Be Well Workout of the Week: The 30-Minute Workout for Time-Crunched Days
Some days, you just need to be in and out of the gym in 30 minutes. (Because there’s dinner to make and dogs to walk and all the other lovely stuff that comes with adulthood.) And this workout makes that possible, while still giving you quite the muscle-burning sweat session.
Here’s the deal: This workout consists of three rounds of exercises, and you’re going to do each round for 10 minutes. And voila! 30 minutes later, once that final 10 minutes is up, you’re done! Complete the round of exercises as many times as you can during each 10-minute slot. Got it? Now, set your timer and get ready to work — fast!
Be Well Workout of the Week: The 30-Minute Workout for Time-Crunched Days
Complete round of exercises as many times as you can in 10 minutes; then move on to next round.
Round 1
5 pull-ups
6 burpees
7 ski jumpers (7 on each side)
8 sit-ups
Round 2
5 step-ups on bench
10 tricep dips
5 decline push-ups
10 lunge with back foot on bench (5 on each side)
Round 3
10 squats (holding weights)
10 plank row
10 alternating overhead press
10 ab twists with punch (on both sides, holding weights)
Explanations of exercises
Click links for how-to videos.
Pull-ups: Suspend yourself on the pull-up bar with your hands a little wider than shoulder-width apart. Pull yourself up, keeping your body as straight as possible, until your chest reaches the bar. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat. (If you’re struggling with pull-ups, try these alternatives instead.)
Burpee: Just like an up-down in football. Put your hands on the ground, jump your feet out behind you so you’re in push-up position, lower to the ground, bring your feet back in, and stand up.
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.
Sit-up: Lie on your back with feet on the floor and knees bent. Put your hands behind your ears. Without pulling on your neck and using only your abs, lift your shoulders off the mat and come to a full sit-up position. Lie back down slowly.
Step-ups: Standing with a bench or box in front of you, step one leg on to the bench/box, then step the other leg up. Return to start and repeat.
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.
Decline push-ups: Put your feet on a bench or step, and put your hands on the ground. Do your push-ups in that position.
Lunge with back leg on bench: Standing with a bench a bench behind you, place your back foot, toes down on the bench. Then dip down into a lunge with your forward leg. Repeat all reps on one side before doing the next.
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.
Plank row: In a push-up position with your hands on free weights, row one weight up and back, keeping your hips square to the floor and squeezing your shoulder blade. Lower and repeat on the other side.
Alternating overhead press: Holding free weights in each hand, stand with the weights at your shoulders (elbows forming 90 degrees beside your head), hips tucked under, and abs very strong. Pressing your left hand to the ceiling, straightening your arm, and return to the starting position. Repeat the motion on the right.
Ab twists: Holding a weight in each hand, sit on the floor with knees bent, heels pressing into the ground. Lean back slightly and use your abs to twist side, punching your weight in the direction of each twist.
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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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