Adding pulses and hops to your workouts can take your fitness routine to the next level. Pulses (small, controlled movements) help target and strengthen specific muscle groups, improving endurance and stability. Adding hops, on the other hand, introduces an explosive plyometric element that increases power, agility, and cardiovascular fitness.
According to the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), combining these techniques increases strength and challenges your body in new ways.
Perfect for building strength and coordination, pulses and hops bring fresh energy to your workouts and deliver results. That’s why Or Artzi, CPT, lead group fitness instructor at Equinox and creator of the fitness platform Orriors, created this pulse-and-hop workout to improve your exercise habits.
join the club
If you’re participating in the January 2025 Good Moves Club Winter Challenge (sign up here if you haven’t already!), this is your workout for Week 19, Week 3. You can follow a full-length workout with Artzi. Down below. This efficient workout includes a warm-up and 6 strength-based exercises.
warming up
Do each exercise for 30 seconds. Complete 1 round.
1. Strike
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Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your arms at your sides. Bend forward at the waist and reach toward the floor. Keeping your feet in place, walk your hands forward and get into a high plank so your shoulders are over your wrists. Pause and engage your core. Return your hands to your feet and return to a standing position. repeat.
2. World’s largest stretch (alternate sides)
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Start in a high plank with your feet hip-width apart and your shoulders stacked over your wrists. Bring your right foot forward and place it on the outside of your right hand. Keeping your hips square, lift your right hand toward the ceiling and rotate your chest toward your right leg. Let’s focus our eyes on the fingertips. Pause, then return your right hand to the floor and return your right leg to a plank position. Repeat on the other side. Continue alternating.
3. Cat and Cow Pose (Bitilasana Marjaryasana)
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Get on all fours and place your hands and knees on the floor. Place your elbows and shoulders over your wrists and your hips over your knees. Slowly arch your spine and lower your stomach toward the floor. Look up while pulling your tailbone toward the ceiling (cow pose). Slowly transition into a rounded spine, tilting your pelvis forward and pulling your chin toward your spine (cat pose). Continue alternating between cow and cat poses.
4. Deep squat with thoracic twist (left and right alternating)
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Place your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart and clasp your hands in front of your chest. Inhale, bend your hips and knees, and lower your butt until your thighs are parallel to the floor (lower if comfortable). As you exhale, press your legs evenly, place your left hand on the floor and, while squatting deeply, raise your right arm to the sky. Twist your torso toward your right hand and reach toward the ceiling. Pause and center your torso. Repeat on the other side. Continue alternating.
5. Hamstring sweep (alternate sides)
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Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your arms hanging by your sides. Bend your left knee slightly and step your right foot forward, bending your toes. The right leg should be straight. Lean your torso forward until it is almost parallel to the floor and extend your arms back. Next, swing your arms forward and up so that your biceps are next to your ears. You should feel a stretch in the muscles in the back of your right thigh. Repeat on the other side. Continue alternating.
6. Jumping Jack
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Stand with your feet together and your arms at your sides. Spread your legs out to the sides while raising your arms above your head. Finish the repetition by jumping your feet together and bringing your arms back to your sides. Keep your toes light and your knees softly bent when jumping. repeat.
training
To complete this workout, you will need a bench, couch, or chair and access to a wall. Perform each exercise once, resting for 60 seconds before proceeding to the next round. Do 2-4 rounds in total.
Beginners: Do each exercise for 30 seconds, rest for 30 seconds, then move on to the next exercise. Intermediate: Do each exercise for 40 seconds, rest for 20 seconds, then move on to the next exercise. Advanced: Perform each exercise for 60 seconds before moving on to the next exercise.
1. Surrender
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Kneel on the floor and place your butt on your heels. Clasp your hands in front of your chest. Step your left foot forward and place it flat on the floor. The left leg should be bent at approximately 90 degrees. Next, step your right foot forward and place it flat on the floor. You need to bend your right leg to about 90 degrees and assume a squatting position. Step your left foot back so your left knee touches the floor. Next, step your right foot back so that your right knee touches the floor, getting into a knee-up position. Repeat, this time leading with your right foot.
2. Forearm plank walk up
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Lie face down with your forearms on the floor and your elbows directly below your shoulders (palms flat on the floor). Keep your feet bent with the soles of your feet touching the floor. Keep your forearms parallel to each other. Tuck your forearms and palms together and stand up on your toes so that only your forearms, palms, and toes touch the floor. Your body should be in a straight line from your shoulders to your feet, several inches off the floor. Tighten your core and buttocks. Keep your head in a neutral position, looking at the floor. Lift your right forearm off the floor and press your right palm into the floor. Lift your left forearm off the floor and press your left palm into the floor. You should assume a high plank position. Lower your left forearm to the floor, then your right forearm to the floor. You should return to a forearm plank position. Alternate which arm you start with.
3. Lie on your side with your knees bent and lift your legs diagonally (each side separately)
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Lie on your left side with your feet stacked on top of each other, with your left elbow under your left shoulder and your forearm along the floor. Raise your right arm toward the ceiling. Bend your knees slightly and lift your legs as high as possible off the floor. At the same time, lower your right arm, bring your feet together, and tap the toes of your right foot. Lower your hips and repeat. Perform all repetitions on one side before switching sides.
4. Wall sitting
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Find a wall and place your feet slightly in front of the wall and your back flat against the wall. Make sure your feet are about shoulder width apart. Stretch your arms straight out in front of you. Bend your knees and slide down the wall so your thighs are perpendicular to the wall and your knees form a 90-degree angle. You may need to adjust the distance of your feet from the wall so that your hips and knees form a 90-degree angle, but try to slide down the wall as far as you can comfortably go. Build muscles such as quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings. Also, keep your core tight. Hold for a moment, then push through your heels to stand up.
5. Chair triceps dips with pulses
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Sit on a hard surface (such as a bench, chair, or sofa) with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Place your hands on the water and walk your feet forward until your butt is off the water. Bend your elbows and bring your butt as close to the floor as your range of motion allows. Press your hands into the surface and extend your arms halfway. Next, fully bend your elbows again and bring your butt as close to the floor as your range of motion allows. Fully extend your elbows to the starting position. repeat.
6. Single leg skater jump with hop (both sides separate)
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Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Jump to the right, push off with your left foot, and land on your right foot only. The left leg should be tucked behind the right calf. Jump to the left and land on your left foot. Your right leg should be tucked behind your left calf. Stand on your left foot and jump straight into the air. repeat.
