This four-move bodyweight workout builds strength and boosts your metabolism in less than 20 minutes
Build muscle, raise your heart rate, and increase your post-workout calorie burn with this quick full-body session
Are you looking for a workout to improve your cardio fitness, or would you rather spend your sessions building strength? Well, what if you didn't have to choose between the two?
This four-move workout from training app Freeletics will work your muscles with a series of bodyweight resistance exercises, but it also incorporates cardio moves and low rest times to improve your aerobic capacity (the maximum amount of oxygen your body can take in and use during exercise).
If you need any more convincing, it's incredibly accessible too, taking less than 20 minutes and not needing any equipment (though a yoga mat is a welcome addition for extra grip and cushioning).
The session challenges you to complete 20 squat jumps before launching straight into 10 push-ups. After this, rest for 20 seconds before performing 30 high knees and 10 burpees. Take a 30-second rest this time, then start the sequence again.
Complete four rounds of this circuit as quickly as possible (maintaining proper form throughout, of course) to reach the finish line. Watch the video below for a demonstration of each of the four exercises, then give this workout a go for yourself.
Watch Freeletics' workout
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Freeletics' workout is an example of high-intensity resistance training, or HIRT for short. This is an exercise method that, as the name suggests, combines high-intensity interval training (HIIT) with resistance exercises to offer the benefits of both.
As a result, HIRT workouts can boost your metabolism, build muscle and increase your strength, according to research published in the Journal of Translational Medicine. The study also found that HIRT increases post-workout calorie burn "to a significantly greater extent than traditional resistance training."
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So, not only is HIRT an effective training style, it's also efficient. By keeping rest times low, it allows you to complete more work in a shorter period, making it a great option for anyone trying to fit some movement into a busy day.
If you're no on the lookout for more HIRT workouts to try, why not give this 15-minute dumbbell session a go? Or, if you're really pushed for time, our collection of snack-sized five-minute workouts might be more your speed.
Harry Bullmore is a Fitness Writer for Fit&Well and its sister site Coach, covering accessible home workouts, strength training session, and yoga routines. He joined the team from Hearst, where he reviewed products for Men's Health, Women's Health, and Runner's World. He is passionate about the physical and mental benefits of exercise, and splits his time between weightlifting, CrossFit, and gymnastics, which he does to build strength, boost his wellbeing, and have fun.
Harry is a NCTJ-qualified journalist, and has written for Vice, Learning Disability Today, and The Argus, where he was a crime, politics, and sports reporter for several UK regional and national newspapers.
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