By Alice Oglethorpe for Men's Journal
Finding half an hour to get to the gym is hard enough, let alone the 60 minutes that you think justifies a trip. The upshot? With the right routine, you can change your body -- and burn a chunk of calories -- in 10 minutes. We've got 30 of those routines here, with an added bonus: None require that you even leave the house.
1. Total-Body TRX
Do 40 seconds of each exercise (use slow, controlled movements) followed by 20 seconds of rest. Go through the four moves in order twice.
- Overhead squats: Place arms in the foot cradles of the TRX and extend them overhead so that the straps are taut. Keep tension in the straps while squatting down and up.
- Rows: Hold the TRX handles in your hands and lean back until your body makes a 45-degree angle to the floor. Make sure to keep core engaged and, bending your elbows, pull until chest goes through straps and hands hit armpits.
- Pushups: Place feet in the straps of the TRX and perform push-ups.
- Single-leg squat: Stand facing away from the TRX and place one foot behind you in one of the straps. Squat down and up. Perform 40 seconds of work on each leg.
--
, a personal trainer based in San Diego
2. All-Out Cardio
Perform each exercise as many times as possible for 1 minute; repeat entire series twice.
- Mountain climbers
- Jump rope
- Pushups
- Jump rope
- Pull-ups: If you can't pull your chin up to the bar, use a box to step up and get chin over bar, and hold the position for as long as you can.
--
, personal trainer and CEO of EZIA Performance Labs
3. Lower-Body Power Duo
- Concentration lunges: Start in a kneeling position. Lunge right leg forward, and press into heel to stand up. Lunge right leg backward, and lower back down to kneeling position. Repeat on left side for 1 rep. Do 50 reps.
- In-and-out squats: Stand with feet wide toes turned out; squat low. Jump feet together, and squat again for 1 rep. Continue for 50 reps.
- Stretch it out: Stand with feet together, then step left foot two feet forward. Put both hands on your left quad, and with a straight back, gently lean forward and flex left foot. Bend right knee and lean further forward. Hold for 15 seconds and then switch sides.
--
, a celebrity trainer based in New York City
4. Shoulder And Abs Strengthener
- Plank dips and jumps: Begin in a plank position with forearms on mat and palms together. Tap left hip to mat, then repeat with right hip for 1 rep. Do 25 reps. Staying in plank, jump feet apart then back together 25 times.
- Shoulder floater: Start in a cross-legged position with your left leg on top, hands palms or knuckles down (whichever is more comfortable) at sides of hips. Press hands into ground to lift body off floor; hold 10 seconds. Switch legs and repeat.
- Wrestling circles: Lie on back with feet on floor and knees bent; interweave hands behind head with thumbs on neck. Crunch up, then tap knuckles and heels to floor and immediately crunch up again. Repeat 25 times.
- Side plank crunches: Start in side plank on right side, right hand behind head. Twist torso toward floor to bring right elbow down toward left hand. Do 25 reps, then repeat on opposite side. Do two rounds.
- Shoulder stretch: Sit with legs extended. Place hands behind back a little wider than shoulder-width apart, fingers pointing backward. Bend elbows until you feel stretch in shoulders and wrists. Hold for five beats, then sway from left to right. Repeat.
--Harper
5. Pulse Pounder
- Heel touches: Stand with feet wide, arms extended at sides. Keeping left arms straight, touch right hand to left foot, then immediately repeat on opposite side for 1 rep. Do 50 reps.
- Jump ups: Stand in front of a stairs with feet shoulder-width apart. Jump up one step and land with both feet, knees soft. Jump back down. Do 25 reps. Then do two steps at a time for 50 reps.
- Criss cross jacks: Stand with feet wider than shoulder-width apart, arms extended at sides, palms facing ceiling. Jump feet in, crossing them, and back out, and switch the cross each time (right foot in front of left, and then left in front of right). Keep arms still, moving only lower body. Do 100 reps.
- Shin bend: Start on hands and knees with knees together and toes pointed backward (tops of feet on floor). Pull your stomach in, hunch your shoulders forwards, and lift knees off ground to balance on feet. Hold for 10 seconds. Bring knees six inches apart and repeat. Bring knees back together, but feet pointed out, and lift for 10 seconds.
--Harper
6. Strength Trifecta
Perform as many rounds of the following movements as possible in 10 minutes.
- 5 pushups
- 10 mountain climbers
- 15 jumping air squats
--
, personal trainer and instructor at CrossFit Sunset
7. E.M.O.M. Monster
Every minute on the minute perform the following moves. You can rest for the remaining time until the next minute starts. Continue for 10 minutes.
