master trainer, group program trainer at the federal network of fitness clubs X-Fit .

Cardio exercises . The favorites here are the elliptical and rowing - they are safe for the knees and joints of the spine.

Yoga . Most types of yoga do not involve jumping, but do involve intense stress on all the muscles of the body. If you want to lose weight, choose dynamic directions .

Nordic walking. It not only speeds up your heart rate (which is important for losing weight), but also strengthens the main muscle groups (which makes your silhouette more toned). You can master the technique and learn about the rules of Scandi training here .

Home cardio. It is important here to choose a training program that will not overload the joints. Not sure you can create it yourself? Take advantage of the ready-made one - Alexandra Chuprakova will show you one of the effective workouts without jumping and running today.

Scheme for beginners

Every sport has ready-made HIIT protocols that professionals use. Beginners need a personalized plan that takes into account age, weight and health status, as well as the result they want to get. Therefore, a doctor and a trainer should draw up a plan and schedule of classes in tandem. There are certain principles of HIIT for beginners:

warm-up and cool-down - at least 5 minutes;
rest phase – 2 times longer than the active stage;
intensive session - no more than 15 seconds;
recovery period - at least 48 hours.

Thus, the training will take about 15 minutes, during which active loads will last only 5 minutes, and the rest of the time will be spent accelerating and slowing down the heart rate.

Calculation of maximum heart rate

It is imperative to purchase a heart rate monitor, timer or fitness bracelet, since heart rate dynamics is the basis of the technique. It is also important to calculate your heart rate limit. This can be done using the Haskell-Fox formula, where the maximum heart rate of 220 beats per minute is considered the limit.

for women MCSR: 206-(0.88 * age);
for men MCSR: 208-(0.7 * age).

The maximum load for an untrained middle-aged person is 85% of the calculated MHR and rest is 50% of the MHR.

Calculation example: for a 35-year-old man, the MOHR is: 208-(0.7*35) = 183 beats per minute.

This means that the maximum permissible heart rate during an intensive exercise interval will be 155-156 beats per minute (85% of 183), and during the rest period the figure should drop to 90-91 beats (50% of 183). By monitoring your heart rate, you can judge the effectiveness of your exercise.

Nutrition and lifestyle

Exercising to the limit, even for just a few minutes, is a real test for the heart, respiratory and metabolic systems. Heavy interval training is prohibited if smoking or drinking alcoholic beverages occurs in the life of the novice athlete. During the course, you need to give up these bad habits.

It is also worth postponing HIIT if you are on a low-carb or mono diet. And for those who are tired of constant malnutrition for the sake of a slim figure, it will be good news that you need to increase your daily diet by 500-1000 kcal on the day of training, that is, consume at least 2000 kcal.

The ratio of BJU will directly depend on the expected result:

for weight loss and fat burning: B (40) : F (40) : U (20);
for gaining muscle mass: B (30-35) : F (15-25) : U (45-50).

A simple formula per kilogram of weight per day will help you calculate the rate of grams consumed:

protein 2 g;
fat 1 g;
carbohydrates 2 g.

Before and after training, amino acids and L-carnitine are allowed for the entire duration of the HIIT course in a dosage of up to 1000 mg per day.

The principle of intermittent fasting is that you need to consume food during the hours of greatest activity, and spend 6-8 hours a day without food. This is the period when you need to completely avoid any snacks and drinks.

American trainers and nutritionists have developed the “100 days to an ideal figure” system, which combines HIIT workout and intermittent fasting. This approach is used to treat obesity. The popularity of the complex is explained by the fact that 30% of extra pounds are easily removed in the first 6 weeks of classes. At the same time, a person feels quite comfortable, as he can adjust his diet and exercise to his normal rhythm of life. A survey of those who tried the system on themselves showed that the following daily and nutritional regimen was the most convenient and painless for a person:

increasing the duration of sleep to 10 hours a day, divided into night and daytime;
division of nutrition according to the principle: in the morning the maximum amount of fat and some carbohydrates;
protein-carbohydrate lunch after training and nap;
protein dinner three to four hours before bedtime.

In the first 6 weeks, you can use the 14/10 scheme, where meals and physical activity are allowed for 10 hours, and sleep and fasting time is 14 hours.

Tips for organizing training

To get the maximum effect from interval training (in terms of fat burning), you must adhere to the following rules for organizing the training process:

Immediately before and after training, it is useful to take a portion of BCAA amino acids.
Before moving on to the main part - the intervals itself - you need to warm up thoroughly, perform a joint warm-up of the whole body and 1-2 sets of the exercises from which you plan to build your workout. Naturally, at a measured pace and with light weight.
After your workout, do a 5-10 minute cool-down. You can supplement it with stretching.
If you use interval running, replace it with your standard low-intensity cardio. At the same time, also conduct strength training (naturally, on days when you don’t run). The overall effect of this approach in fat burning will be more significant.

What exercises to do

It’s easy to try your hand at HIIT using the Tabata protocol. One cycle takes 4 minutes, and the heart rate monitor will show you how many cycles in a row you can complete until you reach your peak estimated heart rate. You shouldn’t immediately grab dumbbells, kettlebells, or try to master burpee exercises if you don’t have the proper preparation. The simplest elements, done at a high tempo, will do an excellent job of accelerating the heart rate:

jumping rope, performed in different modes and combined with alternating knee raises or high jumps;
running in place;
squats and half-squats, which alternate with jumps;
simple and oblique twists from a lying, standing, sitting position;
simplified push-ups from the knees.

