It's the middle of summer, which means you might be juggling a packed social calendar with work and childcare, and little time for extended gym sessions. But, fortunately, you can still move your body, raise your heart rate, and build muscle in just 20 minutes without a single weight in sight.
Although I usually jump at the chance to use my adjustable dumbbells for home workouts, it's been incredibly hot lately, and I just want the freedom to move my body without needing equipment to worry about. Which is why this short routine from the team at TMAC Fitness is such a great option.
It's just 20 minutes, you don't need any weights to get started, and the session includes a five-minute warm-up to help get your muscles primed for exercise. The routine is split into three, five-minute circuits, so after the first round, you repeat the circuit twice more, giving you time to really focus on your form.
This is important, as getting the technique right will help you get the most from your training (a crucial part of a short workout like this) and avoid injury. And some of the exercises are on the ground, like mountain climbers, so if you want to make things a bit more comfortable, it's worth rolling out a yoga mat if you have one.
The routine centers around multi-muscle compound moves like mountain climbers, sumo squats, and jumping jacks that work muscles all over your body, including your core, simultaneously, for a more efficient workout compared to isolation exercises like biceps curls (which do have their benefits, just not when you're short on time).
Watch TMAC Fitness' 20-minute bodyweight workout
Many quick workouts like this rely on a technique called high-intensity interval training (HIIT) where you exercise intensely for around 40 seconds, take a 20-second rest, then continue to the next move. I mostly use a similar technique known as high-intensity resistance training (HIRT) when working out with weights too.
This session is a little different. The exercise spans 60 seconds, but you can adjust the intensity by ramping the speed up or down. This is another reason why it's perfect for mid-summer days, as if you can only slot a workout in during the middle of the afternoon, you probably want to take it a little slower to avoid ending up like a puddle.
After years of convincing myself that the only good workout was one that left me crying on the floor, I realized that it's not sustainable in the long run. I also have a chronic health condition, which makes heat (and cold winter temperatures) hard for my body. So I've learned to adjust the intensity around what my body actually needs.
So although TMAC Fitness calls this a beginner workout, and it is great if you're just starting out, there's no reason you can't use this whatever stage you're at. You can either take it slow to add movement into a busy day or dial up the intensity to really raise your heart rate — a bit like HIIT but without the breaks between exercises.
Sometimes, though, you're just not in the right place for a full workout — and that's fine! I take a 90-minute walk in the morning, which is probably the best thing I've ever done for my health and wellbeing. If that's more on the cards for today, then do that — there's nothing better than doing the things that you actually enjoy.
More from Tom's Guide
- No gym, no problem — build a stronger core and boost your metabolism with this 30-minute full-body kettlebell workout
- The best ab workouts you can do for free, from anywhere
- Forget weights — build strength all over and boost your metabolism in just 20 minutes with this bodyweight workout
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