- 5 thrusters with dumbbells: Hold a dumbbell in each hand and raise weights to shoulders. Perform a squat and, as you stand, push dumbbells overhead. Lower weight back down to shoulders.
- 5 burpees: Plant hands on floor, jump feet back, lower chest all the way to floor, then jump back up and clap hands overhead.
--Vincent
8. Burpees, Burpees, Burpees
Think of a burpee as the everything move. It burns calories, and it strengthens every major muscle group -- legs, butt, back, abs, shoulders. Each time you do this workout, try to tally more reps than the time before.
- For 10 minutes straight, do as many burpees as you can. Try to move continuously, resting as little as possible. Form: Plant hands on floor, jump feet back, lower chest all the way to floor, then jump back up and clap hands overhead. Repeat.
--Vincent
9. 120-Second Gauntlet
Perform two minutes of each of the following five moves.
- Jump rope double-unders: Your rope should go under your feet twice for each jump. If you can't get the movement down, do singles, but as fast as you can.
- Walking lunges
- Plank press ups: Start in a push-up position. Bend your left arm to bring the fore-arm down to the mat, then follow with your right arm. Then straighten your left arm and then your right arm. Repeat, alternating starting arm.
- V-ups: Lie down on your back with arms extended overhead and palms facing up. Keep feet together and toes pointed. Lift legs straight up while raising your upper body off the floor and reaching for toes, keeping legs straight.
- Jumping squats
--Vincent
10. Core Carver
Do as many rounds of the following three movements as you can in 10 minutes. Try to get more reps and rounds each time you do the workout.
- 6 kettlebell swings: Hold kettlebell with both hands in front of you. Hinge forward with back flat and knees slightly bent to swing bell between legs and behind you (you should feel hamstrings engage), then explosively drive hips forward to swing bell to eye level.
- 9 burpees: Plant hands on floor, jump feet back, lower chest all the way to floor, then jump back up and clap hands overhead. Repeat.
- 12 butterfly sit-ups: Sit on floor with soles of feet pressed together, knees out, heels close to groin. Lie down flat and touch floor behind your head, then engage abs to sit up and touch floor in front of toes.
--Vincent
11. Bodyweight Blast
Perform each exercise for 60 seconds. Try to get more reps of each move each time you do this routine (and if the plank starts to feel easy, raise opposite arm and leg, alternating half way through).
- Pushups
- Air squats
- Burpees
- Crunches
- Hold a perfect plank: Back flat, hips raised, abs engaged
- Alternating front lunges
- Jumping jacks
- Bicycle crunches
- Mountain climbers
- Alternating reverse lunges
--
, exercise physiologist and Bowflex fitness advisor
12. Boxing Blowout
Perform each exercise for 60 seconds. Each time you do this routine, try to get more reps of the moves, and get more turns during the jump rope.
- Jump rope
- Medicine ball crunches: Perform crunches while holding a medicine ball at chest.
- Jump rope
- Medicine ball slams: Hold a medicine ball in both hands overhead. Slam it down as hard as possible on ground.
- Jump rope
- Medicine ball Russian twists: Sit on ground with legs bent and elevated. Hold a medicine ball on your right side, then lift it up and over your belly. Touch it down on your left side and repeat.
- Jump rope
- Medicine ball squat-to-overhead press: Hold a medicine ball at chest height. Squat down as low as you can while keeping chest up and back flat, then stand and press ball overhead.
- Jump rope
- Medicine ball pushups: Perform a push-up with your hands on a medicine ball.
--Holland
13. The Fighting 5
Perform 20 reps of each exercise, doing as many rounds as you can in 10 minutes.
- Squat-to-overhead press: Hold a heavy dumbbell at chest height. Squat down and, while standing back up, press the weight overhead.
- Single dumbbell swings: Just like a kettlebell swing, but performed with a dumbbell. Hold the end of the dumbbell with both hands, hinge forward with knees slightly bent, and swing dumbbell between legs (you should feel hamstrings engage), then explosively drive hips forward to raise dumbbell to chest height.
- Dumbbell pushups with alternating rows: Hold a dumbbell in each hand while performing push-ups. At the top of each push-up, row one dumbbell up to side of chest; alternate arms after each push-up.
- With a dumbbell in each hand, perform alternating front lunges with bicep curls
- Dumbbell uppercuts: Hold a dumbbell in each hand, and perform an uppercut punch, alternating arms.
