Wednesday HIIT — Tabata Session 4
Complete ready-to-execute article for Wednesday June 18's Tabata HIIT session — four brand-new exercises (Butt Kicks, Spider Lunges, Squat Jumps, Side Shuffles), each run as a 4-minute Tabata block (20s on / 10s off × 8 rounds). Includes two warm-up options with embeds, exercise-by-exercise breakdowns with form cues and video embeds, a full interval-by-interval timer table, a 4-exercise beginner/intermediate/advanced scaling table, two cool-down options including the new Yoga with Adriene post-workout flow, and a Thursday running preview (Week 5 Day 2, 2.0-mile easy run).
Four new exercises, zero repeats from Sessions 1–3. Today's lineup — Butt Kicks, Spider Lunges, Squat Jumps, Side Shuffles — hits every lower-body movement pattern at once: hamstring snap, hip mobility, explosive power, and lateral agility. Each one gets four minutes of Tabata time (20 seconds on, 10 seconds off × 8 rounds). Sixteen minutes of work, start to finish.
Session at a glance
| Phase | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Warm-up | ~5–6 min | Choose one option below |
| Tabata Block 1 — Butt Kicks | 4 min | 8 rounds of 20s on / 10s off |
| Tabata Block 2 — Spider Lunges | 4 min | 8 rounds of 20s on / 10s off |
| Tabata Block 3 — Squat Jumps | 4 min | 8 rounds of 20s on / 10s off |
| Tabata Block 4 — Side Shuffles | 4 min | 8 rounds of 20s on / 10s off |
| Cool-down | ~6–7 min | Choose one or both options below |
| Total | ~30 min |
Warm-up
Don't skip this one — Squat Jumps (Block 3) demand knees and hips that are already moving. Two options, both apartment-friendly:
Option A — MadFit no-jump warm-up (6:37)
A low-impact sequence built for tight spaces. Covers hip circles, dynamic arm swings, and standing hip-flexor prep — exactly what Spider Lunges and Squat Jumps need warmed up. 1
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Option B — Tabata Songs 4-min warm-up (4:00)
Uses the actual Tabata timer rhythm (20s / 10s intervals), so your body learns the cadence before the real work starts. 2
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Pick one. Run through it fully before Block 1.
Tabata blocks
Each block runs 4 minutes total: 8 rounds of 20 seconds of work + 10 seconds of rest. Rest for 60–90 seconds between blocks before starting the next exercise.
Block 1 — Butt Kicks (4 min)
Run in place with short, fast strides — the goal is getting your heel to kick back toward your glute on each step. It reads like a quick jog, but the focus is hamstring snap speed rather than forward motion. Keep the movement compact and rapid; arms swing naturally at your sides. 3
Targets: hamstrings, quads, glutes — plus steady cardio output to open the session.
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Form cue: stay on your forefeet throughout. Landing flat-footed slows the kick and kills the rhythm.
Block 2 — Spider Lunges (4 min)
Start in a strong plank — hands under shoulders, core braced, back leg active. Step one foot up to the outside of the same-side hand, dropping into a deep lunge. Chest tall, back knee hovering just off the floor. Step back to plank and switch sides. 4
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Targets: hip flexors, glutes, thoracic spine, full lower-body mobility chain.
Form cue: keep hips low the whole time and avoid rounding your back. This is a hip-mobility drill as much as a cardio exercise — move with control, not with speed. 5
Tabata timing note: at 20 seconds per set, you're getting 4–6 reps per side depending on pace. Quality over volume here.
Block 3 — Squat Jumps (4 min)
Feet slightly wider than shoulder-width, abs tight. Set your hips back into a full squat — thighs parallel or below — then explode upward. Land on your toes first, not your heels, and absorb the landing by immediately moving back into the squat position. 6
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Targets: quads, glutes, hamstrings, calves — maximum lower-body power output.
Three common mistakes to avoid:
- Landing on your heels (puts stress on the knee joint instead of absorbing through the muscles)
- Knees caving inward on the landing (push knees out in line with toes)
- Not hitting full squat depth before the jump (half-reps cut the power phase short)
Form cue: if the jumps start to feel sloppy after round 5 or 6, drop to bodyweight squats for the remaining rounds. A clean squat beats a wobbly jump every time.
