Since the creation of High Intensity Interval Training/Tabata Training in the late 1990s, interval training has become one of the most popular workouts in the world. And that should come as no surprise, given the impressive results it provides. Hundreds of scientific studies have proven that HIIT is effective for:

• Muscle building
• Fat burning
• Weight loss
• Improving athletic performance overall
• Enhancing sport-specific performance
• Increasing endurance
• Boosting muscular strength
• and the list goes on…

The unique structure of the HIIT workouts (periods of high intensity followed by periods of low intensity) makes it a workout that will deliver results and yield some serious improvements in overall conditioning.

But there's a new kid on the block: continuous interval training. It's a wicked combination of HIIT training and regular weight lifting.

How does it work?

Let's take a basic bodyweight circuit:

• Push-Ups
• Pull-Ups
• Squats

With the normal circuit, you'd perform a regular set of each exercise, with a rest period at the end of the circuit.

With a HIIT workout, you'd perform as many of each exercise as you can in 45-50 seconds, with 10-15 seconds of rest between each movement. The higher-intensity of the exercise would get your heart pumping and your muscles working.

With a Continuous Interval Workout, you combine the best of both routines:

• 1 set of 10 regular Push-Ups (low/moderate intensity)
• 45 seconds of as many Burpees/Clap Push-Ups as possible (high intensity)
• 1 set of 10 regular Pull-Ups (low/moderate intensity)
• 45 seconds of as many Pull-Ups as possible (high intensity)
• 1 set of 10 regular Squats (low/moderate intensity)
• 45 seconds of as many Squat Jumps as possible (high intensity)

And with that, you've completed 1 circuit!

Pretty intense workout, right? Instead of performing just HIIT training or regular workouts, you're doing both at once. You get the benefits of high-intensity training while mixing in the benefits of regular workouts.

What makes this style of training so epic is the fact that you get far less rest time. Your heart rate stays high throughout the entire workout, meaning you burn more calories, enhance your endurance, and strengthen your cardiovascular system like a boss!

The beauty of this workout is that you can do it with just about any exercise. While it's best with bodyweight movements (which you can do quickly with a lower risk of injury), you can do it with weighted movements, kettlebell movements, and even resistance band exercises. Heck, it can even be done with a cardio workout, like this:

• Hold a Medicine Ball and jog (at 4.5-5 MPH) for 30 seconds
• Sprint for 10-15 seconds

Repeat this for up to 15 minutes for one beautiful cardio killer.

Be warned. HIIT is not for the faint of heart or weak of muscle, and Continuous Interval Training is even more intense. The fact that you don't get rest means you're going to be seriously out of breath in no time, and it will take a lot of endurance to push through it. This is a workout for those who are in excellent shape and want to train even harder.

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