Our world today is full of hustle and bustle, leaving many of us with hectic schedules. Finding time for exercise can be a challenge, especially when every minute counts. However, fitting in a workout just got easier! Daniel J Argota, a personal trainer at UFC GYM, has shared a quick 22-minute bodyweight workout comprising five moves that can replace a full hour at the gym. This workout allows you to cut down your exercise time significantly.

According to Daniel, this circuit involves five different movements and only requires 22 minutes of active work. Despite its short duration, the workout aligns with strength recommendations by ACSM, increases VO₂ levels like a sprint session, and activates key muscle groups like glutes and lats, typically targeted with weights. When time is limited, focusing on efficiency over length is key.

Daniel’s bodyweight routine covers a range of exercises including squats, pushes, pulls, hinges, and anti-rotations. By incorporating these movements, he ensures that the heart rate stays elevated and all major muscle groups are effectively engaged throughout the workout.

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.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

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.”

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

Alexa Mellardo