--Holland
14. Core Blowout
Perform each exercise for 30 seconds; do entire cycle twice.
- Hold a perfect plank: Back flat, hips raised, abs engaged
- Bridge: Lie on back with knees bent and feet on floor, arms flat on floor next to hips. Press into floor with feet and arms to raise hips as high as you can; hold.
- Sit-ups
- Side plank on right side
- Side plank on left side
- Reverse crunch: In sit-up position, pull knees up toward chest; hold one beat, then lower.
- Superman: Lie facedown on floor, and extend arms overhead. Raise legs, arms, chest and head up as high as you can; hold.
- Bridge with alternating raised leg: Perform the bridge as above, but extend right leg straight out (extend left leg on second round).
- Double crunch: Perform a sit-up while bringing knees up at the same time that you are raise shoulders off floor.
--Holland
15. Back And Abs Bout
- Around the world: Lie face up holding a small medicine ball in right hand, arm extend out to side. Raise legs and shoulders off floor, and keep them elevated entire time, as you sweep ball down to pass to left hand, and sweep it up above head to pass to right hand, to create a circle. Do 50 circles, switching directions halfway through.
- V-reach. Lie face down with arms extended above head and holding a small medicine ball, legs spread in a V. Crunch up, keeping arms straight, and reach between legs to tap ball to floor as far out as you can, slowly reverse and repeat.
- Alphabet lifts: Lie facedown with arms extended out to sides. Lift legs, chest, and arms up as high as you can in "T" position, lower. Adjust arms to be in a "Y," and repeat. Bring arms overhead to create and "I" and repeat. Do two times through.
- Standing oblique crunches: Hold a small medicine above head between hands. Slowly tilt torso to right side until you feel obliques engage; hold five beats, return to start and repeat on opposite side.
- Hippie stretch: Stand with feet together and slowly bend forward at waist, as low as it feels comfortable. Bend one knee toward chest, continuing to let head hang down, then switch legs. Do two times on each side.
--Harper
16. Upper-Body Onslaught
- Downward dog dives: Start in a downward dog position, hands on floor, hips high, heels pushed toward floor. Look at hands, bend elbows, and drop forehead to 1 inch above the floor between hands. Continue until you are in an upward dog position (arms straight, back arched, face raised to ceiling). Reverse to start and do 25 times at a slow, steady pace.
- Triangle pushups: Begin in a push-up position, hands under chest with thumbs and index fingers touching and other fingers spread wide. Slowly bend elbows to lower chest down to one inch above hands (elbows will flare to the side), and then press into hands and explode up. Do 25.
- Straight-legged ab circles: Lie on your back with your legs extended, heels two feet apart, feet flexed. Bring your hands behind your head and rest head in hands. Crunch up, lifting head, neck, and shoulders several inches and moving torso to the left, then up and to the center, then right, then back down, making one circle. Without touching down or pausing, continue into the next circle. Do 25 circles in each direction. Throughout, keep chin away from chest, and elbows out of line of vision.
- Interweave and drop: Stand with feet together, hands interwoven behind tailbone, knuckles facing down. With soft elbows, bend forward from waist and drop upper body down toward legs. At the same time, gently drive your arms up and overhead. Hold stretch for 20 seconds. Bend right knee and twist to your left, driving right shoulder toward right knee. Hold for 10 seconds; switch sides.
--Harper
17. Dumbbell Workout
For each move, do 10 reps on the left side and 10 reps on the right. Do two sets before moving on to the next move.
- Single leg squat/curl and press: Squat down on one leg, then as you stand, curl and press a dumbbell overhead.
- Single-arm bench press: Bench press dumbbell with one hand while keeping opposite hand on chest.
- Single-arm row: Place knee and hand on a bench while holding dumbbell in other hand in a straight arm. Pull dumbbell up toward chest, lower back down.
- Russian twist: Sit on ground with legs bent and elevated. Hold a dumbbell on your right side, then lift it up and over your core. Touch it down on your left side and repeat.
- Dumbbell sit-ups: Perform a normal sit up while holding a dumbbell against your chest. (For this move, do 20 reps total.)
--Truyman
18. Kettlebell Classic
Start with a 35-pound kettlebell (go up to 50 pounds if you find it too easy). Do 40 seconds of the move, followed by 20 seconds of rest. Some moves require you to do both right and left side, so do 40 seconds of work on one side, rest for 20 seconds, then do 40 seconds of work on the other side.
