I love when my kids stop and take time to smell the roses (or count ants on a hill, or take 10 minutes to walk the 30-second walk back from our mailbox because they're following chipmunk tracks in the snow). I'm all for slowing down to appreciate the little things in life [1]. But when we have five precious minutes in the morning to get their teeth brushed and their boots, coats, hats, and backpacks on so we can catch the neighbour's ride to school, I want to burn those frickin' roses. Because if we are running five minutes late, I can't get to my CrossFit [2] class on time. And that's just what happened last Friday.
My sports bra and leggings were already on, so basically I was 98 percent committed to this workout. If I couldn't do it at my gym, darn it, I was going to work out at home [3]. The workout of the day (WOD [4]) is posted on my box's website, so I did that 15-minute workout, then added two more mini workouts that I made up, and boom — in 30 minutes, my entire body was toast! Here's what I did.
30-Minute Home Workout
Equipment needed:
- Bar to hang from for the knee-ups (or see ahead for the bodyweight modification)
- An eight- to 20-pound soft medicine ball and a wall (or a pair of lightweight dumbbells and no wall)
- Jump rope (or just pretend)
- Pair of medium dumbbells (10 to 25 pounds)
Directions: This 30-minute workout consists of three AMRAP workouts. AMRAP stands for "as many rounds as possible." For the first AMRAP, set a timer for 15 minutes and move through the three exercises as many times as you can (aim for four to five rounds). For the second AMRAP, set the timer for 10 minutes and do deadlifts and push-ups for as many rounds as you can (aim for 10). For the final AMRAP, do as many chest presses and diamond sit-ups as you can in five minutes (aim for three rounds). There's no rest between AMRAPS.
| 15-Minute AMRAP |
|---|
| 10 knee-ups (or hip raise with leg extension) |
| 25 wall balls (or dumbbell thrusters with light dumbbells) |
| 100 jump ropes |
| 10-Minute AMRAP |
| 10 dumbbell dealifts |
| 10 push-ups |
| 5-Minute AMRAP |
| 10 dumbbell chest presses |
| 30 diamond sit-ups |
Keep reading for details on how to do each move.
Hanging Knee Raise
If you don't have a bar, read ahead to learn how to do the hip raise with leg extension.
- Start by hanging on a pull-up bar with palms facing out, or use the ab straps and hang with your arms inside of them. Use a box or bench if you need help reaching the bar.
- Pull your shoulder blades down your back to keep your shoulders away from your ears.
- Engage your abs as you simultaneously lift both knees up to your chest with control.
- Lower your legs down slowly, and return to the starting position. This completes one rep.
Hip Raise With Leg Extension
- Lie on your back. Rest your hands by your sides, palms facing down, or place your hands underneath your butt for a little leverage.
- Extend both legs out so they are a few inches above the ground. Draw your lower abs in, pressing your lower back into the floor.
- In one fluid motion, bend your knees into your chest, press your hips up as high as you can, lower your hips to the floor, and extend your legs straight out.
- This completes one rep.
Wall Balls
If you don't have a soft medicine ball, keep reading to learn how to do dumbbell thrusters instead.
- Stand in front of a wall holding your med ball with both hands in front of your chest.
- Squat down low with your hips below your knees. As you straighten your legs, throw the ball up to a specific spot on the wall or a target, about eight to 10 feet from the floor. You want to use the power of your lower body to propel the ball up, coming onto the balls of your feet.
- Keep your arms extended, ready to catch the ball after it bounces off the wall. This counts as one rep.
Dumbbell Thrusters
- Stand with your legs just slightly wider than hip-distance apart, arms raised to shoulder height with elbows bent, holding weights by your ears.
- Bend your knees as if you were sitting in a chair, keeping weight on your heels.
- Press the dumbbells overhead as you straighten your knees to return to standing.
- This completes one rep.
Jump Rope
- Do 100 jumps with or without a jump rope. Counting five sets of 20 will make it easier to keep track.
Dumbbell Deadlift
- Stand with the feet hip distance apart.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand by your sides with straight arms.
- Push your butt back as you bend the knees, squatting down just enough to tap the front end of the dumbbell to the floor. Keep your back straight, not curved or arched. Your chest should be parallel with the floor.
- Straighten your legs to stand up.
- This completes one rep.
Triceps Push-Ups
- Begin in plank position with the arms and body straight, shoulders over the wrists. Keep the core engaged. Rest the knees on the floor if you need to.
- Bend the elbows behind you and lower your chest to the floor. Keep your upper arms tight to your body so your elbows are against your ribs on both sides.
- Straighten the arms, coming back to plank position.
- This counts as one push-up.
Diamond Sit-Up
- Lie on your back, and open your legs into a diamond shape (aka butterfly legs) with the soles of your feet pressed together and knees out wide. Extend your arms overhead.
- Inhale to curl your torso up, and tap the floor in front of your feet to stretch your glutes a bit.
- Slowly lower back to the starting position.
- This counts as one rep.
Dumbbell Bench Press
- Grab a set of dumbbells, and lie down on a workout bench (or on the floor).
- Hold the dumbbells above your chest, shoulder-width apart, creating a 90-degree angle between your upper arm and forearm. Palms should be facing forward.
- Exhale as you push the dumbbells up, fully extending your arms. Hold for one second.
- Inhale and lower the dumbbells to the sides of your chest with control.
- This counts as one rep.