This metabolic conditioning routine is perfect for days when you need a quick exercise fix.
While you can carve a tantalizingly toned body in less than a half hour, we’re here to tell you what you already know: To reap the rewards—increased calorie burn, strength, power, blissful endorphin high—truncated workouts must be insanely intense. So we asked a team of Equinox trainers and group fitness instructors what they would do if they were given just 20 minutes to have at it. Here is the latest in the series.
The Pro: Sam Rothermel, group fitness instructor (Pro Strength, METCON, and Barre) at Equinox in New York City
The Workout: Full-body, compound movements can do wonders when you’re short on time and looking to boost your overall fitness. Up the intensity and throw in some dumbbells, as you do in the following routine, and you’re guaranteed to feel accomplished after just 20 minutes. “This workout is metabolic conditioning-based, so you’re reaping the benefits of both resistance training and high-intensity cardio all at once. Plus, it gets you moving in all three planes of motion, so not only are you burning fat and conditioning your muscles, but you're also improving mobility and engaging your core throughout,” says Rothermel. All you need is two sets of dumbbells—one heavy (for lower body) and one moderate (for upper body)—to begin.
Complete the warm-up to prep your body for movement, going from standing, down to the floor, and back up again. Then perform the circuit, moving from one exercise to the next without rest. Once finished, rest for 90 seconds, and repeat. For best results, do this workout two to three times (with rest days in between) each week.
Warm-up (3 minutes)
Perform each exercise for 30 seconds, and then move on to the next one.
1. Jack with Alternating Reverse Lunge
Stand with feet hip-width apart, arms extended by sides. Perform a jumping jack, and as you return to starting position, step right leg back into a lunge, with both knees bent. Press into the ball of your right foot to return to start and repeat, lunging back with left leg. Continue alternating sides throughout.
2. Alternating Lateral Lunge with Ankle Reach
Stand with feet hip-width apart, arms by sides. Lunge right leg out to right, bending right knee and keeping left leg straight, as you reach left hand to touch right ankle and extend right arm toward ceiling. Press into the ball of your right foot to return to start and repeat, lunging to left. Continue alternating sides throughout.
3. Bodyweight Squat into Inchworm
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes turned out to sides slightly. Squat, bending knees 90 degrees, sinking glutes toward floor. At the bottom of the squat, walk hands out in front of you to plank position (palms under shoulders, abs engaged, and toes tucked under), and perform a push-up. Walk hands back to squat position, and then press through heels to stand up. Repeat.
4. Dynamic Beast with Shoulder Taps
Start on all-fours, with palms under shoulders, knees under hips. Tuck toes under and lift knees a couple inches off the floor. Keeping abs engaged, drive hips back a few inches, bringing chest closer to thighs. Press through toes to return to “beast position,” and then tap left shoulder with right hand, lower; tap right shoulder with left hand, lower. Maintaining “beast” position, repeat hip press and shoulder taps.
5. Jump Squats
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, arms extended by sides. Squat, bending knees, sending hips behind you, and then press into the balls of your feet to jump straight up in the air; land softly back in squat position. Repeat.
6. High Knees
Stand with feet hip-width apart, arms bent by sides. Drive right knee toward chest, pressing left arm forward; right arm back (as if running). Hop off ball of left foot and switch arms and legs mid-air, so left knee is bent in front of you and right arm is forward.
DUMBBELL HIIT (17 minutes)
Perform this workout as a circuit, completing each exercise for 1 minute and then immediately moving onto the next, without rest. When finished, rest for 90 seconds and then repeat the entire circuit.
1. Pulse Squat into Curtsy Lunge
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a heavy dumbbell in each hand, arms extended by sides. Bend elbows by sides, bringing weights up to shoulder-level in front of you, and then squat, sinking glutes down, bending knees 90 degrees. Pulse once in squat position, and then press through heels to stand back up. Lunge left leg back and to the right of your right knee, bending both knees, and extending arms down by sides. Return to start; switch sides and repeat.
2. V-Sit with Chest Fly
Sit with legs lifted and bent in tabletop position in front of you, holding a light dumbbell in each hand. Keeping abs engaged, torso tall, and chest open, extend arms at shoulder-level in front of you, palms facing each other. With shoulders down, elbows slightly bent, and lower body stable, extend arms out to sides at shoulder-level; squeeze through chest as you return to start, and repeat.
3. Push-Up to Single-Arm Front Raise
Start in plank position, with abs engaged and hands gripping light dumbbells under shoulders, palms facing in. Perform a push-up, keeping elbows by sides, and then extend left arm straight up to shoulder-level in front of you; lower. Repeat. (Switch sides for the second set, raising right arm.)
4. Star Jack with Single Dumbbell
Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a light dumbbell horizontally with both hands in front of chest, elbows bent by sides. Bend knees and then jump legs out to sides as you press arms straight overhead. Jump legs back to center as you bend elbows, lowering dumbbell to chest. Repeat.
5. Single-Leg Deadlift Into Reverse Lunge/Bicep Curl
Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a heavy dumbbell in each hand, arms extended in front of thighs, palms facing back. Lift right leg up to hip-level behind you, as you bend left knee slightly, and then hinge forward from hips, keeping back flat and hips square, lowering upper body toward the floor, lowering arms in front of shins. Press through left heel to return to upright position, and lunge back with right leg, bending both knees, as you curl dumbbells up to shoulder-level in front of you, keeping elbows by sides. Lower arms as you return to standing. Repeat. (Switch sides for the second set, lifting/lunging with the left leg.)
6. Renegade Row with Tricep Extension
Start in plank position with legs extended, back flat, and hands gripping light dumbbells under your shoulders, palms facing in. Keeping abs engaged, pull right elbow straight up to shoulder-level, and then extend arm behind you. With control, reverse movement back to start, with right hand under right shoulder. Repeat. (Switch sides for the second set, pulling/extending with the left arm.)
7. Bridge with Chest Press
Lie face-up on the floor with knees bent, feet flat and hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand and elbows bent by sides at shoulder-level (forming a goalpost with your arms). Squeezing through your glutes, slowly lift hips toward ceiling, forming a diagonal line from knees to shoulders*. Drive arms straight up over chest, and then bend elbows back to start. Repeat, keeping hips lifted throughout. *To add intensity, you can also lift one leg (forming diagonal line from toes to shoulders), press for 30 seconds, and then switch sides.
8. Weighted Speed Skaters
Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a light dumbbell horizontally with both hands, arms extended in front of thighs. Lift left leg, bend right knee, and spring off ball of right foot to jump over to the left, as you bend elbows, bringing dumbbell up to chest. Land with left foot on floor, knee slightly bent, right leg extended diagonally behind and to the left of your left foot, as you extend arms, lowering dumbbell to outside of left knee. Immediately switch sides and repeat.