- Goblet squats: Hold the kettlebell in front of your chest with both hands while squatting as low as you can while keeping chest up, back flat, knees out.
- Single-leg Romanian deadlift: Place the kettlebell on the ground in front of you. Hinge forward at your hips and lift left leg straight behind you. Grab the kettlebell with your left hand and return to start position. Repeat for 40 seconds on each leg.
- One-arm clean and press: Start with kettlebell on the ground. Squat down, grab the bell with one hand, and jump kettlebell up. Drop under it and catch the kettlebell on the outside of your upper arm. Jerk the kettlebell above your head by jumping and dropping under it while extending arm above you. Repeat for 40 seconds with each arm.
- One-arm swings: Hold kettlebell with one hand. Squat down slightly and bend forward at waist while swinging bell between your legs behind you. Explode forward with hips while swinging kettlebell in front of you and overhead. Repeat for 40 seconds with each arm.
- Two-hand swings: Do same movement as before, but use both hands on the kettlebell at the same time.
--McCall
19. Bodyweight Tabatas
Tabata is performing 20 seconds of high intensity work followed by a brief 10 second rest interval, for a total of 8 rounds. It's extremely effective at boosting aerobic capacity and only takes four minutes. For this workout, perform one move for 20 seconds, rest for 10, then do the next move for 20 seconds, and on and on. After you make it through all eight moves, rest for a minute and repeat the cycle again.
- Jumping jacks
- Squats
- Pushups
- Mountain climbers
- Lateral ice skaters: Crouch down, put all your weight in your right foot and swing arms over to the right. Then, while staying in a crouch, swing arms to the left and jump over to the left, putting weight in the left foot. Reverse and repeat.
- Squat jumps
- Explosive hand-clap pushups
- Mountain climbers
--McCall
20. Tabata Take 2
Perform each move for 20 seconds, rest for 10, then move on to the next move and repeat. After the final move, rest for one minute, then repeat entire cycle again.
- Lunge jumps: Lunge forward with one leg, then jump up and lunge forward with the other.
- Lateral jumps: Jump from side-to-side with both feet together as if you were skiing moguls.
- Spider man push-ups: Perform a normal push-up, but while you're lowering yourself down, bring one leg around to the side so that your knee touches your elbow, then reverse to start and perform with other leg.
- Burpees
- Lunge jumps
- 180 jumps: Squat down, then jump up while rotating your body around so that you land in a squat facing the opposite wall.
- Plank-ups: Start in a plank with forearms on the ground, then straighten one arm so that your hand is on ground under your shoulder, straighten the other arm, then go down to one elbow, then the other elbow.
- Triceps pushups: Perform a pushup with hands close together and keep elbows close to body as you go down and up.
--McCall
21. Flexibility Booster, Stress Eraser
A yoga-inspired workout is an effective way to lower stress levels and keep your body limber. This 10-minute sequence is perfect for active recovery the day after a tough session to ease soreness, too. Hold each position for the indicated time and with each exhale sink lower into the stretch. Repeat cycle twice.
- Child's pose: Start on hands and knees, then fold down so that legs are folded underneath you and arms are stretched out in front of you. Hold for 45 seconds.
- Upward dog: Lie face-down on ground. Place hands under chest, then bend torso up while lifting hips off of ground. Hold for 45 seconds.
- Pigeon: Position yourself on the ground so that one leg is straight behind you and the other is bent in front of you. Lean forward and hold for 45 seconds with each leg.
- Warrior 1: Stand and lunge right foot behind you while bending left knee. Raise both arms in front of you and overhead while bending torso back. Hold for 30 seconds, then switch legs.
- Warrior 2: Stand and lunge right foot in front of you. Reach back with left foot while keeping left leg straight and right knee bent. Lift both arms up so that right arm is reaching in front of you and left arm is reaching behind you. Hold for 30 seconds, then switch legs.
--McCall
22. A Dose Of Medicine Ball
Repeat series 4 times with 30 seconds rest between each set.
- 30 seconds of jumping jacks while holding a medicine ball in both hands and pushing it out in front of you with each jump.
- 30 seconds of ball slams: lift the ball above head with both hands and slam it down as hard as you can on floor.
- 15 lunges with a twist: Hold the medicine ball at chest, lunge forward on right leg, rotate torso to the right; repeat on opposite side.
- Sit holding medicine ball, lift feet off floor, and twist torso to tap medicine ball on floor on right side, then left side for 1 rep. Do 30 reps.
--
, a New York City-based personal trainer
23. Kettlebell Countdown
Repeat series 5 times with 30 seconds rest between each set. Start with a 12kg or 25-pound kettlebell.
