If you're unable to make it to your gym, you can still work out at home and get so sweaty your clothes are drenched. All you need is a pair of dumbbells (no worries if you don't have them), a little space to move, and most importantly, your own motivation to stop what you're doing and make time to work out.
Every Thursday at my gym, we used follow the below workout programming. It's great because you get to choose the four exercises you want to work on, whether it's because you like them or you want to get better at them (or both!). We would complete 10 rounds of this four-minute workout for a 40-minute workout, but you can choose how many rounds based on how much time you have.
This is an EMOM workout [1], which stands for every minute on the minute. Jade Jenny, head CrossFit coach and owner of Champlain Valley CrossFit [2], recommends performing each exercise for 30 to 40 seconds, then rest for the remainder of the minute. You can choose exercises that work one part of the body (to make it a leg workout, for example), or mix up the moves for a total-body workout.
Jade said to choose the number of reps based on your goals. If you have heavier weights at home or the exercise is very challenging, you may want to focus on doing a low number of unbroken reps (this means without stopping). This may mean doing five to eight reps and finishing in under 30 seconds — that's OK. Or maybe you choose a lighter-weight dumbbells or easier exercises and push your pace to see how many reps you can get in 40 seconds. The beauty of this workout is that you get to choose!
40-Minute Home Workout Plan
Equipment needed: depending on the exercises you choose, you may need a pair of dumbbells, a jump rope, a box, a kettlebell, or a set of sliders, although you could choose all bodyweight exercises
Directions: After a five-minute dynamic warmup [3], perform each of the four exercises below for 40 seconds (or 30 seconds) followed by a 20-second (or 30-second rest). You choose the exercises! Repeat this four-minute workout as many times as you want; five times for a 20-minute workout, eight times for a 32-minute workout, or if you have time, 10 times for a 40-minute workout.
After the workout, be sure to do a cooldown [4] such as these stretches [5].
| Exercise | Examples |
|---|---|
| Minute 1: Cardio | Burpees, squat thrusts, jumping jacks, jump rope, lateral hops, run in place, side skater, box jumps, squat jacks, high knee skips |
| Minute 2: Strength Exercise (using dumbbells or other equipment) | Shoulder press, dumbbell squats, thrusters, plank with rows, deadlifts, box step-ups, dumbbell forward or reverse lunges, biceps curls, TRX/ring rows, seated Russian twist, goblet squat, upright row, bent over row, plank walk with sliders |
| Minute 3: Bodyweight Exercise | Push-ups, forward or reverse lunges, Abmat sit-ups, V-ups, plank hold, elbow plank hold, elbow plank hip dips, handstand hold, mountain climbers, glute bridge ups, jump squats, plank jacks, up-down plank, air squat, hollow hold, bear crawl, triceps dips |
| Minute 4: Strength Exercise (using dumbbells or other equipment) | See Minute 2 above |
Example of 40-Minute Workout
| Exercise | Examples |
|---|---|
| Minute 1: Cardio | 40 seconds burpees [6], 20 seconds rest |
| Minute 2: Strength Exercise | 40 seconds dumbbell overhead shoulder press, 20 seconds rest |
| Minute 3: Bodyweight Exercise | 30-second hollow hold [7], 30-second rest |
| Minute 4: Strength Exercise | 40 seconds dumbbell squats, 20 seconds rest |
