How can I design HIIT session to do at home?

Well I'd first ask why 30 minutes? HIIT sessions exactly what they're called - high intensity! They don't need to be quite so long depending on the length of the reps and intervals.

Basically, you have the repetition which is the work period, followed by the interval which is the rest period. These combined are one set and you repeat the sets for the length of the session. The length of the session will entirely depend on the length of each of the above and the intensity of the exercises.

Experiment with what lengths work, like 20:30, 20:40, 30:60 etc. Try not to do more 2-3 HIIT sessions a week, let your body recover.

As for the exercises, don't forget the other piece of equipment you have... your own body! Have a look on the internet for bodyweight exercises that incorporate as many muscles as possible. I personally wouldn't use a gym ball for a HIIT session as the exercises you can do with it aren't generally high enough intensity. Any kettlebell exercises you find, be careful with technique, learn it properly first before using it in a HIIT session.

Hope his helps a little.

Hi Craig,

You need to make two decisions: 1. Which kind of exercise to do and 2. The durations of the fast and the slow intervals.

As far as what to do, running/sprinting is excellent (but if you're not used to sprinting, take it slow and progress gradually) but you can also use exercise/spinning bikes, rowing machine, or get more creative.

As far as the duration, myself and Dr Dan have investigated this thoroughly for our columns in Muscle & Fitness magazine and the best speed combination for HIIT (high intensity interval training) is a fast interval of between 15 and 30 seconds (possibly up to a minute) and one to four minute rest periods. See the answer below...

What are the the best fast/slow ratios during a cycle for HIIT?