8 Week HIIT Program for Beginners

The essence of the Beginner to Advanced complex is to increase the number of heavy loads for the first 4 weeks, and in the next month reduce the rest period. In this case, the total training time remains within 15-20 minutes. Rest can be either complete or associated with low-intensity exercise. For example, the active phase: alternate fast jumping rope with walking in place for relaxation.

Program stages:

First: load/rest in proportion ¼.
Second: the load increases in relation to rest to ½.
Third: rest time is halved: 1/1
Fourth: load/rest is 2/1.

How to do a HIIT workout

Trainers recommend starting this activity with a warm-up (to prepare the musculoskeletal system for stress). The exercises of the complex are usually performed without pauses for rest - they are left between circles. It is optimal to perform 4-5 circles in one session.

You shouldn't include too many exercises in HIIT - 5-6 movements are enough. “If you want to make the training more intense, increase the duration of the period of active work (from 30-45 seconds to 60) or the number of laps,” adds Valentin Zinin.

It is more effective to take a smaller number of movements, but add, for example, the number of circles. “This way you can focus on specific movements and perform them more accurately, without compromising your technique,” notes Valentin Zinin.

The right approach to interval training

HIIT training works like medicine. You will not recover faster if you take pills more and more often, your body will simply be poisoned. This method of training works in exactly the same way: strict frequency of training guarantees the fastest possible effect in the shortest time. And an overdose can cause irreparable harm to the body: it will lead to rapid wear and tear of the heart, joints and muscles.

You cannot do HIIT every day; the body needs at least 24 hours to recover after interval training. The ideal workout plan is 3 times a week, which can be successfully combined with yoga or Pilates to stretch clogged muscles and relax.

The best time of day for training is in the morning, an hour after your first meal. You shouldn’t exercise on a full stomach, but HIIT doesn’t tolerate hungry people either. Breakfast can be divided into two stages: a light snack before training and a glass of juice with baked goods after. Carbohydrate refueling after a maximum load will help boost your metabolism. Busy people can reschedule exercises for the early evening, but no later than 4 hours before bedtime, since IT “wake up” the body and falling asleep immediately after exercise is problematic.

If you do not play sports professionally, but want to stay in good shape without spending a lot of time in the gym, then HIIT is an ideal option that is not necessary to combine with other types of intense exercise. Extra cardio will interfere with normal recovery from training, and this will increase the stress on the heart muscle.

It is better to alternate HIIT with strength exercises rather than mix them. Ideally, devote two days a week to interval training and three to work with weights in a calm mode.

Hiit exercises for men increase aerobic and anaerobic endurance. For those who are serious about achieving muscle hypertrophy, this will be excellent preparation before taking on heavy equipment.

HIIT workout for weight loss at home

The complex includes 6 exercises for the main muscle groups (abs, legs, arms, back). “This workout is aimed at maintaining muscle tone and losing weight, and also develops endurance,” says Valentin Zinin.

How to build a lesson

Start your workout with a short warm-up.
Build your workout according to the circular principle: perform the exercises sequentially without pauses for rest. “The period of active work is 45 seconds, take a minute and a half of rest after completing one lap,” adds Valentin Zinin.
Complete 5 circuits in one workout.
Finish the session with stretching.
Follow this program every other day.

To perform the complex you will need a mat and dumbbells.

Alternating leg raises

Stand straight with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Place your arms along your body, do not slouch, keep your lower back in a neutral position. Raise your hands up. Then transfer your body weight to your right foot, bend your left knee and pull it towards your stomach, while at the same time lower your arms to the left (so that your knee is slightly higher than the level of your palms). Work your abdominal, back and leg muscles. Then lower your left foot, move your arms in a semicircle, raising them above your head, then bend your right knee and pull it towards your stomach. Return to the starting position. This is one repetition. Complete a maximum of these in 45 seconds.

Squat stretch

Stand straight with your feet together. Bend your knees and lower yourself into a squat. Place your palms together in front of your chest. Then jump with your feet apart without straightening your knees. Do not increase the arch in your lower back, work with your abs. Smoothly straighten up, returning to the starting position. This is one repetition.

Bent-over dumbbell row

Stand straight with your feet together. Take dumbbells in your hands. Lean your body forward, moving your pelvis back. In this position, bend your elbows and pull the dumbbells towards your body. Work the muscles of your abs, legs, buttocks and back. Don't slouch or arch your lower back. Then smoothly straighten up, returning to the starting position. This is one repetition.

Push ups

Get into a plank position with your arms and knees straight. Place your palms under your shoulders. Work with your abs, do not bend in your lower back. Bend your elbows and lower your body down. Don't slouch, activate the muscles of the chest and the entire front surface of the body. Then smoothly return to the starting position, straightening your elbows. This is one repetition.

Diagonal crunches

Lie on your back, press your lower back to the floor. Bend your right knee and place your foot on the floor. Extend your left leg forward. Place your hands behind your head. Twist your body forward and to the left. At the same time, bend your left knee, moving it towards your right elbow. Work your abdominal muscles. Return to the starting position, this is one repetition. Do... in each direction.