Short, hard intervals matched to your fitness, with a coach watching your form and your breathing.
This page is for you if you want efficient, sweaty workouts but group HIIT classes feel like too much, too fast. HipTrain is live 1-on-1 training over video, and HIIT is one of our coaches' specialties. You see the same coach each time, from about $14 a session, and your first session is free.
"Hard" should be hard for you, not for the person in the video. Harvard Health points out that intensity is relative. You may not need to move as fast or use as much resistance as someone else to get your heart rate up. Group classes and videos set one pace for everyone. A live coach watches your breathing and form and sets the work and rest times for you.
It's time-efficient. Harvard Health reports that HIIT can raise VO2 max (a measure of aerobic fitness) and that a 20-minute HIIT session can bring bigger fitness gains than steady moderate exercise. The CDC also counts vigorous activity at double value: 75 minutes of vigorous activity a week is roughly equal to 150 minutes of moderate activity. That appeals to busy people.
It's also where people get hurt. When you're tired and pushing hard, form slips. Knees cave, backs arch, and landings get heavy. Harvard's Nutrition Source says people who are new to exercise, recovering from injury, older, carrying extra weight or living with medical conditions should be closely monitored during HIIT, because of how intense it gets. A coach on camera is that extra set of eyes. They'll swap a jump for a step, or call a longer rest, before something goes wrong.
It mixes well with strength. Many HIIT sessions use squats, push-ups and rows as the work intervals. You get your heart rate up and train muscle at the same time.
Here's an example of a 30-minute low-impact HIIT session for someone who already exercises a little. No jumping, and nothing but a chair and some floor space.
Following Harvard Health's advice, this example keeps HIIT to two days, with strength and easy days in between.
"The workouts are always different and keep me on my toes. He is a very positive person and always motivates me to do my best." (Rachel C., Google review)
"I've been using HipTrain to do virtual sessions with Felipe about six months now, and the results are in! Felipe makes every session very fun, motivating, and engaging." (Molly G., Google review)
HIIT fits well in 30 minutes. The sample week above uses three 30-minute sessions, which is $179.99 a month, or about $14 a session. Your first session is free, and you don't need a credit card.
HipTrain is HSA / FSA eligible. Under IRS Publication 502, exercise is usually a medical expense only when it's for a specific medical condition, and many plans ask for a Letter of Medical Necessity. Check your own plan.
Compare that with in-person training: Thumbtack says personal trainers cost $40 to $100 an hour, with an average of $55. Boutique HIIT classes are another option, but they're group classes, not 1-on-1.
If you love the energy of a room full of people, a group class may keep you more motivated than a 1-on-1 call. If you want to grab a quick HIIT video at 6 a.m. whenever you wake up, an on-demand app fits better, since HipTrain sessions are booked at a set time. If your doctor has advised against hard exercise, HIIT isn't the right choice, though a coach can still build gentler sessions. We also don't have a large video library or in-person sessions, and we have far fewer reviews than the big apps (29 App Store ratings against their thousands).
Harvard Health says HIIT can be a good fit for older adults when the intensity is set to your own fitness. Check with your doctor first, especially if you have a heart condition, diabetes or high blood pressure. Our page for adults over 50 has more.
Yes. Intensity comes from effort, not jumping. Fast step-touches, chair squats, punches and marching can all get your heart rate up. See our low-impact training page.
Harvard Health suggests two to three HIIT sessions a week at most, so your body has time to recover. Fill the other days with walking, strength or stretching.
For most people, yes. A 30-minute session leaves room for a good warm-up, about 15 minutes of intervals and a proper cool-down. If you want more strength work in the same session, choose 60 minutes.
Want intervals that match your fitness? Try your first session free. No credit card needed.