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Here we have whole-body strength, cardio, power, endurance and mobility work all in a shorter workout. This means you have the ability to burn fat, build muscle and boost metabolism in 30 minutes or less.
Perform each of these exercises for 30 seconds at a time to begin with and gradually build up to 60 seconds by adding five to 10 second increments as your metabolic conditioning improves. Keep your rest periods between exercises at 30 seconds or less.
1. Isometric Towel Row
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How To:
- Start with your left leg forward and your right leg back.
- Place your left foot onto one end of a towel and grab the other end in your right hand.
- Pull the towel as hard as you can without holding your breath.
- Hold for 30 to 60 seconds, then switch sides and repeat.
- If you can’t maintain the hold continuously, break it up into shorter five- to 10-second bursts with brief one- or two-second rests in between.
2. Frog Push-Up
How To:
- Start in a high plank with your hands underneath your shoulders.
- Jump your feet outside your hands and drop into a deep squat position, pushing your knees out and keeping your feels flat on the floor while prying your chest open with your hands.
- Return to the starting position and repeat.
- For an added challenge, try moving both forward and backward.
3. Bear Crawl
How To:
- Assume a bent-knee push-up position with your hands underneath your shoulders and your knees bent at 90-degrees, feet underneath hips.
- Step your left hand and your right foot forward and continue to crawl forward so that your opposite hand and foot are moving together.
- Repeat for 30 to 60 seconds.
- Start with smaller, slower steps and gradually increase the speed and distance travelled per step over time.
4. Crab Walk
How To:
- Assume a seated position with your palms loaded, hands underneath your shoulders and knees bent at 90-degrees with your feet underneath your hips.
- Raise your hips so your butt hovers above the ground, and then move your right hand and left foot forward.
- Continue this opposite-hand, opposite-food pattern as you crawl for 30 to 60 seconds.
- You can add difficulty by travelling backwards or side-to-side.
5. Monkey Lunge
How To:
- Step to your left and lower your body into a lateral lunge, placing both hands on the floor.
- Without moving your feet, lift your hands and hips and shift your weight over your right foot, so you end up in a right-side lunge.
- Alternate back and forth for 30 to 60 seconds.
- To really kick up the burn, turn this movement into a monkey shuffle by simultaneously loading your hands, lifting your hips and shuffling your feet side-to-side between right and left lunge positions.
6. Kick Through
How To:
- Start in a bent-knee push-up position with your palms underneath your shoulders and knees bent at 90-degrees.
- Kick your right leg in front of you and assume a one-arm, one-leg hip bridge.
- Hold for one count, then reverse the movement and repeat on the other side.
- Move at a slower, more-controlled pace if it’s difficult, or even try a modified version called “sit-throughs,” where you sit on the outside of your hip as you move to each side.
7. Squat Walk
How To:
- Assume a staggered squat position with your right leg forward (heel flat) and your left leg staggered behind on its toes, so that the front of your foot is aligned with your right heel.
- Push your hips back and down as far as you can while staying upright throughout the movement.
- Walk forwards taking short, choppy steps for 30 to 60 seconds.
8. Reverse Lunge With High Knee
How To:
- Start standing, and then take a step a few feet back with one foot.
- Lower down into a lunge.
- As you return to standing, swing your leg through and bring your knee up in front of you so that your thigh is parallel to the floor.
- Set it back down behind you.
- Do 15 to 30 seconds on one leg, and then switch legs.
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