- 20 sumo squats: Stand with feet wide and toes turns out holding kettlebell at chest. Squat as low as you can while keeping back flat, chest up, knees out.
- 15 windmills on each side: Hold kettlebell in one hand above head while bending to opposite side to reach opposite hand down toward feet.
- 12 overhead kettlebell swings: Hold kettlebell with both hands in front of you. Hinge forward with back flat and knees slightly bent to swing bell between legs and behind you (you should feel hamstrings engage), then explosively drive hips forward to swing bell in front of you and overhead.
--Chambers
24. Dumbbell Strength Circuit
Repeat series 4 times with 30 seconds rest between each set. Go as heavy as you can with the dumbbells, while still keeping good form.
- 15 stiff-legged dead lifts: Hold dumbbells in each hand. Bend forward at waist, keeping legs straight, and lower dumbbells down until they almost hit floor. Reverse back up and repeat.
- 15 chest presses: Lie on a bench with feet on floor. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and press them over chest until arms are straight. Lower back to chest and repeat.
- 15 single arm dumbbell rows with each arm: Place a hand and knee on a bench while holding dumbbell in opposite hand. Keep back parallel to floor and pull dumbbell up toward chest.
- 12 bicep curls/overhead press with each arm
- 15 triceps extensions with each arm
--Chambers
25. No-Equipment Burner
Repeat series 4 times with 30 seconds rest between each set.
- Wall squat: Sit with back against wall, knees bent at a 90-degree angle, and hold for 30 seconds
- 15 pushups
- 15 Supermans: Lie face-down and lift arms, head, and shoulders and legs, hold for a beat and lower. Hold final rep for 10 seconds.
- Wall arm-traces: Sit with your back and butt against a wall, and raise arms into goal-post position (backs of shoulders and arms should touch wall). Raise arms straight up, then back to goal post, keeping contact with wall entire time.
- 20 triceps dips off back of chair
--Chambers
26. Core Challenge
Repeat series 5 times with 30 seconds rest between each set.
- Hold a 30 second plank.
- 10 side planks on each side, holding the last one for 15 seconds.
- 10 fire hydrants on each side: Start on hands and knees, then lift one leg out to the side, keeping the knee bent. (I.e., you'll look like a dog at a hydrant.)
- 10 bicycle crunches on each side
--Chambers
27. Explosive Strength Bout
Perform each exercise as many times as possible for 1 minute; repeat entire series twice.
- Squat thrusters: Squat down and put hands on floor. Jump feet back so you're in a plank position, then jump feet back to return to squatting position and stand up.
- Pull-ups: If you can't pull your chin up to the bar, use a box to step up and get chin over bar, and hold the position for as long as you can.
- Pushups
- Single leg squat: Go as low as you can, straightening opposite leg out in front of you
- Pike sit ups: Lie on ground with arms straight above your head and legs straight. Crunch up, keeping arms and legs straight, and try to reach hands in front of you to touch feet.
--Truyman
28. Endurance Booster
Perform each exercise as many times as possible for 1 minute.
- Performance Labs
- Jumping jacks
- Speed step-ups: Step fully up to a box or step, altering right and left feet, as fast as possible.
- Air squats
- Forward lunges
- Jumping jacks
- Running in place; keep knees high
- Squat jumps
- Jumping lunges (switching legs in mid-air)
- Mountain climbers
- Jumping jacks
--Truyman
29. Explosive Power Workout
Perform as many rounds as possible in 10 minutes. Try to beat your score each time you do the routine.
- 10 clap pushups: Explode up at the bottom of the pushup so that you can clap hands together at the top, and repeat.
- 10 squat jumps: Go down as low as you can, bound up into the air as high as you can.
- 10 medicine-ball slams: Lift the ball above your head with both hands and then slam it down as hard as possible on floor.
--Truyman
30. Plyo Box Burner
Perform each exercise for 60 seconds; do entire cycle twice.
- Box jumps: Jump with both feet up to the top of the box, standing fully up; jump back down.
- Box decline pushups: Perform pushups with your feet elevated on box.
- Step-ups: Place right foot on box and step up onto it, then reverse back down. Do 30 seconds with each leg.
- Box triceps dips: Perform triceps dips with your hands on the box. To make it harder, extend your legs straight out in front of you.
- Bulgarian split squats: Stand with one leg elevated behind you on box. Squat down on front leg, rise back up. Do 30 seconds on each leg.
--Holland
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