Last Updated on April 24, 2017 by Jeff
Ideally, you’d get to the gym or be able to exercise for at least an hour a day, five or six days a week. Unfortunately, life often gets in the way. Work, family, friends, and other responsibilities can take up a lot of time, and suddenly working out isn’t a priority. While you may not be able to hit the gym for as long as you like each day, there’s no reason to skip exercising entirely. You can fit an effective, full-body workout into just thirty minutes. Here are some thirty-minute workouts you can do when you’re pressed for time.
Workout 1:
You can do your regularly scheduled workout but just shorten the amount of time. If you were going to go for a forty-minute run followed by 20 minutes of strength training, cut it in half. Do a twenty-minute run followed by 10 minutes of strength building exercises. See the example below for some ideas.
Cardio
Do twenty minutes of whatever cardio you had planned—running, cycling, elliptical, swimming, etc. Try to go harder or faster than you would have during a longer period of time.
Strength
You can focus on one area, like legs or core, or do a few moves to tone your whole body. Try this to get started:
20 Squats
15 Push-ups
30 Seconds of Butterfly Kicks
Do each set 3 times through and end with a one-minute plank.
Workout 2: Lunch Break
If you don’t want to shorten your normal routine, you can still get a great workout into a half an hour. You fit a full-body workout that doesn’t require a lot of equipment in on your lunch break. Do the circuit below three times through for a total body workout in less than 30 minutes.
Jump Rope—2 Minutes
Jumping rope is a great way to raise your heart rate in a short amount of time. You can use an actual jump rope, or simply mimic the move with your hands. A weighted rope will add some difficulty and tone your arms.
Walking Lunges—10 reps per side
Step forward with your right leg, and lower your knee to a 90-degree angle. Keeping your weight in your right heel, step forward and move your left leg into a lunge. Repeat 10 times.
Squat Jumps—1 minute
Lower down into a traditional squat, when use your legs to jump as high as you can. Land softly with your knees bent and move back into a lowered squat position, then jump back up.
Bicep Curls—15 reps
Stand upright with core engaged, feet hip distance apart, and knees slightly bent. Hold a pair of light to medium dumbbells with your palm facing away form your and your elbows tucked into your side. Raise the weights to shoulder height and back down.
Mountain Climbers—1 Minute
Get into a plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders. Lift one foot off the floor. Bend your knee and bring it into your midsection, trying to get as close to your chest as possible. Lower back to the original position and bring the other knee forward. The fast you go, the better the workout.
Plank—1 Minute
Get back into that plank position and hold it for one minute. Keep our shoulders pulled back and your core engaged. Your back should be in a straight line.
