Many of us are not sure what to do when hard pressed with time thinking that a 15-minute workout can’t possibly be all that effective. Well, if you want to be fit for life, you’ve got to be flexible and willing to adapt to whatever schedule and lifestyle changes come your way.
Traci D Mitchell, certified personal trainer and nutrition expert with over a dozen years of experience has put together a 15 min full body workout for those looking for variety & a quick intense workout. All the exercises are done on time, not repetition, so you can check progress by the ability to complete the exercise in the time given.
(Check the exercise instructions & tips below before getting started.)
15 min Full body Workout. Get Started, Now!
(Equipment needed: One set of dumbbells)
- 60 Seconds: Lunges with Twist
- 60 Seconds: Half Burpees
- REST 60 Seconds
- 60 Seconds: Squat to Shoulder Press
- 60 Seconds: Plank + Row
- 60 Seconds: Wall Squat with Bicep Curl
- 60 Seconds: Bridge Pose with Chest Press
- REST 60 Seconds
- 60 Seconds: Crossed Leg Forward Fold (30 seconds each leg)
- 60 Seconds: Seated Butterfly Stretch
- 60 Seconds: Child’s Pose
- 60 Seconds: Calf Stretch (30 seconds each leg)
- 60 Seconds: Happy Baby Stretch
Lunges with Twist:
- Holding one dumbbell in both hands, step forward into a lunge position.
- Twist your torso to the lead leg and return your arms to center.
- Repeat the lunge to twist for 30 seconds on one leg, then switch to the opposite leg.
Tip: Always twist toward your lead leg, or the leg that’s in front. When you twist, think of pulling your belly button toward your spine and rotating from your torso, not your shoulders. Using all of these big muscles in your body will open up your lungs and get your heart rate up.
Half Burpees
Begin in a straight arm plank position then jump your knees under your chest.
Hold for a quick second, then, jump your feet back to a straight arm plank position.
Repeat slow and controlled for 60 seconds.
Tip: Try to tuck your knees as close to your shoulders as possible when you jump your knees in. This will engage your abs and increase your body’s natural mobility.
Squat to Shoulder Press
- Start this workout with your feet hip-distance apart and dumbbells at your side.
- Squat down until your thighs are as parallel to the floor as possible, then stand and push the dumbbells up over your head.
- Return to a squat, dropping the weights down, and repeat this sequence for 60 seconds.
Tip: Think of sitting into a chair as you drop into your squat, then squeeze your bottom as you stand back up. This will activate your glute muscles even more!
Plank + Row
- Start in a straight arm plank position with your arms just under your shoulders.
- Have one dumbbell in between your hands.
- As you hold yourself in this plank position, row one dumbbell up along the side of your body.
- Bring the weight back down to the floor and switch hands, rowing the weight to the opposite side of your body.
Tip: Try not to rock your hips and keep your back as straight as possible. You’ll not only work the muscles in your shoulders, biceps and triceps, but with good form, you’ll also strengthen your back muscles and abs!
Wall Squat with Bicep Curl
- Rest your back up against a flat wall, then walk your feet out about 2 feet.
- Slowly slide down the wall until your thighs are parallel with the ground.
- Holding a dumbbell in each hand, begin doing bicep curls while hanging out in a wall squat.
Tip: Keep your elbows in at your sides as you do the bicep curl, and try not to inch your body up the wall. Maintaining this exercise for 60 full seconds is a great way to tone and strengthen your legs while strengthening your biceps, too.
Bridge Pose with Chest Press
- Begin lying flat on the ground with your knees bent and feet flat. Have two dumbbells at your side.
- Driving in through your heels, push your hips up as high as possible into a bridge pose.
- While holding the bridge, take the dumbbells and push them up over your chest, directing over your sternum, knuckles toward the ceiling.
- Slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the ground and repeat all while holding one continuous bridge pose.
Tip: Squeeze your glutes through the entire 60 seconds and be sure to drive in through your heels not the balls of your feet. You want the effort to come from the hips, hamstrings, and quads, not the knees.
Crossed-Leg Forward Fold
- Standing tall, cross one foot over the other. Slowly bend over, draping your body over your legs.
- Relax your neck and reach your arms toward the ground.
- Hold for 30 seconds, then cross the opposite leg over, and repeat.
Tip: It’s very common to have greater flexibility on one side of your body. Allow your body to relax as much as possible in this stretch. If you have tighter hamstrings, you may not be able to touch the group. Eventually, though, your hamstrings will loosen and you’ll feel more comfortable inching your fingertips down.
Seated Butterfly Stretch
- Sitting tall, bring the soles of your feet together and press your knees down to the ground. If this is a deep stretch, simply hold.
- If you want a deeper stretch, begin to fold over your feet slowly bringing your head down to the ground.
Tip: This is a great adductor stretch (inner thigh), which can be very tight on some people. Focus on gently pressing your knees down to the ground before folding forward.
Child’s Pose
- Begin on your hands and knees.
- Then open your knees out wide, about the width of a yoga mat, and bring your toes together.
- Slowly ease your hips back over your feet. Reach your hand forward and simply enjoy the stretch.
Tip: To get a deeper stretch through each side of your back, walk your hands up and across to the left side, then the right side. This will help stretch through the lat muscles of your back.
Calf Stretch
- Standing on a yoga block, or off the edge of a step, drop one heel down and hold.
- Lean forward slightly to deepen the stretch.
- Switch sides.
Tip: If you need extra support for balance, hold onto the side of a wall. Keep your weight on the ball of your foot to get the deepest stretch.
Happy Baby Stretch
- Lying flat on your back, bring your knees to the outside of your chest.
- Grab the outside of each foot. Keep your knees bent, but bring the bottoms of your feet toward the ceiling.
- Your knees should still be tucked around the outside of your chest.
Tip: To deepen this stretch, pull your elbows toward the ground
Remember, even just 10 or 15 minutes of workout is ALWAYS better than none. True, you may not be able to train for a marathon or burn a full spin-class-worth of calories, but you can put a dent in your fitness goals—and drastically improve your mood—with super-quick workouts.