30 on, 30 off
Treadmill sprints, walking during the rest
- Work
- 30 s
- Rest
- 30 s
- Rounds
- 8
- Block
- 8 min
4 min of work and 4 min of rest inside a 35 minute session.
Conditioning programme
HIIT Classes
Short, hard intervals. Proper recovery.
- 3interval days a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
- 35minutes per interval session, warm-up and cool-down included
- 3interval formats, from 30 on, 30 off to Tabata
Coach's notes
How HIIT works at SPARTANS
HIIT means high-intensity interval training. You work very hard for a short burst, rest, and repeat. A common pattern is 30 seconds on and 30 seconds off, or 40 seconds on and 20 seconds off. Tabata is the toughest one we use: 20 seconds all-out, 10 seconds rest, eight rounds, which is only four minutes but feels much longer. Done right, these sessions build your stamina and help with fat loss without spending an hour on the treadmill.
At SPARTANS we run HIIT on the treadmills and spin bikes in the cardio zone, plus bodyweight circuits on the floor. Every session starts with a proper warm-up and ends with a slow cool-down and stretching. Skip those and you are asking for a pulled hamstring or a dizzy spell. A typical session is 30 to 40 minutes from start to finish, so it fits before the morning train or after office.
One honest point. HIIT is not something you do every day. Two or three sessions a week is plenty for most people, with strength training and easy days in between. Your heart, lungs and legs need time to recover, and that is when the fitness actually builds. If you have a heart condition, high BP, a recent injury, or you are pregnant, please speak to your doctor first and tell us before you start.
Who it is for
- People who want better stamina and fat loss but only have 30 to 40 minutes a day.
- Members who already lift weights and want to improve their conditioning.
- Anyone bored of long, slow sessions on the treadmill or cross-trainer.
- Footballers, cricketers and runners who need to recover quickly between hard efforts.
- Beginners who are healthy and willing to start slow and build up over a few weeks.
What you get at SPARTANS
- Interval sessions on treadmills and spin bikes in our separate cardio zone.
- Bodyweight and functional circuits, with CrossFit-style training included in the weight-loss and professional packages.
- Strength training on Jerai racks, machines and dumbbells to balance your HIIT days.
- Basic diet guidance free, with detailed nutrition plans bundled in the professional package.
- Separate changing rooms for men and women, parking available, and Google Pay or NFC payments at the counter.
- HIIT class timings are fixed at the gym, so ask at the counter or call for the current batches.
The interval board
Three interval formats we use
Each column is one format from the sample week. Run any of them on the round counter, then do the real session on the treadmill, spin bike or floor.
40 on, 20 off
Spin bike, hard then easy pedalling
- Work
- 40 s
- Rest
- 20 s
- Rounds
- 10
- Block
- 10 min
6 min 40 s of work and 3 min 20 s of rest inside a 35 minute session.
Tabata 20 on, 10 off
Burpees or step-back burpees
- Work
- 20 s
- Rest
- 10 s
- Rounds
- 8
- Block
- 4 min
2 min 40 s of work and 1 min 20 s of rest inside a 35 minute session.
Round counter
Work and rest, round by round
Every round laid end to end on one clock, so you can see how long each block really is. Tall coloured blocks are work, low grey blocks are rest.
- 30 on, 30 off work
- 40 on, 20 off work
- Tabata 20 on, 10 off work
- Rest
30 on, 30 off
40 on, 20 off
Tabata 20 on, 10 off
| Protocol | Work | Rest | Rounds | Total work | Total rest | Total time | Day in the sample week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 on, 30 off | 30 s | 30 s | 8 | 4 min | 4 min | 8 min | Monday |
| 40 on, 20 off | 40 s | 20 s | 10 | 6 min 40 s | 3 min 20 s | 10 min | Wednesday |
| Tabata 20 on, 10 off | 20 s | 10 s | 8 | 2 min 40 s | 1 min 20 s | 4 min | Friday |
Build up
Your first month
-
Week 1
Two short sessions only. We use easy ratios like 20 seconds on and 40 seconds off on the spin bike. The aim is to learn the format, find a pace you can repeat, and see how your body feels the next day.
-
Week 2
Move to 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off. Add a bodyweight circuit with squats, step-ups and mountain climbers. Keep two strength days in the week and an easy walk on one other day.
-
Week 3
Three HIIT sessions now, never on back-to-back days. Treadmill intervals at 40 on, 20 off come in. You should be breathing hard by the last round but still able to keep good form.
-
Week 4
Try your first Tabata block: eight rounds of 20 seconds hard, 10 seconds rest. Compare how you recover between rounds with Week 1. Then we decide together whether to push harder or stay at this level.
The board
A sample week
Keep HIIT days apart and put strength or easy days in between. If you slept badly or your legs are still sore, swap the HIIT day for an easy walk.
