This 5-Move Bodyweight Workout Replaces an Hour of Gym Time

We live in a fast-paced world. It’s not uncommon for every day to be jam-packed with an overly tight schedule. Between work and social commitments, free time is a true luxury. In fact, you may be tempted to forgo working out altogether because you don’t have an extra hour to spend at the gym. Well, your ability to fit in some exercise just became more convenient! We spoke with Daniel J Argota, personal trainer at UFC GYM, who shares a 22-minute, five-move bodyweight workout that can replace an hour of gym time. You can cut your workout time in less than half.

“This 22-minute, five-pattern circuit only takes 22 minutes of active work but still meets ACSM strength prescriptions, spikes VO₂ like a sprint workout, and sparks glute/lat activation numbers you’d normally need barbells for,” explains Daniel. “When time is the enemy science five-pattern says density beats duration.”

Daniel’s bodyweight workout is chock-full of goodness and consists of a squat, push, pull, hinge, and anti-rotation. “This routine keeps the heart rate pinned in the red while every major muscle group earns its pay,” he tells us.

Since you’re probably in a time crunch, let’s get into the routine!

This 5-Move Workout Beats an Hour at the Gym

Pushup With a 5-Second Isometric Pause

“Pausing at the bottom forces every motor unit in the pecs, triceps, and anterior delts to stay lit while the heart and blood pressure climb the same way they do in heavy presses,” says Daniel.

1. Assume a high plank with your hands under your shoulders and body straight.
2. Lower your chest toward the floor.
3. Pause as you hover just above the floor for 5 seconds.
4. Push back up to a high plank and repeat.

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Jump Squat With 3 Bottom Pulses

“The three pulses load the quads and glutes with extra time-under-tension, then the explosive jump clears out the slow fibers and recruits the fast ones,” Daniel tells us. “That combination sends blood-lactate and growth-hormone responses higher than in regular squats, while the jump’s power requirement keeps the metabolic demand high, which is exactly what you need when you’re replacing a longer leg session.”

1. Stand tall with your feet shoulder-distance apart and arms at your sides holding light dumbbells.
2. Descend into a deep squat, maintaining a tall chest.
3. At the bottom of the squat, pulse up and down 3 times, keeping the pulses low and controlled.
4. On the 3rd pulse, explode into a jump.
5. Land softly in a squat.

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Prone “Pull-up Superman” at a 1-2-2 Tempo

“This exercise is considered one of the top activation tiers for the low-back and scapular stabilizers, giving you the postural pulling benefit you’d normally get with rows or pull-ups,” Daniel explains.

1. Lie flat on your stomach on the ground with your arms reached out ahead of you and legs long.
2. Lift your arms, chest, and legs off the floor to assume a Superman position.
3. Bend your elbows, pulling them toward your ribs.
4. Follow a 1-2-2 tempo—pulling the elbows down for 1 second, holding the position for 2 seconds, and slowly extending your arms back overhead for 2 seconds.

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Single-Leg Hip Thrust With a 2-Second Pause at the Top

“Unilateral loading doubles the demand on each glute, and the brief hold at full extension maximizes hip extensor firing while sparing the lower spine,” explains Daniel. “Systematic reviews rank hip-thrust variations above squats for pure gluteus-maximus activation, so one leg at a time delivers the kind of posterior-chain stimulus many people only get from barbell work.”

1. Sit on the floor with your upper back flat against a bench, one knee bent, and the other extended.
2. Hold a dumbbell with both hands across your hips.
3. Press through the heel of your planted foot to lift your hips off the floor, making sure they stay aligned.
4. Once you reach the top, hold for 2 seconds, squeezing your glutes.
5. Use control to lower.

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Mountain Climber for Anti-Rotation Core Work

“Because you’re in a plank while the legs sprint, the abdominals, serratus, shoulders, hip flexors, and quads all light up together, turning the move into a plank, sprint, and mobility drill in one,” Daniel points out. “Biomechanical write-ups list virtually every major muscle group from shoulders to calves as active, making the climber a perfect finisher that keeps the heart rate elevated while locking the torso against unwanted twist.”6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

1. Begin in a high plank with your hands below your shoulders and body straight.
2. Activate your core as you quickly drive your left knee to your chest.
3. Quickly switch legs, driving your right knee to your chest.
4. Continue to quickly alternate legs.

Exercise Plan:

A1. Pushup (hold for 5 seconds at bottom), 4×40 seconds (Push)
B1. Jump Squats with 3 pulses, 4×40 seconds (Squat)
C1. Pull-up Superman (1-2-2 tempo), 4×40 seconds (Pull)
D1. Single-Leg Hip Thrust (Pause at top for 2 seconds), 4×10-12 each leg (Hinge)
E1. Mountain Climber, 4×40 seconds (Core/Anti-Rotation)

• Work 45 seconds, transition 15 seconds between moves
• Complete 4 rounds
• Rest for 90 seconds between rounds
• Clock time: ~22 minutes, yet total mechanical work = traditional 60-minute split