Block 4 — Side Shuffles (4 min)
Stand with feet hip-distance apart and sink into a knee-bent, athletic stance — hands up in guard position in front of your chest. Shuffle four steps to the right (right-left-right-left), then four steps back to the left. Stay low the entire time. Chest up, core on. 7
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Targets: calves, hamstrings, quads, hip flexors, glutes — plus lateral agility and coordination.
Form cue: don't let your feet come together between shuffles. That kills the lateral tension and turns it into a skip. Keep feet apart, stay in the knee bend, and let the hips do the work.
Tabata timer structure
Here's what the full 16-minute main set looks like, interval by interval:
| Block | Round | :00–:20 | :20–:30 | Cumulative time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 — Butt Kicks | Rounds 1–8 | 20s work | 10s rest | 0:00–4:00 |
| (Rest between blocks) | — | — | 60–90s rest | ~4:00–5:30 |
| 2 — Spider Lunges | Rounds 1–8 | 20s work | 10s rest | ~5:30–9:30 |
| (Rest between blocks) | — | — | 60–90s rest | ~9:30–11:00 |
| 3 — Squat Jumps | Rounds 1–8 | 20s work | 10s rest | ~11:00–15:00 |
| (Rest between blocks) | — | — | 60–90s rest | ~15:00–16:30 |
| 4 — Side Shuffles | Rounds 1–8 | 20s work | 10s rest | ~16:30–20:30 |
Use any free Tabata timer app (most phones have one built-in as a workout preset, or search "Tabata timer" in the App Store / Google Play). Set it to 20s work / 10s rest × 8 rounds. Start it at the top of each block.
3-level scaling
Every exercise has a way to dial up or dial down. These are guidelines, not rules — move between levels within a session if needed.
| Exercise | Beginner | Intermediate | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butt Kicks | Slow march with exaggerated heel-lift; focus on the hamstring pull, not speed | Brisk jog pace with strong heel snap | High-speed sprint-in-place, arms pumping, maximum cadence |
| Spider Lunges | One rep per round, hold the lunge position for 2–3 seconds before returning to plank | Controlled alternating reps at a moderate pace | Continuous fluid alternation, minimal pause at plank |
| Squat Jumps | Replace the jump with a pulse squat or a stand-up at the top | Full squat + jump, land soft, 6–8 reps per round | Add a pause at the bottom of each squat, maximize jump height |
| Side Shuffles | Step-touch side to side (no shuffle) in upright position | Low shuffle, 4 steps each direction, athletic stance | Deep knee bend, fast lateral drive, 6 steps each direction |
If any exercise causes knee or lower-back discomfort, drop to the beginner option or substitute a march in place until the set ends.
Cool-down
After Block 4, walk in place for 2–3 minutes before moving to a full cool-down. Two options:
Option A — MadFit full-body cool-down (7:05)
The consistent go-to across all four sessions — standing and floor-based stretches covering quads, hamstrings, hip flexors, and upper back. 8
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Option B — Yoga with Adriene 6-minute post-workout yoga (6:25)
A yoga-style flow that pairs breath cues with eight static stretches: shoulder release, chest opener, standing quad stretch (both sides), forward fold, low lunge, half-splits (hamstrings and calves), and froggy pose for the ankles and feet. 9 If your legs feel particularly spent after the Squat Jumps, the half-splits section alone is worth it.
"If you're nice and sweaty when you start this, maybe take some strong exhalations out through the mouth. Let go of some of that heat, start to cool it down mindfully." — Adriene Mishler 9
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Up next: Thursday, June 19
Thursday is a running day — Hal Higdon Novice 5K, Week 5 Day 2: a 2.0-mile easy run at conversational pace. It's a step back from Tuesday's 2.5 miles, which is intentional. The shorter Thursday run lets your legs recover before Saturday's longer effort. Keep the pace easy enough to hold a full sentence, and don't overthink it.
References
- 1MadFit apartment-friendly warm-up
youtube.com
- 2Tabata Songs Tabata-rhythm warm-up
youtube.com
- 3LivestrongWoman: Butt Kicks
youtube.com
- 4Theory of Motion: Spiderman Lunge
youtube.com
- 5Nottingham Physio: Spiderman Lunge Tutorial
youtube.com
- 6
- 7
- 8MadFit full-body cool-down stretch
youtube.com
- 9
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