30 Workouts That Take 10 Minutes (or Less)
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By Alice Oglethorpe
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.
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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.
– Pete McCall, a personal trainer based in San Diego
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.
Push-ups: 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.
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All-Out Cardio
Perform each exercise as many times as possible for 1 minute; repeat entire series twice. – Isaiah Truyman, personal trainer and CEO of EZIA Performance Labs
Mountain climbers
Jump rope
Push-ups
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.
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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. – Joel Harper, a celebrity trainer based in New York City.
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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. – Joel Harper, a celebrity trainer based in New York City
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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. – Joel Harper, a celebrity trainer based in New York City
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Strength Trifecta
Perform as many rounds of the following movements as possible in 10 minutes.
– Ty Vincent, personal trainer and instructor at CrossFit Sunset
5 push-ups
10 mountain climbers
15 jumping air squats
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.– Ty Vincent, personal trainer and instructor at CrossFit Sunset
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.
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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. – Ty Vincent, personal trainer and instructor at CrossFit Sunset
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.
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120-Second Gauntlet
Perform two minutes of each of the following five moves. – Ty Vincent, personal trainer and instructor at CrossFit Sunset
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
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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. – Ty Vincent, personal trainer and instructor at CrossFit Sunset
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.
