You don't need an hour to exercise, this six-move bodyweight workout takes less than 15 minutes

Boost your metabolism and build full-body strength with this time-efficient session

A woman performing a lateral lunge
A woman performing a lateral lunge
(Image credit: Future)

It's often difficult to find an hour in your hectic schedule to exercise, so this quick bodyweight workout is ideal when you're short on time. 

There's no need for any expensive equipment, so you can pretty much do it anytime, anywhere (though we wouldn't recommend breaking out a set of glute bridges in the middle of a work meeting). The only thing you might want to buy is one of the best yoga mats, to keep your limbs comfortable during floor-based exercises. 

This session is the brainchild of NASM certified personal trainer and Sweat app barre instructor Britany Williams, who specializes in creating low-impact, high-intensity home workouts. She says it's a perfect fit for anyone who doesn't feel like exercising but knows they'll feel better after a quick hit of movement.

It involves a circuit of just six moves, including exercises that work your legs, chest, shoulders, back, core and more. Perform each exercise for the prescribed number of repetitions (listed in Williams' video below) before moving on to the next one. Once you've done six exercises, that's one round. Finish two or three rounds in total, depending on how fresh you're feeling after the first circuit, to complete the workout. This should take less than 15 minutes. 

For pointers on how to perfect your technique for each movement, watch Williams' video below. 

Watch Britany Williams' six-move workout

This session is an example of high-intensity resistance training or HIRT. Like similarly-named high-intensity interval training (otherwise know as HIIT workouts) this exercise method uses intense bursts of exercise followed by short rest periods, raising your heart rate to increase the amount of energy your body uses. 

The two regimes differ slightly as HIRT incorporates strength-building movements, which apply resistance to your muscles. This can be achieved with weighted bits of kit like the best kettlebells, or by using more challenging bodyweight exercises like lunges and push-ups. 

As we mentioned above, the beauty of this session is that it requires minimal time and equipment, so you can try it at home, on-the-go, in a hotel room or even al fresco (if the weather allows it). You can use it as your daily fitness fix, or slip it into your usual workout plan.  

Harry Bullmore
Fitness Writer

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.