Got a minute… or four? If so, you can knock out this 4-minute workout a few times a week and save yourself hours in the gym. While this is no “quick fix” in terms of easiness, it’s certainly a quick fix in terms of time, if you can power through an intense few minutes. And they are intense but worth it to cut your time in the gym, especially on those days when time is of the essence.

How Much Fitness Do You Need Every Week?

The most recent recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) say that adults should get about 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. The type of exercise they’re describing is for someone doing moderate sessions of about 20 – 30 minutes of cardio and/or vigorous weight training, about 5 times a week. However, if you’re doing HIIT workouts, you can cut this time by more than half… and, if you’re doing the intense 4-minute protocol, you can shave nearly 25 minutes off your workout time.

Can You Really Get a Good Workout in 4 Minutes?

So, how on earth is it possible to get in any kind of workout in four minutes, let alone an effective one? Well, it turns out you have a secret weapon at your disposal. It’s called high-intensity interval training (HIIT), but a special version of it.

High-intensity interval training involves doing short bursts of all-out effort followed by somewhat of a “cooldown” period. Consider starting with a more traditional type of HIIT workout that takes 15 – 20 minutes. For example:

• 5-minute warmup
• 30 seconds running
• 1.5 minutes walking

Repeat this sequence for a total of 15 – 20 minutes, and finish with a 5-minute cooldown.

Once you get acclimated to the traditional type of HIIT workout, you might be ready to give a 4-minute workout version a try. That said, whether or not you personally can get an intense enough workout in 4 minutes to replace 30 minutes in the gym will be up to you. To be effective, you truly have to give all-out effort. Now, if you think you’re ready for something a little more intense that can replace hours and hours in the gym…

Try These 4-Minute Workouts

Ever heard of Tabata? It’s essentially a four-minute HIIT workout that burns tons of calories. While the intensity is extreme, it’s a massive time-saver, and it’s actually very effective at burning body fat. Originally created in 1996 by the Japanese scientist Izumi Tabata, this quick, vigorous workout was designed to help an Olympic speed skating team improve their conditioning. Years later, the protocol we’ve come to know as “Tabata training” is still going strong and saving people hours and hours in the gym.

A Tabata workout consists of 20 seconds of intense exercise immediately followed by 10 seconds of rest. Do this eight times to complete a four-minute Tabata workout. The original workout was completed on an exercise bicycle.

You can also do “Tabata-style” workouts. Simply insert your own exercises into the plan. Just ensure you’re giving it the same all-out effort during the high-intensity portions of the exercise. Try something like this:

1. 4-Minute Sprint Workout

• 5- to 10-minute warmup
• 20 seconds of sprinting
• 10 seconds rest (light walking)
• (Perform the sequence 8 times)
• 5- to 10-minute cooldown

2. 4-Minute Kettlebell Lifts Workout

• 5- to 10-minute warmup
• 20 seconds of kettlebell swings
• 10 seconds rest
• (Perform the sequence 8 times)
• 5- to 10-minute cooldown

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3. 4-Minute Knee-Ups Workout

• 5- to 10-minute warmup
• 20 seconds of rapid knee-ups
• 10 seconds rest
• (Perform the sequence 8 times)
• 5- to 10-minute cooldown

4. 4-Minute Burpee Workout

• 5- to 10-minute warmup
• 20 seconds of burpees
• 10 seconds rest
• (Perform the sequence 8 times)
• 5- to 10-minute cooldown

5. 4-Minute Mixed Workout

• 5- to 10-minute warmup
• 20-second sprint
• 10 seconds rest
• 20 seconds of kettlebell lifts
• 10 seconds rest
• 20 seconds rapid knee-ups
• 10 seconds rest
• 20 seconds burpees
• 10 seconds rest
• 5- to 10-minute cooldown

Mistakes to Avoid to Make this Type of Workout Really Work for You

1. Not warming up—when you’re doing any kind of workout, a proper warmup is essential. Prime your body for the best results and warm it up sufficiently with a five- to ten-minute walk on the treadmill or some other form of light movement.

2. Resting too much in-between bursts of intensity—if you allow yourself too much of a “cooldown” time in-between your high-intensity intervals, you won’t get as much out of the workout. This type of training is supposed to be hard.

3. Not making your high-intensity sessions very intense—if the high-intensity portions of your workout (the short bursts of all-out effort) are not very difficult, then you’re not getting what you need to experience the benefits of HIIT.

4. Doing HIIT training too often—because this workout is so intense, your body needs a little downtime in-between workouts. Try to take at least a full day between HIIT workouts if possible; otherwise, you could risk getting injured or overtraining.

What’s the Best Solution

While this style of exercise program is a time-saver, it’s definitely not a quick fix. For the best results, a 4-minute workout is a good start but should be part of a bigger plan. A combination of both HIIT and traditional cardiovascular training, coupled with regular resistance training (several times a week), is the best way to burn the most fat, get in the best shape, and stay injury-free. But when time is short, it sure is nice to have such a fast, effective workout in your playbook!

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