A few years ago, my favourite way to end any workout was with a mix of burpees and jump squats – jumping to ‘failure’.

In 2019, however, that changed. To kick off the new year, I’d hiked up through Riber in Matlock with friends when, on the way down and overly keen to get to a pub lunch, I bolted my way over a stile with reckless abandon. Instead of landing lightly on my feet, I came down onto my knee, rolling my ankle in the process.

A few months later, I found myself sitting opposite a physio as he told me that the untreated hairline fracture in my ankle (caused by the fall) had forced my knee to over-compensate. That had forced it to take on extra stress, causing damage to the joint. 

As well as walking me through a clutch of stretches, he told me in no uncertain terms that my days of high-impact, explosive moves were over. I was devastated. My main worry was that my fitness levels were going to steadily drop – forcing me to start over. Without being able to jump, I’d never be as fit or strong again. 

However, as you might have guessed from the headline of this feature, all was not lost. After a few weeks of feeling sorry for myself and avoiding HIIT classes like the plague, I decided to call in the experts. The next few months weren’t quite a Rocky-esque montage of me fighting back to ultimate fitness against all odds (well, a bad knee and a bruised ego), but they did prove that there is a multitude of ways for people who are unable to take part in jumping exercises – or similar explosive moves – to get a high-intensity burn.

Here, four fitness experts share exactly how to get the HIIT workout you want without a tuck jump or burpee in sight. 

“With resistance bands, you can safely work the muscles with less force on joints than in explosive movements,” explains Natalie Wood, founder of The Wellness Mentor. 

“This works from a rehabilitative point of view following an injury, prevents injury during a workout and also strengthens the joints for improved performance and lower risk of injury in higher-impact activities.

“Integrating bands into your usual routine will enable you to build a solid foundation of strength and stability around the joints as resistance is applied through the full range of motion and can be used in targeted ways for strengthening specific areas of the body.”

3 ways to increase your heart rate using resistance bands

1. Try a circuit composed of different resistance band exercises with little to no rest between sets.
2. Combine two movements together such as resistance band squat-to-row to utilise more muscle groups and provide an additional metabolic boost.
3. Progress each workout by adding extra reps or increasing the resistance of the band.

Amy Brogan, founder and head PT at A Body Forever says that HIIT fans should be looking to strength training as a non-negotiable part of training. “I think it’s way more beneficial than HIIT. Obviously high-impact work has its benefits but if you could only choose one for the rest of your life, resistance/strength training is the one. 

“You can still get a good cardiovascular workout when you do strength training, especially if you lift heavy, and the long-term benefits are greater than HIIT workouts. Our muscles need strength training to enable us to be strong in our bodies and support our bones and organs.”

The key is lifting heavy – not just using manageable weights that don’t leave us hot and sweaty.

“It should feel hard,” she explains. “It is the only way to build proper strength. Strength training increases our metabolism, enhances good posture, protects our joints, prevents osteoarthritis and ultimately helps us to live a longer healthier life.

“Your routine doesn’t have to be complicated: focus on compound exercises and make sure you stretch after. Get ample rest in between exercise days and ensure you eat a well-balanced diet to support muscle growth.”

“Bodyweight exercises are an effective swap for people who can’t do high-impact movements because they allow for strength training without putting excess stress on the joints. They can also be modified to suit different fitness levels and abilities, making them a versatile and accessible form of exercise for everyone,” says Amanda Place, PT and founder of Sculptrition.

She stresses the importance of good form and technique for getting the most out of our bodyweight movements. To really challenge your body, move slowly with as much control as possible. 

“This will not only help to build strength but also keep your heart rate elevated for a longer period of time,” Place says. 

She also advises thinking about adding variety to your workout routine by incorporating new exercises and challenging variations as regularly as you can. That’ll help to prevent plateauing, boost motivation and keep the body working hard. 

Florence Penny, consultant musculoskeletal physiotherapist and founder of Flow Physio London, says that the key to getting seriously strong is isometric training. 

“That’s a type of strength training where the muscle contracts without any movement. It involves holding a static position or pushing against an immovable object, such as pushing against a wall or holding a plank position.”

Unlike dynamic exercises like weightlifting or pilates, isometric exercises are still – there’s no movement involved at all. And that, Penny says, can “improve muscular endurance and stability in a specific, targeted joint (without) placing any undue pressure on the area.

“[It’s about] generating a force that is challenging and gives you that burn, while also providing that stability that we need post-injury.”

To get the most out of isometric holds, she suggests holding each move for a minimum of 10 seconds and working on increasing that time under tension as you get stronger. 

“Doing that in conjunction with resistance training is key to rehab appropriately, so that if returning to high-impact exercises is something you would like to do at some point, you have built back up that stability.”

Images: Getty