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Fitness__KayKay Review: 30 Min Tabata Hiit No Jumping
30 Minute Tabata Hiit No Jumping is a fantastic, low impact, cardio and bodyweight strength workout. This is one of the most enjoyable and fun routines I have done in a very long time. Everything about it was perfect for me – no jumping, fun low impact moves, no equipment (so you can do it anywhere), 20 second intervals, great music and best of all you only do everything once – so no repeats (with a few tiny exceptions at the end!) Plus I got a great workout and was nice and sweaty by the end! I have included the YouTube link to the workout HERE.
This routine is by a new to me YouTube trainer, Fitness__KayKay, who comes from Germany. Her free YouTube channel currently has over forty different workouts, including Hiit, low impact cardio, dumbbell, kettlebell, bodyweight and resistance band strength workouts, mobility and core routines. I have included the link to her YouTube channel HERE. Many of her earlier workouts are in German but as they are music only, you can just follow her moves and I had no problem doing the workouts. However, as she is now trying to reach a wider audience, her more recent workouts have an introduction in English now instead. KayKay rather reminds me of Anna, from Growing Annanas (YouTube channel HERE), as her style is a little bit similar plus she is also sponsored by Food Spring (YouTube channel HERE) and so also has a few extra routines available on that channel. I have done quite a few of her workouts now and she comes across as very genuine and with a clear passion for functional fitness. She is extremely fit and as she has a CrossFit and gymnastics background, she really excels at explosive strength (check out her Instagram account if you want to see more on this). This does however mean that she sometimes includes more challenging moves, in some of her routines, that I found a little awkward or struggled with, but overall they are very good.
This workout consists of five different tabata circuits. As you are probably aware, Tabata intervals are 20 seconds of all-out work followed by 10 seconds rest and you usually repeat this eight times to make up one tabata circuit. This routine though is the best version of tabata workouts, as you only do each move once. Even Cathe’s Tabatacise, which I love, has you do every move twice. Also there is no equipment needed in this one and it is just a combination of low impact cardio and bodyweight metabolic strength moves.
Each of the first four tabata circuits involve different exercises that are a mix of standing and floor moves, targeting the whole body, including core specific moves. The workout is music only and so there is no talking. KayKay just introduces it and then there is a preview window, which appears before the start of each interval, to show you the next move so you always know what it coming next. As mentioned, you do each move for 20 seconds and then you are on to something else. The music is tabata specific and very fun – it even starts with a version of Michael Jacksons’ Smooth Criminal! Plus there is a voiceover that counts down the last few seconds of each interval and I find this really motivational to push a little harder.
The final tabata circuit is a little different, as it is a version of ‘Bring Sally Up’ set to tabata timing. I utterly loved this and actually laughed out loud when I realised the format - I was so pleased as I love the ‘Bring Sally Up’ squat challenge. If you haven’t come across it, it’s a really fun song that is designed to test your muscle endurance and can be done with squats, push-ups, planks etc. You just have to listen to the words and every time they sing “Bring Sally Down” – you go down (squat, onto elbows for planks, hold low in a push-up etc) then when they sing “Bring Sally Up” you come back up. (I have included a link to the squat challenge version I like – HERE – just in case you want to try it). This particular challenge focuses on four different moves – push-ups, leg lowers, commandos in plank (high plank to elbow plank) and leg commandos (kneel to squat). I will note that I did modify the push-ups to chest push-ups (wider hands), rather than doing tricep push-ups (hands in tight to the body) like KayKay, as I find doing the low hold over and over in this position very tough. This was a fantastic ending and a really nice challenge to finish out the workout.
Overall, the perfect cardio and bodyweight strength workout and one that I absolutely adored!
Some of my other favourite workouts from her channel include (all of the routines below are clickable and will take you directly to the relevant YouTube video):
60 Min Low Impact Intense Full Body Workout (69:32 mins)
40 Min Low Impact Hiit (41:07 mins)
30 Min Upper Body Strength Low Impact (34:39 mins)
20 Min Mobility, Rest & Recover (20:25 mins)
(Just a small note on her low impact workouts, with the exception of the one I am reviewing, all of her other ones I have done, include a set of jumping jacks (either straight jacks or some variation of them). Now this is not a big deal, as you can easily modify them if you need to but just so you are aware!)
The Workout
30 Minute Tabata Hiit No Jumping is a low impact cardio workout consisting of five Tabata circuits. Each exercise is performed for 20 seconds with 10 seconds rest.
What You Need to Know
(Rating scale – 1= lowest & 5 = highest).
The Moves
30 Minute Tabata Hiit No Jumping is 29:30 minutes long. The workout starts with a quick intro from KayKay about the workout, before you move into a 4 minute warm-up and then into the first tabata.
Each interval is done for 20 seconds work with 10 seconds rest
Tabata 1
Squat hook & knee lift
Side to side wood chopper (chopping closed hands down to each side as you lunge)
Lay down climbers (release push-up & 2 knees in under the body) - mat
Touch down side steps
Plank toe touches (start in plank & push back to pike reaching for opposite toes) - mat
Lunge knee drive
Lunge knee drive (other side)
Push-up & side reach (T-rotation alternating sides) - mat
Tabata 2
Alternating curtsey lunges
Running boxing (fast feet w/ fast punches)
Sumo boxing (hold in sumo squat & fast punches)
2 Squats walkout (do 2x squats then walkout to plank & back in) – mat
Twisting table (start in beast position then rotate into reverse table; lifting opposite arm) – mat
Single leg squat tap (hold in squat & tap 1 leg out to side & in)
Single leg squat tap (other side)
Bear shoulder taps – step back (start in beast position; tap opposite shoulders then walk feet out to plank & back in) – mat
Tabata 3
Standing side bend knee drive (alternating sides)
Side step ball slam (slam hands down in centre then step out to 1 side & back in; repeat & step out to other side)
Alternating plank side kicks (in straight arm plank; kick leg out to side) – mat
Single leg glute bridge – mat
Single leg glute bridge (other side) – mat
Uni jacks (low impact jacks)
Pulsed Russian twists (2 pulses each side) – mat
Leg commandos (kneel to squat to stand) – mat
Tabata 4
Alternating front kicks
Speed walk plank (start in beast; walk feet & hands out to extended planks & back in) – mat
Touch down squat calf (sumo squat touching floor; hold & do calf raise then stand & raise on toes)
Star plank arm pull (elbow side plank; holding top leg lifted; reach & pull top arm) – mat
Star plank arm pull (other side) – mat
Reverse lunge reach under (alternating rear lunges reaching hands under front knee)
Twisted punch (stand & punch to alternate sides)
Leg lift climber (start in plank; bring 1 knee in under body then lift same leg up behind you; then alternate sides) – mat
Tabata 5 – ‘Bring Sally Up’
Push-ups - mat
Leg lowers (lying on back w/ legs straight up in air then lower & hold legs to 6” off the ground) – mat
Plank commandos (start in high plank & lower to elbows) – mat
Push-ups – mat
Leg lowers – mat
Leg commandos (kneel to squat) – mat
Push-ups – mat
Leg lowers - mat
The workout ends with a 5 minute cool down and stretch.
Take Action
Try it today! Check out Fitness__KayKay’s YouTube channel HERE.
If you liked this workout, check out my review of Growing Annanas: 1 Hr Full Body Workout / No Equipment (60 mins) – HERE.
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