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. Meanwhile, adding hops introduces an explosive, plyometric element that boosts power, agility, and cardiovascular fitness.

Together, these techniques increase intensity and challenge your body in new ways, per the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM).

Perfect for building strength and coordination, pulses and hops can bring fresh energy to your workouts while delivering results. That’s why Or Artzi, CPT, a lead group fitness instructor at Equinox and creator of the fitness platform Orriors, created this pulse and hop workout to elevate your exercise routine.

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 19 week 3. 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. 1.
   Stand with your feet hip-width apart and arms by your sides.
2. 2.
   Hinge forward at your hips and reach toward the floor.
3. 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. 4.
   Pause, engaging your core.
5. 5.
   Walk your hands back to your feet, then return to standing.
6. 6.
   Repeat.

2. World’s greatest stretch (alternating sides)

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

3. Cat-cow pose (Bitilasana Marjaryasana)

1. 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. 2.
   Slowly arch your spine, dropping your belly toward the floor. Look up as you draw your tailbone toward the ceiling (cow pose).
3. 3.
   Slowly transition into a rounded spine, tucking your chin toward your spine as you tilt your pelvis forward (cat pose).
4. 4.
   Continue alternating between cow and cat poses.

4. Deep squat with thoracic twist (alternating sides)