Sometimes there simply aren’t enough hours in the day and all you seem to have time for are quick workouts. Work, kids, life; trying to find the time to work on your fitness can sometimes be tricky, so we put together a shortlist of quick workouts you can do from home anytime.
Each workout can be completed in under 20 minutes with minimal equipment. If you have access to dumbbells or an outdoor gym, even better, but some days it’s just you, your mental strength, and 20 minutes to sweat.
Quick Workouts with Little Equipment
Check out these 9 quick workouts you can do from home.
1. Bare Cove Travel WOD 32
AMRAP in 9 minutes:
- 15 Sit-Ups
- 10 Air Squats
- 5 Burpees
On a 9-minute clock, perform as many rounds and repetitions as possible (AMRAP) of the prescribed work in the order written.
Score is the total number of rounds and repetitions completed before the 9-minute clock stops.
2. Living Room Mash #82
AMRAP in 12 minutes:
- 2 Wall Walks
- 30 Flutter Kicks
- 60 Double-Unders
On a 12-minute clock, perform as many rounds and repetitions as possible (AMRAP) of the prescribed work in the order written.
Score is the total number of repetitions completed before the 12-minute clock stops.
3. Quick Workout Tatanka
6 rounds of:
2 min AMRAP
- 4 Burpees
- 8 Plyo Lunges
- 12 Jumping Jacks
1 min Rest
This workout is all about intensity. 3 simple movements for 2 minutes with a 1 minute rest between rounds.
Score is total number of reps completed across the 6 rounds.
4. Just 10 Minutes
10 min AMRAP:
- 3 1/2 burpees
- 5 Mountain Climbers
- 8 Jumping Knee Tucks
Score is the number of reps you do in 10 minutes.
To complete the 1/2 burpees, just don’t extend. Chest and thighs on the floor to start the movement, then push your torso and hips up and kick your legs forward, close to your hands. Keep your hands on the floor at all times.
Mountain climbers will count right + left = one rep, so you’re doing 10 total, 5 each leg. Keep your hips in line with your shoulders and move only your legs. Knees towards elbows.
Mountain climbers are a great bodyweight exercise to add to quick workouts as they are taxing and raise your heart rate quickly.
On the jumping knee tuck, just jump and tuck your knee. The goal is to keep your knees higher than your hips on every rep.
Pace yourself or you’re going to stop on the second minute of the workout.
5. Movement Monday WOD #5
AMRAP in 15 minutes:
- 1 minute Max Plank Walk-Ups
- 1 minute Max Side Plank Windmills
- 1 minute Max Slide Plank Rotations
Repeat 5x
On a 15-minute clock, perform as many repetitions as possible (AMRAP) of the prescribed movements every minute. Repeat the sequence 5 times.
Score is the total number of repetitions completed before the 15-minute clock stops.
Movement Standards
Plank Walk-Up: From the Plank Hold position with elbows and arms fully extended, move to the Elbow Plank position one hand at a time wherein the right arm is parallel to the ground, then the left arm parallel to the ground. From the Elbow Plank position, move back to the starting Plank Hold position. This counts as one rep.
Side Plank Windmill: From the Elbow Plank Hold position, move your right hand overhead and sweep it down to your waist as if drawing a half-circle. Go back to the starting position and do it with the left hand. This counts as one rep.
Side Plank Rotation: From a Plank Hold position, place your right hand behind your head and keep your left hand planted on the ground. Point your elbow to the ground then up to the sky while keeping your hand below your head. This counts as one rep. Switch hands when necessary.
6. Zuma
10 Rounds for Total Reps in 20 minutes:
- 40 second Air Squats
- 40 second Burpees
- 40 second Sit-Ups
On a 20-minute clock, perform as many repetitions as possible (AMRAP) of the prescribed work in the order written for 10 rounds.
Score is the total number of repetitions completed before the 20-minute clock stops.
7. Quick Workout Ellen
3 Rounds for Time:
- 20 Burpees
- 21 Alternating Dumbbell Snatches (50/35 lb)
- 12 Dumbbell Thrusters (2×50/35 lb)
You’ll need a set of dumbbells for this workout. With a running clock, as fast as possible complete the prescribed work in the order written for 3 rounds.
Score is the time on the clock when the last round of the Dumbbell Thrusters is completed.
Scaling Options
Reduce the reps and/or load to complete this workout in 12-15 minutes. Each set of Snatches and Thrusters should be completed in only 1-2 sets with minimal rest in between.
Read more: Minimal Equipment Training: How to Maximise Training with a Single Kettlebell or Dumbbell
8. Quickie WOD #5
3 Rounds of:
- 1 min Push-Ups
- 1 min Air Squats
- 1 min Butterfly Pull-Ups
- 1 min Toes-to-bars
- 1 min Box Jumps (Men: 24″ / Women: 20″ / Beginner: 12″)
1 min Rest.
Perform 3 rounds, resting for one minute between each round.
Each round is 5 minutes moving from one movement for a minute immediately to the next.
Exercises can be substituted for easier variants depending on fitness:
- Butterfly Pull-ups = Kipping Pull-ups / Banded Pull-ups / Ring Rows
- Toes-to-bar = Knees-to-elbow / Kipping / Hang on the bar for 1 second per rep / V sit-ups
- Box Jumps = Tuck Jumps
There is no rest during a round, so you need to choose if you are going to work till the end of the minute or have more time to get ready for the next movement.
Workout by Quickie WOD.
9. Outside the Box #3
AMRAP in 20 minutes:
- 200 meter Run
- 30 Double-Unders
- 20 Air Squats
- 10 Burpee Tuck Jumps
On a 20-minute clock, perform as many rounds and repetitions as possible (AMRAP) of the prescribed work in the order written.
Score is the total number of rounds and repetitions completed before the 20-minute clock stops.
Read more: 8 Intense Minimal or Equipment-Free Arm Workouts to Try at Home
image sources
- running crossfit athlete: Stevie D Photography
- Burpees: Courtesy of CrossFit Inc.
- double-unders-rope-skipping: Image courtesy of CrossFit Inc.
- bodyweight workout: Gabin Vallet on Unsplash
