A 30-Minute Pulse and Hold Workout

If you’ve ever wanted a workout full of moves that target multiple muscles at once, look no further. Called compound exercises, these moves come with plenty of benefits.

According to the American Council on Exercise, they improve how efficiently you move, boost your overall coordination, help with flexibility, and get your heart rate up more than exercises where you work one muscle at a time. Plus, they’re more time-efficient, so they’re great if you don’t have a ton of time in your schedule to train.

The below workout, created by Or Artzi, CPT, a lead group fitness instructor at Equinox and creator of the fitness platform Orriors, emphasizes pulse and hold movements, like hollow holds and hip thrusts with pulses. And, of course, every exercise works multiple muscle groups at the same time. The best part? It only takes 30 minutes. 

Join the club

If you’re following along with our January 2025 Good Moves Club Winter Challenge (sign up here if you haven’t already!), this is the workout for day 13, week 2. You can follow along with Artzi and the full-length workout below. This efficient workout includes a warmup and six strength-based exercises.

The warmup

Do each exercise for 30 seconds. Complete one round. 

1. Walkout

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and arms by your sides.
2. Hinge forward at your hips and reach toward the floor.
3. Keeping your feet in place, walk your hands forward and come into a high plank so that your shoulders are over your wrists.
4. Pause, engaging your core.
5. Walk your hands back to your feet, then return to standing.
6. Repeat.

2. World’s greatest stretch (alternating sides)

1. Start in a high plank with your feet hip-width apart and your shoulders stacked over your wrists.
2. Step your right foot forward and place it outside of your right hand.
3. Keeping your hips square, lift your right hand toward the ceiling, rotating your chest toward your right leg. Allow your gaze to follow your fingertips.
4. Pause, then return your right hand to the floor and extend your right leg back to plank position.
5. Repeat on the opposite side.
6. Continue alternating sides.

3. Cat-cow pose (Bitilasana Marjaryasana)

1. Start on all fours with your hands and knees on the floor. Align your elbows and shoulders over your wrists and your hips over your knees.
2. Slowly arch your spine, dropping your belly toward the floor. Look up as you draw your tailbone toward the ceiling (cow pose).
3. Slowly transition into a rounded spine, tucking your chin toward your spine as you tilt your pelvis forward (cat pose).
4. Continue alternating between cow and cat poses.

4. Deep squat with thoracic twist (alternating sides)

1. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and hands clasped in front of your chest. 
2. Inhale, then bend at your hips and knees, lowering your butt until your thighs are parallel to the floor (or lower if that’s comfortable).
3. Exhale, pressing evenly through your feet as you place your left hand on the floor and lift your right arm up to the sky while still in a deep squat.
4. Twist your torso toward your right hand, reaching for the ceiling.
5. Pause, then return your torso to center. 
6. Repeat on the opposite side. 
7. Continue alternating sides.

5. Hamstring sweep (alternating sides)

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and arms down by your sides.
2. Bend your left knee slightly and step forward with your right foot, flexing your toes up. Your right leg should be straight.
3. Lean your torso forward until it’s nearly parallel to the floor, reaching your arms behind you.
4. Then, sweep your arms forward and up so your biceps are next to your ears. You should feel a stretch in the muscles behind your right thigh.
5. Repeat on the opposite side.
6. Continue alternating sides.

6. Jumping jack

1. Stand with your legs together and arms at your sides.
2. Jump your legs out to the sides while lifting your arms up over your head.
3. Finish the rep by jumping your feet back together and returning your arms to your sides.
4. Stay light on your toes and keep a soft bend in your knees as you jump.
5. Repeat.

The workout

You’ll need a bench, box, couch, or wide chair for this workout. Perform each exercise one time through, then rest for 60 seconds before moving on to the next round. Do 2-4 rounds total. 

• Beginners: Do each exercise for 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds before moving on to the next exercise. 
• Intermediate: Do each exercise for 40 seconds, then rest for 20 seconds before moving on to the next exercise. 
• Advanced: Do each exercise for 60 seconds, then move on to the next exercise.

1. Hip thrust with pulse

1. Sit on the floor with your mid back against the edge of a bench, box, couch, or wide chair. Clasp your hands in front of your chest. 
2. Place your feet on the floor about hip-width apart. Your feet can be slightly turned out, depending on what feels most comfortable for you.
3. Squeeze your glutes and push through your heels to raise your hips up toward the ceiling. Keep your back flat and head pointed toward the wall in front of you.
4. Lock your hips out at the top of the movement by fully extending your hips and squeezing your glutes. Your shins should be vertical, knees neutral or slightly externally rotated and legs forming 90-degree angles.
5. Pause, then slowly lower your hips to the floor.
6. Lift your hips halfway up, then lower your hips down to the floor again. 
7. Lift your hips all the way up with your hips fully extended. 
8. Repeat. 

2. Push-up with reach

1. Start in a high plank position with your hands planted firmly on the floor, directly under your shoulders and feet hip-width apart.
2. Bend your elbows at a 45-degree angle to your body and lower your body to the floor.
3. Press into your palms and push the floor away from you to come back up to a high plank, still keeping your body in one straight line.
4. Drive your hips up and back into an inverted “V” position. 
5. Reach your right arm to tap your left shin. 
6. Return to a  high plank position. 
7. Do another push-up.
8. At the top of your push-up, drive your hips up and back into an inverted “V” position. 
9. Reach your left arm to tap your right shin. 
10. Return to the high plank position. 
11. Repeat, continuing to alternate which arm you reach to your leg.

3. Hollow hold

1. Lie face up with knees bent at 90 degrees, and your arms extended overhead so your biceps are by your ears. 
2. Lift your head, neck, and shoulders a few inches off the floor. 
3. Extend your legs straight out in front of you. 
4. Brace your core and hold this position for the allotted amount of time. 

4. Forward lunge (alternating sides)

1. Stand with both feet together. Clasp your hands in front of your chest. 
2. Step your left leg forward, bending both your front and back legs to a 90-degree angle.
3. Keeping your chest tall, bend both knees and drop toward the floor with control. Keep lowering until your back knee is about an inch off the floor (or as low as you can comfortably go).
4. Push through your left foot to bring yourself back to the starting position.
5. Repeat, this time stepping your right leg forward.
6. Continue alternating legs for the allotted amount of time.

5. Superhero pulldown

1. Lie facedown with your legs behind you and your arms in front of you. 
2. Lift your legs and your upper body a few inches off the floor. 
3. As you lift, pull your elbows down to form a goalpost shape with your arms..
4. Slowly bring your arms back to starting position, hands reaching overhead.
5. Continue reaching and pulling down for the allotted amount of time.

6. Jumping jack to plank jack

1. Standing with your legs together and arms at your sides.
2. Jump your feet out to the sides while lifting your arms up overhead.
3. Finish the rep by jumping your feet back together and returning your arms to your sides.
4. Stay light on your toes and keep a soft bend in your knees as you jump.
5. Perform 2 more jumping jacks (3 jumping jacks total). 
6. Place your hands on the floor shoulder-width apart, then hop your feet back into a high plank. Your body should make a straight line from your heels through your hips to the top of your head.
7. Jump your feet out to the sides while maintaining your plank position.
8. Then, jump your feet back together. 
9. Perform 2 more plank jacks (3 plank jacks total). 
10. Then, hop your feet forward, stand up, and repeat the jumping jacks.
11. Continue to repeat the pattern: 3 jumping jacks, followed by 3 plank jacks.