HIIT Step/Bicep Weight Circuits

HIIT Step/Bicep Weight Circuits is an intense cardio + strength workout. Because it is one of Yvette’s long workouts (71:30 minutes) this can be shortened into an approx. hour long cardio only workout. The first 52 minutes (including the warm up) is all interval cardio. When Yvette has you add risers to your step, stop there and scrub forward to the stretch and you have a 55 minute cardio step workout. The last 15 minutes of the workout is bicep/cardio/core circuits and it is excellent, too. So overall this is a great weekend workout for me, when I have more time for longer workouts (today is President’s Day and my office is closed–so longer workout day for me!), but I will also use it M-F for an intense cardio-only workout. The step cardio portion of the workout is all athletic based intervals–so no complex choreography. And the entire workout is high impact.

HIIT Step/Bicep Weight Circuits is 71:30 minutes long; 10:30 minute warm up and 2:30 minute stretch. First 52 minutes is 30/10 cardio intervals (30 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of recovery), the last 15 minutes is weight/kettlebell/cardio circuits in which you work your biceps and your core. For the strength work you do 8-12 reps of each exercise so you can lift pretty heavy. Equipment: starts with a step @ 8 inches set up vertically and 5 pound dumbbells. For the last 15 minutes you will add risers, bringing step to 10 inches, you will also need dumbbells and a kettlebell (Yvette and class used a 10 pound kettlebell). Yvette also wore weighted gloves for the entire workout and so did I.

1. 3 jump rope hops on step + one squat jump straddling step
2. One plank jack w/ hands on step, jump feet in and do 2 standing jacks
3. Box jump, land in a wide squat and pulse 3x, jump back on floor landing in wide squat and pulse 3x
4. Shuffle taps straddling step (feet tap the step)
5. Long jump, burpee, jog back to start
6. Straddling step, jump forward, jump back, jump on and off step
7. Fast steps over the step and back
8. Start straddling step and jump onto step on one foot, alternate feet
9. In plank w/ feet on step and hands on floor, alternate tapping feet to floor
10. Step on step w/ knee lift/hop, step off step and do 2 jump lunges
11. Straddle step and jack on and off the step
12. Repeat #10 on other leg
13. Straddling step, jump forward, jump back, jump in place 2x
14. One donkey kick w/ hands on step and one jump while standing
15. Lunge step side to side on/off step and alternate tapping step and punching forward
16. With hands on step, jump feet over step then jump once beside step, alternate sides
17. Straddle, straddle, hop w/ knee raise
18. Curtsy lunge beside step, straddle step and jump on and off step
19. Fast straddle steps on and off step
20. Repeat #18 on other leg
21. Repeat #19 starting with other lead leg
22. Lateral jump on and off step + one burpee
23. Run in place to 6 counts, leap over step and repeat on other side
24. Lateral skaters w/ punch downs (5# DBs)
25. Step one foot on step and other foot out to side while punching, alternate sides (5# DBs)
26. Long jump forward, 3 squat jumps back
27. Lateral squat side to side, tapping floor (line taps)
28. Straddling step, long jump forward, long jump back, burpee w/ hands on step
29. Alternating overhead punches (5# DBs)
30. With hands on step, jump feet over step 3x then stand
31. Fast jog taps, tapping feet to top of step
32. Lateral jump side to side w/ one foot always on step
33. Burpee w/ DBs on step + 8 punches when standing (5# DBs)
34. In plank w/ hands on step, jump feet to side, jump back, jump feet to other side
35. Side step over step and do 2 jacks on floor, pushing DBs overhead (5# DBs)
36. Burpee w/ hands on step + 3 squat jumps
37. Step one foot on step and other foot out beside step, alternate sides
38. Fast steps on and off step
39. Side lunge then leap over step and back
40. Alternating step knee pulls
41. Repeat #39 on other side of body
42. Step together step with front punches (5# DBs)
43. Side to side lunges w/ 2 punch downs and raising arms over head 2x
44. 50 second water break
45. One basic step + 2 jacks pushing DBs overhead (5# DBs)
46. Burpee w/ hands on step, jump on and off step
47. Straddle step and squat walk forward and back fast
48. Step over step w/ knee raises
49. 3 squat pulses then squat jump pushing DBs overhead (5# DBs)
50. Double side kick + 2 jacks
51. In straight arm plank w/ hands on step, alternate tapping shoulders, jump feet in and do tuck jump
52. Repeat #50 on other leg
53. Run from one side of the step to the other, tapping floor (Yvette calls the horseshoes)
54. Plank jacks w/ hands on step
55. Step together step w/ upper cuts (5# DBs)
56. Step kick on step, lunge back off step and tap fingers to step
57. Alternating upper cuts
58. Punch down + side kick
59. In straight arm plank w/ hands on step, step hands off and on step
60. Repeat #58 on other leg
61. Lateral skaters, tapping fingers to ground

@ 52 minutes, add risers to step so it is 10 inches and get heavier dumbbells for bicep work and your kettlebell. You will do circuits of 30 seconds of cardio followed by 8-12 reps of bicep strength exercises and 30 seconds of core. It takes approx. 2 minutes for the set up. The weights listed below are what I used.

1. Straddle, straddle, knee w/ hop
2. Supination curls, 8-12 reps (20# DBs)
3. In C-sit do figure 8’s w/ kettlebell (10# KB)
4. Jump 3x on top of step then straddle squat jump
5. Repeat #2
6. Full sit ups holding KB in both hands, do pullover at bottom and overhead press at top (12# KB)
7. Squat jump laterally over step (one foot is always on step)
8. Repeat #2
9. Start standing, holding KB overhead, raise knee to side while bringing elbow down to meet knee (12# KB)
10. Straddle step off step w/ one straight leg raise out to side, alternate which leg raises
11. Concentration curls, 8-12 reps (one 18# DB)
12. Repeat #9 on other side of body
13. Burpee w/ hands on step, jump on step and pulse squat 3x
14. Repeat #11 on other arm
15. Lay on back, straight legs raised to ceiling, hold KB on both hands and do crunches, reaching KB toward feet (12# KB)
16. Straddle, straddle, front kick, alternate which leg kicks
17. Regular bicep curls + wide bicep curls, 10 reps (13# DBs)
18. C sit wit legs raised off floor, hold KB in both hands and do overhead presses; changes to Russian twists (10# KB)

For more info on Yvette Bachman and other (free) streaming workouts I’ve sampled and reviewed, check out my Streaming page.