Fit Body by Julia: HIIT to Boost Metabolism #1

I have been following Fit Body by Julia on YouTube for over a year. Ever since she posted her first PHAT workout. But I never did get around to trying it. But recently an email from a reader prompted me to finally work some of her workouts into my rotation. I have 3 planned (including this one ) for November and another 10 or 12 for the end of December. Since this is my first, it really depends on how November goes whether or not I will follow through with the December workouts that are already scheduled. But if I do, I plan to do all 4 of her PHAT workouts the end of December.

So, this is my first Fit Body by Julia workout. And it was tough and very effective but also… different. I knew there was no music and I would have to play my own (which I did) but I didn’t realize what a large part of the workout her baby would be. He/She was the sound track for this workout. I admire Julia for getting that workout in, despite having an infant. In fact, Julia’s enormous library of super intense and super long YouTube workouts are a testament for any mom trying to use the excuse–I have no time! My kids won’t let me!–that there are obviously work arounds. Julia got in a great workout in spite of her baby. At times she even had to trade in her dumbbells for a baby. And apparently the baby was heavier than the dumbbell she was using for Russian Twists! With that said, I am not dumping on busy moms who do not have time to workout. I have two (grown) daughters and when they were infants I was not working out like I do now. My workouts generally consisted of pushing a stroller. It wasn’t until they were older and I discovered The Firm that I became a fitness addict.

One thing I really like about Julia’s workouts is that below each video there is a break down listing every exercise done in the workouts–so I don’t have to preview the workout to create my workout card in advance. However, below, I modified her breakdown a bit after having done the workout, just to clarify any exercises that weren’t clear and to add things such as dumbbell weight. And formatting.

The structure of this workout is three 10 minute HIIT circuits. Between each HIIT circuit you will do a squat, knee raise, kick combo w/ dumbbells (so one squat + one knee raise+ one side kick and alternate sides). The HIIT circuits are a mixture of body weight strength, weighted strength and plyometrics. Each exercise is done for 50 seconds w/ 10 seconds of recovery.

HIIT to Boost Metabolism #1 is 42 minutes long. No warm up or stretch. Equipment: at least one set of dumbbells, a stability ball and a high step. Julia doesn’t always say what the weight of her dumbbells is (she uses adjustable dumbbells) so what is listed below is what I used. At different times during the workout, I do remember her saying 10 pounds, 18 pounds and 24 pounds, but I cannot remember which exercises they were for. And then there is also the possibility I heard her wrong. I do not know how high her step/bench is so I guestimated and set mine at 10 inches.

This is a pretty intense workout that I feel needed a fairly intense warm up. I did Cathe‘s Tabatacise warm up and her Super Cuts stretch afterward.

Part 1:

20 squats with knee + kick (alternate sides) (I used 15# DBs)

HIIT Circuit #1 (do each move for 50 seconds w/ 10 seconds of recovery):

1. 10 high knees + 10 mountain climbers with weights (Julia held DBs while doing this; I did not)
2. Donkey kick ups to handstand (right leg)
3. Repeat #2 on left leg
4. Alternating lunge with shoulder press (10# DBs)
5. Star burpees (burpee and when you do your push up, you are doing a jack push up and your jump at the top is an air jack)
6. Repeat 1-5

Part 2:

20 squats with knee + kick (alternate sides) (I used 15# DBs)

HIIT Circuit #2 (do each move for 50 seconds w/ 10 seconds of recovery):

1. Froggy push-up with kick-through (Julia is in a sort of quadruped or semi-pike pose (butt too high to be a plank) kick leg through as you do a push up, alternate sides when kicking)
2. Squat pulse + heel click (squat pulse twice then jump, clicking heels together) (Julia holds one DB; I held one 15# DB)
3. Ball knee-in + toe taps (get into plank on stability ball, roll ball in underneath you and when you roll back out, tap one toe to the floor, alternate sides)
4. Elevated lower leg lifts + twist on right leg (get into straight arm side plank w/ top foot resting on top of bench/step and raise and lower bottom leg; the second time through this circuit you bring in bottom knee and tap w/ top elbow)
5. Elevated lower leg lifts + twist on left leg
6. Repeat 1-5

Part 3:

20 squats with knee + kick (alternate sides) (I used 15# DBs)

HIIT Circuit #3 (do each move for 50 seconds w/ 10 seconds of recovery):

1. Bulgarian split squat + dead lift on right leg (I used 15# DBs)
2. Repeat #1 on other leg
3. Froggy push-up with clap behind (beast or quadruped push up and clap hands behind back)
4. Russian twists (holding weight or baby–the second time through Julia had to hold her baby because he/she was crying; I used one 10# DB)
5. ½ burpee + heel grab jump (burpee w/out a push up + rock star jump)
6. Repeat 1-5

20 squats with knee + kick (alternate sides) (I used 15# DBs)

For more info on Fit Body by Julia and other (free) streaming workouts I’ve sampled and reviewed, check out my Streaming page.