30 minute full body home workout

This 30 minute at home workout includes a cardio fitness segment and strength/toning exercises for all the main muscle groups. It shouldn’t take you more than about 30 minutes, including a warm up. For best results you should do the workout 3 times a week.

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What you need for the workout

Shoes suitable for high impact exercise: You’ll need training shoes to absorb some of the impact of the cardio exercises, preferably cross training or running shoes.

An exercise mat: you also need a cushioned surface for the floor work. If you don’t have an exercise mat, use a folded blanket or quilt.

A way of timing the cardio intervals: To time the intervals accurately, you can use a fitness watch, phone stopwatch or fitness app, or an ordinary stopwatch.

Safety notes on the workout

Please read these general safety guidelines. As this workout includes high impact exercises, it’s not suitable for anyone who has joint problems or who is very overweight. If this applies to you, then try this indoor walking circuit.

Warm up and stretching

To warm up, march in place for 30 seconds, then slow jog for 30 seconds, before taking it up to a full jog for your first 1 minute interval.

Stretching our muscles regularly maintains their flexibility and helps us to move more easily. The ideal time to stretch them is after a workout, when they’re warm. If you have time, then do this stretching routine after your workout. If you don’t have time, it’s not essential.

30 minute at home workout

Cardio section

This is an interval routine, alternating 30 seconds of 3 jumping exercises with 1 minute of jogging in place.

Cardio exercise #1 – side leaps

1. Start by standing with your feet close together.
2. Raise your right knee, then jump sideways to the right, leading with your right leg.
3. Follow through with your left leg, bringing your left foot close to your right.
4. Now lift your left knee and repeat to the left.

Cardio exercise #2 – jacks

1. Stand with your feet together and arms by your side. Jump your legs wide as you take your arms over your head.
2. Lower your arms as you jump your feet back together.
3. It’s important that you don’t let your knees rotate inwards as you land. To help avoid this, turn your toes outwards slightly as you land.

Cardio exercise #3 squat jumps

1. Start in a squat position, with your arms down by your sides.
2. Swing your arms up over your head as you push your toes off the ground and jump up.
3. Come back down onto the floor in the starting position and repeat.

Strength section

This section has 2 exercises in each position – standing, kneeling, side lying and supine. Do all 3 sets, as shown in the charts, before moving onto the next position.

Standing leg exercises

Squats

1. Have your feet a little more than hip distance apart, parallel or slightly turned out.
2. Bend at your knees and hips as you lower into squat position. Aim to get your thighs parallel with the floor.
3. Come back up gently, making sure you don’t jerk your knees backwards.

Lunges

1. Stand with your feet about hip distance apart.
2. Take one leg out behind you and touch your toes to the floor. Make sure you keep your feet hip width apart.
3. Now bend at both knees, so that you lower your body towards the floor. At the end of the movement, your thighs should be parallel with the floor, your front knee should be bent to 90^o and in line with your ankle, your back knee should be just above the floor.
4. Return to the starting position and repeat on your other leg.

Reps chart

Kneeling exercises

Donkey kicks

1. Get into an all-4s kneeling position.
2. Making sure you keep your back held straight and your knee flexed at 90 degrees, lift one leg up towards the ceiling.  Stop when your thigh is parallel to the floor.
3. Lower and repeat.

Push ups

1. Start by getting into an all 4s position on the floor, with your hands below your shoulders.
2. Now walk your hands away from your legs, at the same time as you lift your feet into the air. You are aiming for a position in which your body and upper legs form a straight line and the top part of your knee is in contact with the floor.
3. Bend your arms at the elbows so that your head and upper body lower towards the floor. Look down at the floor so that your head stays in line with your body.
4. When your chin is an inch from the floor, reverse the movement and come back up to your starting position.

Reps chart

Side lying exercises

Leg lifts

1. Lie on your left side with your head supported on your arm and right other arm in front to help steady your body.
2. Bend your left leg a little to give you a comfortable base of support.
3. Making sure you don’t allow your body to lean backwards, lift and lower your right leg. Keep your foot flexed and pointed slightly towards the floor.
4. When you’ve done all your reps, turn over and repeat on the left.

Elbow plank

1. Lay on your side, with your legs extended in a straight line.
2. Take your forearm to 90º with your body, your hand making a fist.
3. Engage your core muscles and lift your upper body so that your forearm is supporting you, making sure your shoulder is directly above your elbow.
4. Hold this position for the given time.
5. Then lower your upper body to the floor and rest.

Reps chart

Supine exercises

Scissors

1. Lie on your back with your legs vertical.
2. Making sure you don’t let your back arch, lower and raise one leg at a time.

Glute bridge

1. Lay on your back with knees bent, feet flat on the floor about hip distance apart.
2. Contract your glute muscles to lift your hips up off the floor into the bridge position. You should finish with your body making a straight line as shown.
3. Release back down and repeat.

Reps chart

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