Challenge Yourself to Do 1 Killer Workout a Day in our ‘5 Minutes to Fit’ Series

Nike Master Trainers Kirsty Godso and Joe Holder are BFFs who love to push each other to get the absolute most from their workouts. For Health’s 5 Minutes to Fit Challenge (#5MinstoFit), they’ve teamed up to design super-efficient, kick-butt routines that tone, trim, and sculpt in (almost) no time at all. Commit to doing one routine a day, and you’ll whip yourself into shape in less than two weeks.

In each workout video below, Kirsty and Joe take turns cueing the exercises (while the other demonstrates), so you benefit from both of their styles—Kirsty’s love of speed and form, and Joe’s focus on functional fitness.

The best part? The workouts are completely customizable: So if you have more than 5 minutes, you can string several workouts together into a longer session. But whatever you do, don’t hold back. As Joe puts it, “We’re not giving you any junk exercises, so we want no junk reps.” Here we go!

EMOM (which stands for every minute on the minute) is a type of interval workout where you perform a new exercise at the start of every 60-second period. The routine below is a great way to work your entire body in a short amount of time. Once you finish the prescribed reps for each move, rest and recover for the remainder of the minute before starting the next exercise. Focus on performing the five moves as quickly as possible while maintaining proper form.

For a longer workout, you can repeat the circuit—or tack it on to a strength session as a finisher. Watch the video and follow along as Kirsty leads and Joe demos the moves.

Mountain Climbers
100 reps
Count every knee

Burpees
10 reps

Typewriter
10 lengths

Donkey Kicks
20 reps

Squat Jump to Lunge Jump
20 reps alternating
Count each lunge

This routine combines three lower-body exercises that target your quads, calves, and hamstrings. Joe calls it a plyo ladder regression because the workout starts with an explosive movement and then gradually slows down. And the order matters: squat jumps tire out your muscles, which helps maximize strength-building during the two exercises that follow. Repeat the circuit five times. Watch the video and do the moves with Kirsty as Joe talks you through them.

Squat Jumps
20 seconds

Squats
20 seconds

Squat Holds
20 seconds

Complete 5 rounds

AMRAP is an acronym for as many reps as possible—which is how you spike your heart rate and start sweating stat in this 5-minute sequence. Set the timer on your phone for 5 minutes and challenge yourself to complete as many rounds as possible before time runs out.

To track your progress, write down the number of rounds you complete; then compare your stats each time you repeat this workout. You’ll definitely notice improvement over time. But remember, quality is more important than quantity—so don’t ditch proper form to hit a bigger number. Watch the video and sweat along with Joe as Kirsty cues the routine.

Single Leg Donkey Kicks
5 each leg

Lateral Shuffle to Drop Push-up
10 lengths

Broad Jumps
15 reps

Repeat as many rounds as possible in 5 minutes

This total-body circuit gets your heart rate up and builds major muscle. The first three exercises make up a 3D lunge variation that not only works your lower half, but also challenges your balance and strengthens your core too. The plyo jumping jacks that follow rev up your ticker, and pre-fatigue your muscles so your get maximum muscle-building bang for your buck during the final plank hold. Watch the video and follow along as Joe leads and Kirsty demonstrates the workout.

Forward Lunge
30 seconds

Side Lunge
30 seconds

Pivot Lunge
30 seconds

Plyo Jumping Jack
30 seconds

Plank Hold
30 seconds

Repeat another round

This workout strengthens your abs and can do wonders for poor posture. Perform each of the five exercises for one minute, then take 15 seconds to set up for the next move. Use this routine on its own to target your core, or add it to the end of another workout as a finisher. Watch the video and follow Kirsty’s instructions as Joe demonstrates.

Lower Ab Taps
60 seconds

Full Extensions
60 seconds

Static Bear Hold with Hand Steps
60 seconds

Side Plank with Reach
30 seconds each side 

Modified Forearm Plank
60 seconds

This workout pumps up your heart rate in a series of exercises with similar movement patterns. Your start at the highest level of intensity, and gradually slow down to a static hold (optimal for burning fat). Once you’ve made it “around the clock,” you start the high-intensity interval all over again. Watch the video for Kirsty's demonstration, while Joe talks you through the whole routine.

High Knees
20 seconds

Step Back to Knee Drive
40 seconds, alternating legs

ISO Hold Lunge
20 seconds each leg

Lateral Skier Jumps  
20 seconds

Side Lunge to Knee Drive
20 seconds each leg

Side Lunge ISO Hold
20 seconds each leg

This three-exercise routine builds arm and leg strength while improving core stability. Do as many rounds as possible, but don’t forget about maintaining proper form. And remember, as you build strength, you can keep coming back to this workout, because Kirsty and Joe offer progressions for each exercise. (Heads up: You’ll love watching these two trainers go head to head with competing plyo push-ups in round two!) Watch the video to follow the workout as Kirsty talks you through it, and Joe shows you how it’s done. 

Single Leg Squat to Walkout
5 each leg

Push-ups
10 reps

Lateral Bear Crawl
10 lengths

Repeat as many rounds as possible in 5 minutes

If you’ve always dreamed of a washboard stomach, this circuit’s for you: Joe’s ab activator series will tighten your tummy muscles and give your arms and glutes a wake-up call, too. As a former college athlete and functional fitness guru, Joe’s exercises often combine several muscle groups, so even though the workout focuses on strengthening your abs, you still get a good total-body burn in the process. Watch the video and follow along as Joe puts Kirsty through her paces.

Dead Bug to Reverse Crunch
30 seconds

Side Plank with Knee Drive
30 Seconds each way

3D Plank
30 seconds each side

Sprinter Sit-Ups
45 seconds

Rest 15 seconds then repeat

This high-intensity circuit made up of just two alternating moves—burpees and jumping lunges—is a great way to improve strength and endurance. Work down the ladder from 10 repetitions of each to 8, then 6, 4, and 2 as quickly as you can while maintaining good form. Kirsty offers modifications throughout the workout so that as you get tired, you can keep moving as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Set your phone’s timer and see if you can get all the way down the ladder in 5 minutes, without breaking for more than 10 seconds between rounds. Watch the video to follow along and see Joe burpee and lunge his heart out.

Burpees
10 reps

Jumping Lunges
10 on each leg

Burpees
8 reps

Jumping Lunges
8 on each leg

Continue down the ladder to 2 reps of each move

With this circuit, Joe wants to fix your sleepy glute syndrome—a common condition among people who work in a seated position all day—and wake up that posterior chain. Watch the video and follow along as Joe coaches Kirsty through a series of activators that will strengthen and sculpt those peaches. You may want to recruit own workout partner to help add extra pressure and support to a couple of these challenging moves.

Hip Circles
30 seconds

Glute Bridge
30 seconds

Micro Circles
30 seconds

Single Leg Glute Bridge
30 seconds

Clam Shells
30 seconds

Glute Bridge
30 seconds

Do 2 rounds

Makeup by Neil Scibelli