Be Well Workout of the Week: The 30-Second Challenge for a Full-Body Workout

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For this week’s workout, put 30 seconds on your stopwatch, and get ready to sweat. You have four sets of three exercises plus a sprint, and you’re going to do 30 seconds of each exercise in the set three times through before you move on to the next set of exercises. Got it? Good luck!

Be Well Workout of the Week: The 30-Second Challenge

Set #1: Do 30 seconds of each exercise three times through
Lateral lunges
Push-ups
Ski jumpers
Sprint on treadmill

Set #2: Do 30 seconds of each exercise three times through
Squats
Bent-over rows (with bands or weights)
Squat jumps
Sprint

Set #3: Do 30 seconds of each exercise three times through
Hamstring curls on physioball
Overhead press
Dead lift
Sprint

Set #4: Do 30 seconds of each exercise three times through
Bicep curls
Plank
Tricep dips
Sprint

Explanation of exercises

Lateral lunge: Standing with feet together, step to the side in a lunge, making sure your knee doesn’t bend past your toe. Return to standing and lunge on the other side.

Push-up: Start lying face down with your chest on the floor, with hands facing forward and palms down in line with your shoulders; elbows should be pointing back. Push up until arms are extended (the inside of the elbow should be facing forward) and drop back down.

Ski jumpers: Start in a skier’s stance (like a squat, but bent forward at the waist slightly). Using your arms for momentum, jump up and to the left, landing on both feet. Jump to the right. Repeat.

Squat: Stand with your feet just a bit wider than shoulder widt and your toes slightly turned outward. Keeping your weight in your heels, bending at the knees and lower until your quads are parallel to the floor. Keep your back as upright as possible. Straighten legs and come back to the starting position.

Bent-over rows: Hold a dumbbell in your hand with feet shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent. Bend forward from the waist, keeping your spine straight and letting your hand fall forward in front of you. Pull the dumbbell back (you should feel like you’re rowing a boat), squeezing your shoulder blade. Do 10 on the left then switch and do 10 on the right. For more of a challenge, try a plank row in a push-ups position with your hands on the weights.)

Squat jumps: Stand with feet hip-width apart and perform a squat, dropping your rear until your knees are just behind your toes and your hamstrings are parallel to the floor. As you stand, propel yourself upwards and jump. Return to standing and squat again.

Hamstring curls on the physioball: Lying on your back, place heels onto top of the ball so your legs are straight and lift your hips toward ceiling; your hips should be in line with shoulders. Keeping your hips up, bend your knees and pull the ball in toward your butt, squeezing your hamstrings. Hold for a beat, then return to the starting position.

Overhead press: Holding a pair of free weights at your shoulders with your palms facing forward, press the weights up over your head. Return the weights to your shoulders and repeat.

Dead lift: Stand with legs shoulder-width apart and dumbbells in hands. Bend knees slightly and lean forward with your arms moving towards the ground, until your back is at a table-top position. Slowly return to the starting position.

Bicep curls: Hold dumbbells at your side with palms facing forward. Pretend your elbows are glued to your midsection and curl the weight toward your shoulders, keeping your upper arm still. Slowly return your weight to the starting position and repeat on the other side.

Plank: Get in push-up position, resting on your elbows; keep back, hips, and legs in a straight line. Hold.

Tricep dips: Using a bench or a chair, step your legs out a few feet in front of your body. Steady your hands on the bench or chair and, with your back just a few inches from your fingertips, lower your body to the ground. Then raise your body back to the starting position by pushing into the bench or chair. Repeat.

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Audrey McKenna Hasse is the owner of A.M.Fit, a personal training and healthy consultation business on the Main Line. You’ll find her workouts every Monday right here on Be Well Philly.

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