Strengthen your upper and lower body with this 30-minute weight bench workout
Add some dumbbells for an extra challenge or stick to your bodyweight
Looking for a quick, effective 30-minute workout? Your best bet is to stick to minimal equipment so you can make every minute count without wasting time on setting up (or waiting for) gear. That’s the beauty of this workout; it only requires a weight bench –although you can add some dumbbells for an extra challenge. Minimal moving around, no messing, just efficient movement from start to finish.
Aside from needing limited equipment, the other bonus of this workout is its full-body session, meaning no muscle groups get left behind, helping you build a more balanced, stronger body. Full-body workouts often consist of a lot of multi-joint exercises – movements that work multiple muscles at once – which not only build strength more efficiently, but also get your heart rate up, giving you a solid dose of cardio along with your muscle work. Essentially, you’re getting more bang for your buck.
If you’re a beginner, then starting with your bodyweight is more than enough for this workout. But, if you’re more experienced or want to make things more challenging, grab some free weights. Perform three rounds of exercise one, rest 90-120 seconds between each round, then move onto exercise two. No moving around, no messing! Here’s your workout:
- Step up – 8 reps per side
- Bench squat – 15 reps
- Tricep dips – 12 reps
- Bulgarian split squat – 8 reps per side
- Decline shoulder tap – 12 reps
- Bent-leg jackknife – 12 reps
- Straight-leg raise and hip lift – 12 reps
- Bent-leg toe tap – 12 reps
For more minimal equipment workouts like this one, check out this six-move full-body dumbbell workout. Again, 30 minutes is all you need to hit all your body's major muscle groups and a pair of dumbbells – no gym machines required.
