A Quick 4-Move Bodyweight Workout To Work Your Entire Body

If you have 10 minutes and just a few feet of floor space, this bodyweight workout is for you. We completely understand that it can feel impossible to fit a workout into your packed schedule, especially when it involves making your way to a gym on a particularly busy day. But we’ve got some pretty fantastic news: You don’t need much to do this intense and ultra-effective routine. Seriously, no dumbbells or fancy equipment, no gym membership, and no (real) time required. And believe us when we tell you that this workout will make you work, even in such a short amount of time.

“Bodyweight workouts play an important role in creating a stable foundation that you will begin to add tone to by increasing muscle density,” Xio Colon, fitness manager at Crunch 83rd St. in New York City, tells SELF. “They’re effective at getting you to move with simplicity while being time-efficient. Plus, anyone can progress the movements to make them more challenging while increasing the amount of burn.” Bodyweight workouts are also great because they build your lean muscle, which keeps your metabolism revving. Sounds good to us!

Colon created this workout so you can crank your fitness levels up a notch whether you’re at home, at the beach (if you should be so lucky), or anywhere in between. “These four exercises will help activate the muscles that we don’t use when sitting at work, they’ll increase your heart rate, and they’ll fire up the abs and glutes, which are essential for a strong core and good posture,” Colon says.

Ready to dive in? Perform the whole workout once through a few times a week. If after a few weeks it starts to feel easy, perform it twice through. When you can do that, pat yourself on the back—that’s a sure sign all your hard work is paying off. Then check out other workouts to add to your repertoire.

1. Plank — 30 seconds on, 10 seconds rest, 4 times total

• Get into push-up position, hands on the ground, directly under the shoulders, shoulders pulled down and back, abs and glutes engaged, hips tucked under, legs together and fully extended, body in a straight line from head to toe.
• Hold for 30 seconds.
• Rest for 10 seconds. Repeat 4 times.

2. Glute Bridges — Hold for 5 seconds, 20 reps total

• Lie on your back, arms resting at your sides, knees bent, feet flat on the floor about a foot away from butt.
• Pushing through heels to activate hamstrings, lift hips and back off the ground so you’re resting on just shoulders.
• Hold for five seconds, then release.
• Repeat for 20 reps.

3. Walkouts — 10 reps total

• Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
• Bend at the waist and place hands on the ground.
• Without moving legs, slowly walk your hands out in front of you until you’re in plank position.
• Perform a push-up.
• Walk hands back in and come back to standing. Repeat 10 times.

4. Squats — 20 reps total, 10 seconds rest, repeat

• Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, toes angled outward.
• Keeping chest tall, bend and push knees outward as you sit back into your heels, until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
• Push through heels, and use legs and glutes to come back to standing.
• Repeat for 20 reps.
• Rest 10 seconds. Repeat.