Build strength and burn a ton of calories with this four-move bodyweight workout

No equipment required and it'll only take you 20 minutes

Woman doing bodyweight plank
(Image credit: Getty Images)

It’s officially cold weather season and all many of us want to do is snuggle in our duvets and eat comfort food. As a result, working out and keeping fit has probably taken a bit of a backseat in your agenda. But it doesn’t have to. This bodyweight workout is perfect for doing at home, as not only does it require no equipment, but it’ll only take 20 minutes to complete – that's hardly any time! 

This bodyweight workout consists of compound exercises, those that work multiple muscles in the body. Not only does this develop functional strength, but they're also great for burning lots of calories. This is because recruiting more muscles requires your body to use more energy, resulting in a higher calorific burn. But TRX Training also add that they also improve your mobility, balance and strengthen your core, without the need to do crunches (pretty good if you ask us).

This workout is a ‘every minute on minute’ (EMOM) workout, a style of training that’s popular with CrossFitters. The way it works is that for each minute you do a new exercise. For this workout you’ve got four exercises and you’ll do each one for as many reps as possible. Once you’ve finished all four, you then get to rest for a minute, before repeating the workout three more times. Ready? Here’s your exercises:  

  • Minute 1: Burpees
  • Minute 2: Air squats
  • Minute 3: Push-ups
  • Minute 4: Butterfly sit-ups
  • Minute 5: Rest

Repeat three more times

We bet that was tiring, but that you also feel so much better for getting up and moving. We've got plenty more workouts like that here on T3 too, like this five-move full-body workout. Not only is it excellent for building entire body strength, but we can confirm it's a lot less intense than the workout you've just done. If you've got access to a pair of dumbbells, or a single kettlebell, then this four-move workout will help build muscle all over and it'll only take you around 20 minutes.

Bryony Firth-Bernard
Staff Writer, Active

Bryony’s T3’s official ‘gym-bunny’ and Active Staff Writer, covering all things fitness. In her spare time, you will find her in her natural habitat - the gym - where her style of training is a hybrid of bodybuilding and powerlifting. Bryony loves writing about accessible workouts, nutrition and testing innovative fitness products that help you reach your fitness goals and take your training to the next level.