Monday
Treadmill sprint intervals
- Warm-up: brisk walk then easy jog 1 x 8 min
- Treadmill sprint, 30 s on / 30 s walk 8 x 30 s, rest 30 s
- Walking lunges 2 x 10 each leg, rest 60 s
- Cool-down walk and calf, hamstring stretch 1 x 8 min
Tuesday
Strength: lower body
- Barbell back squat 4 x 6–8, rest 2 min
- Romanian deadlift with dumbbells 3 x 10, rest 90 s
- Leg press 3 x 12, rest 90 s
- Plank 3 x 30–45 s, rest 45 s
Wednesday
Spin bike intervals
- Warm-up: easy pedalling, light resistance 1 x 8 min
- Spin bike, 40 s hard / 20 s easy 10 x 40 s, rest 20 s
- Glute bridge 2 x 15, rest 45 s
- Cool-down pedalling and hip stretch 1 x 8 min
Thursday
Strength: upper body
- Dumbbell bench press 4 x 8–10, rest 90 s
- Lat pulldown 3 x 10–12, rest 90 s
- Seated dumbbell shoulder press 3 x 10, rest 90 s
- Seated cable row 3 x 12, rest 60 s
Friday
Bodyweight circuit and Tabata
- Warm-up: jumping jacks, arm circles, squats 1 x 8 min
- Circuit: squats, push-ups, mountain climbers 3 x 40 s each, rest 20 s
- Tabata burpees (or step-back burpees) 8 x 20 s, rest 10 s
- Cool-down walk and full-body stretch 1 x 8 min
Saturday
Easy cardio and mobility
- Elliptical at a steady, talking pace 1 x 25 min
- Hip flexor and quad stretch 2 x 30 s each side
- Cat-cow and child's pose 2 x 8 slow reps
Sunday
Rest
Rest day. The gym is closed on Sunday, so take it fully off.
Fuel
A sample day of eating
This is only a sample. Adjust portions to your weight, appetite and how hard you train, and drink 3 to 4 litres of water, more in the summer heat. If you have diabetes, BP, thyroid or any other medical condition, check with your doctor or a dietitian first.
-
Pre-workout
Veg and non-veg1 banana and a small cup of black coffee or tea
-
Breakfast after training
Veg1 plate vegetable poha with peanuts and 1 bowl curd
Non-veg3 idlis with sambar and 2 boiled eggs
-
Mid-morning
Veg and non-veg1 bowl sprouts chaat and 1 glass buttermilk
-
Lunch
Veg2 rotis, 1 bowl rice, dal, sabzi and salad
Non-veg2 rotis, 1 bowl rice, chicken curry, sabzi and salad
-
Evening snack
Veg and non-veg1 bowl roasted chana and 1 fruit
-
Dinner
Veg2 rotis, paneer bhurji (100 g paneer) and sabzi
Non-veg2 rotis, grilled or curry fish and sabzi
From the floor
Coach's cues between rounds
Never skip the warm-up. Eight minutes of easy movement gets your heart rate up gradually and makes pulled muscles and dizziness far less likely.
Go hard on the work intervals, then actually rest during the rest intervals. Half-effort the whole way through is just a tiring cardio session.
Keep HIIT to two or three days a week. Doing it daily leaves your legs flat, your sleep poor, and your strength sessions weaker.
Eat some carbs a couple of hours before, like poha, upma or a banana. Training hard on an empty stomach often ends in a headache or nausea.
Stop straight away if you feel chest pain, unusual breathlessness, or light-headedness. Tell the staff on the floor and get it checked by a doctor.
Wear proper running shoes for treadmill sprints and set the bike seat to hip height before you start pedalling hard.
In the monsoon and summer you sweat a lot. Sip water between rounds and have buttermilk or nimbu pani after training.
Good to know
HIIT Classes questions
What exactly is Tabata?
Tabata is a four-minute interval format: 20 seconds of all-out effort followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated eight times. It is short but very demanding. We usually add it at the end of a session once you have done a few weeks of easier intervals.
Can I do HIIT every day to lose weight faster?
No. Two or three HIIT sessions a week is enough. Your body needs recovery to adapt, and daily HIIT tends to cause sore joints, poor sleep and burnout. Fat loss comes from regular training, strength work and your food, done consistently over months.
What are the HIIT class timings?
Batch timings change from time to time, so please ask at the counter or call 081081 16555 for the current schedule. The gym is open Monday to Saturday, 5:30 AM to 10:30 PM, so you can also do the sample sessions on this page on your own.
I have high BP. Can I join HIIT?
Please check with your doctor before starting. High BP, heart conditions, a recent injury, or pregnancy all need a doctor's clearance for high-intensity work. Once you have that, tell us at the counter, and we will start you on gentler intervals.
Should I stop weight training if I start HIIT?
Keep your strength days. Lifting holds on to your muscle while you lose fat, and stronger legs make your sprints and bike intervals better. The sample week on this page mixes two strength days with three interval days.
Try your first interval session
Walk in or call 081081 16555 to ask about HIIT batch timings. We are open Monday to Saturday, 5:30 AM to 10:30 PM.