Best 20 Minute HIIT Treadmill and Bike Workouts
HIIT is a commonly used acronym in the fitness and lifestyle industry. It’s because of the comprehensive benefits it has on your body.
Although HIIT is done in short periods, its ability to maximize your athletic performance can never be ignored.
Many forms of exercises can incorporate HIIT such as jogging, bodyweight workout, or weight training.
If you aim to lose fat while building aerobic endurance then there is no better option than HIIT treadmill and bike workout.
Why Should You Do a 20 Minute HIIT Workout?
The efficiency of HIIT workouts is that they are meant to be quick, and still be able to push you to the verge of exhaustion.
20 minutes is an ideal time for a HIIT workout because the majority of people can easily push themselves hard for 20 minutes.
Some people may be able to push harder for 20 minutes say 28-30 minutes, it depends on their stamina and physical conditioning.
The goal for a HIIT workout remains the same i.e you must be exhausted after finishing the workout.
Fast Fat Loss
A 20-minute HIIT workout is far more effective than a 2-hour long jog for shedding some fat.
HIIT treadmill and bike workout will force your body to burn fat to fulfill the demand for energy instead of burning carbs.
Just a 20-minute HIIT session is enough to boost your metabolic rate for the next 24 hours.
Due to the increased metabolic rate, gaining weight can become difficult for you and you will be burning calories even when you are not exercising.
Deals With Plateaued Weight Loss
You might have noticed that your body quickly burns fat during the first few weeks when you start exercising but, after some you stop losing weight.
It’s because your body adapts to the exercises and metabolism declines. The slower metabolism causes you to slow down your weight loss journey.
After some weeks of exercising, you might stop losing weight even if you are eating the same number of calories and exercising regularly as before.
In HIIT you are always surprising your body with innovative workouts. And, your body doesn’t adapt to a routine of exercise so your weight loss is never plateaued.
HIIT workouts demand that your performance stays at the week through the session. Your workout apparel can have a big impact on your performance, click here to shop the best-in-class workout apparel.
Only 20 minutes a day are enough to keep you fit
Every one of us lives a busy lifestyle. It might be difficult for you to find some spare time from your routine and hit the gym.
The shortage of time can be a big demotivator in your fitness journey. That’s where HIIT steps in.
You can easily spare 20 minutes out of your routine and utilize it for your fitness. According to researchers, a 20 minutes HIIT session is more beneficial than 40 minutes of cardio,
Types of Bikes for Exercise
There are a variety of bikes at the gym that can be used for a HIIT workout. The question arises which type of bike is the best.
To answer this question first, we will go through the details of these bikes and how they differ from one another.
Stationary Bike
This is the most common type of bike and you will find it at every gym. It is a great substitute for traditional cycling.
You can burn calories through exercising on a stationary bike and strengthen your leg muscles at the same time.
Spin Bike
The spin bike is the one that is used in spinning group classes. Exercising on a spin bike may seem like cycling but, the primary use of a spin bike is based on spinning.
In regular cycling, only your leg muscles are being worked whereas a spin bike also works on your shoulders, back, and core muscles.
While on a stationary bike you can either increase speed or resistance at one time, the spin bike offers you to increase both or even stand while spinning.
As you can intensify the workout on a spin bike, it offers you to burn a high number of calories as compared to a stationary bike.
Recumbent Bike
The recumbent bike is similar to a stationary bike but is more suitable for seniors as it puts less strain on your joints.
If you have issues with maintaining balance or need stability while performing exercise then a recumbent bike could be your best choice.
Don’t worry, you can still have an intense 20-minute HIIT workout on a recumbent bike.
From all the above-mentioned bikes, the spin bike offers the maximum benefits and increases the efficiency of your HIIT workout. But you can use any bike according to your ease.
20 Minute HIIT Bike Workout
We have compiled some of the most effective HIIT bike workouts that are recommended and performed by professionals.
Let’s have a look at these workouts:
HIIT Stationary Bike
A stationary bike can help burn fat only if you are not cycling at a continuous pace and keep surprising your body to keep your heart pumping at an elevated rate.
And, you know the best way of doing it is by making it a bike interval workout. Cycling for hours at the same speed and resistance can increase your stamina but it would be no good for burning fat.
