You don’t need an hour in the gym to get a good workout.

You don’t need equipment.

You need 20 minutes and a timer.

Here’s the perfect bodyweight HIIT workout you can do anywhere.

The Setup

Format: 40 seconds work, 20 seconds rest Rounds: 4 Total time: 20 minutes

Do all 5 exercises in a row. That’s 1 round. Rest 1 minute. Repeat 4 times.

The Workout

Exercise 1: Burpees

The ultimate full-body movement.

Start standing. Drop to the floor. Chest touches ground. Push up. Jump up with hands overhead.

Can’t do full burpees? Skip the push-up. Just squat down, step back to plank, step forward, stand up.

Exercise 2: Jump Squats

Explosive lower body.

Squat down until thighs are parallel. Explode up. Leave the ground. Land soft. Repeat.

Can’t jump? Regular bodyweight squats. Go deep and controlled.

Exercise 3: Mountain Climbers

Cardio and core in one.

Plank position. Drive one knee to chest. Switch. Fast.

Keep your hips low — not piking up. It’s a plank with running legs.

Exercise 4: Push-Ups

The classic.

Chest to floor. Push up. Full extension. Don’t half-rep.

Can’t do full push-ups? Knees on ground. Still go chest to floor.

Exercise 5: High Knees

Pure cardio finish.

Run in place. Drive knees up. Fast tempo. Keep your core tight.

Get those knees up. Higher than you think.

The Timing

Round 1:
- Burpees: 40s work, 20s rest
- Jump Squats: 40s work, 20s rest  
- Mountain Climbers: 40s work, 20s rest
- Push-Ups: 40s work, 20s rest
- High Knees: 40s work, 20s rest
- REST: 60 seconds

Round 2-4: Repeat

Total: ~20 minutes

Why This Works

1. It’s efficient 20 minutes of HIIT burns similar calories to 40-50 minutes of steady-state cardio. Time is money.

2. Afterburn effect High intensity creates EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption). You keep burning calories for hours after.

3. No equipment = no excuses Hotel room. Living room. Park. Anywhere works.

4. Progressive overload is simple As you get fitter, add a round. Or reduce rest times. Or add jump height. There’s always a way to progress.

Common Mistakes

Going too easy If you can easily talk during work intervals, you’re not going hard enough. It should be uncomfortable.

Sacrificing form for speed Fast burpees with no chest touch? Not burpees. Quality over quantity.

Skipping the timer Eyeballing “about 40 seconds” doesn’t work. Use a real timer. It keeps you honest.

The Timer

I built WorkoutTimer for exactly this.

Set your work interval. Set your rest interval. Hit start. Audio cues tell you when to go and when to stop.

No watching the clock. No mental math. Just work.

— Dolce