I realized recently that I spent more time scrolling through my playlist than actually doing burpees. I tried working out at home to save money on a gym membership, but I kept checking my phone for the time. That led to checking Instagram, which led to sitting on my yoga mat for 20 minutes doing absolutely nothing.
The solution wasn’t more motivation. It was a better timer.
What is HIIT?
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is the cheat code for busy students. Instead of jogging for an hour, you go all-out for short bursts and then rest. The magic ratio is usually 40 seconds of work, 20 seconds of rest.
The problem is keeping track of that 40/20 split while you are gasping for air.
The Tabata Method
One of the most famous versions of this is “Tabata.” It’s brutal:
- 20 seconds ultra-hard work
- 10 seconds rest
- Repeat for 4 minutes
You can easily track this using the [Stopwatch] feature on XClock. You don’t need to buy a fancy interval timer.
My Living Room Setup
Here is how I set it up so I don’t get distracted by my phone:
- I put my laptop on the coffee table.
- I open the [Fullscreen Clock] or Stopwatch.
- I hit F11 to go full screen.
The best part about the fullscreen mode is that the numbers are massive. I can see the seconds ticking down even when I’m planking five feet away and sweating in my eyes.
Conclusion
You don’t need a $50/month gym membership. You need gravity, a floor, and a clock that tells you when to stop suffering.