Rounds |
Total Time |
Breakdown |
Resistance |
Repetitions |
First (warmup) |
2-minute |
● 1-min cycling ● 1-min climb |
Cycling: 3 Climb: 6 |
1 |
Second |
3-minute |
● 15-sec hard ● 15-sec recovery |
Hard: 15-18 Recovery: 6-8 |
6 |
Third |
3-minute |
● 30-sec hard ● 30-sec recovery |
Hard: 15-18 Recovery: 6-8 |
3 |
Fourth |
3-minute |
● 4-sec hard ● 45-sec recovery |
Hard: 15-18 Recovery: 6-8 |
3 |
Fifth |
3-minute |
● 30-sec hard ● 30-sec recovery |
Hard: 15-18 Recovery: 6-8 |
3 |
Sixth |
3 |
● 15-sec hard ● 15-sec recovery |
Hard: 15-18 Recovery: 6-8 |
3 |
Cooldown |
2 |
● 2- min cycling |
Cycling: 3 |
1 |
20-Min HIIT Bike: Make Your Fat Cry
Rounds |
Total Time |
Maximum Heart Rate (MHR) % |
Repetitions |
First (warmup) |
5 minutes |
65 |
1 |
Second |
3 minutes |
● 80 for the first 1.5 min ● 65 for the next 1.5 min |
5 |
Cool Down |
5-7 minute |
65 |
1 |
Explosive HIIT Bike Workout
Rounds |
Total Time |
Notes |
Repetitions |
Warmup |
4 |
● 30-sec easy pace ● 30-sec uncomfortable pace |
4 |
Speed |
4 |
● Pedal as fast as you can for 30 sec at moderate resistance ● Rest by paddling at an easy pace for 30 sec |
4 |
Hard |
4 |
● Pedal at high resistance for 45 sec ● Pedal at low resistance for 15 sec |
4 |
Tabata |
4 |
● 2 rounds ● 20-sec high resistance ● 10-sec low resistance |
4 |
Cooldown |
2-4 |
Easy pace |
1 |
20 Minute HIIT Treadmill Workout
20 min HIIT on a treadmill can burn more calories than jogging for more than 40 minutes. Running on a treadmill might be boring but, a HIIT treadmill workout is always engaging and kicks out boredom.
You can easily increase or decrease the speed and have the feel of running on a hill by increasing the incline. All of these factors make your HIIT treadmill work out more effective than simple jogging.
Mountain Run: HIIT Cardio Treadmill
Minutes |
Speed (kph) |
Incline % |
0-2 |
4 |
1 |
2-4 |
6 |
1 |
4-5 |
8 |
2 |
5-7 |
4 |
2 |
7-8 |
8.5 |
1 |
8-10 |
4 |
1 |
10-11 |
9 |
3 |
11-13 |
4 |
3 |
13-14 |
9.5 |
2 |
14-16 |
4 |
2 |
16-17 |
10 |
3 |
17-19 |
4 |
1 |
19-20 |
10 |
3 |
Cooldown |
4 |
1 |
20 Minute HIIT Treadmill and Bike Workout Combo
We have discussed the benefits of the HIIT treadmill and bike workout, you can imagine the great benefits when we combine these both workouts together.
Treadmill |
|||
Time (minutes) |
Speed (kph) |
Incline % |
Notes |
2 |
4 |
1 |
Warmup |
2 |
6 |
3 |
Jog |
1 |
9 |
6 |
Sprint |
2 |
6 |
4 |
Jog |
1 |
8 |
3 |
Fast Jog |
1 |
10 |
1 |
Sprint |
1 |
6 |
0 |
Jog |
Bike |
|||
Time |
Resistance |
|
Notes |
2 |
5 |
|
Fast Pedal |
2 |
8 |
|
Push Hard |
2 |
5 |
|
Fast Pedal |
2 |
10 |
|
Push Hard |
2 |
6 |
|
Cooldown |
HIIT Workout FAQs
Are 20 minutes on an exercise bike enough?
It depends on your goal and the effort you are putting in those 20 minutes. If your goal is to lose weight then a HIIT bike workout for 20 minutes would be enough.
Is bicycle riding (20 minutes a day) effective for weight loss?
20 minutes of bicycle riding at a continuous pace may not be that efficient for weight loss but, if you do a bike interval workout then it would be highly effective for weight loss.
How many calories does a 20-minute HIIT workout burn?
A 20-minute HIIT workout can burn somewhere between 350-400 calories.
What is a good 20-minute workout?
A 20-minute HIIT workout on the treadmill is very effective for weight loss and muscle strengthening.
Can I add 3 days of HIIT for 20 mins or will this be too much?
No, HIIT workouts are very intense so you should never be doing it for 3 days in a row.
Is it better to run for 20 minutes or jog for 40 minutes?
Running is better for weight loss and building stamina so it’s better to go for a 20-minute run rather than a 20 min long jog.
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