During those times when you hardly have time to work out, here’s a lesson that I took from one of the viral routines—20 is more than enough when they are super powerful. I recently did a 20-minute trending full-body workout and I must say, it was not only exhausting and but also a bit weird that I was a little bit proud of myself.
What is great about it is a full-body workout, totally free from any equipment, and structured in a way that works for both newbies and pros. The basic scheme is this: every exercise is timed 30 seconds, there are a couple of one-minute intervals for breathing, and no exercise is repeated. At the last point, I thought: ”How difficult…” In a few seconds, I already got the answer: it’s something that is good in a bad way.
Most of the exercises were bodyweight exercises with a twist. A combo move like the side leg lift squat was a killer move that worked my glutes and obliques together. By just making the leg lift a new section in the squat, my hips were activating as well as I could barely walk when it was done.
Next was the side plank with leg pull and that was way powerful in my core. I had to tailor it halfway through that way by placing my lower leg down for better stability, which was surprisingly okay with me. This feeling was still of difficulty and it was like a coach for me, it kept me on point with my form.
A little ahead, I was down to doing Supermans on my mat, a workout that targets the lower back by lifting your arms and legs off the floor. Whenever someone else is doing it, it always looks like it’s a no-brainer until I finally give it a try but the 30 seconds were a little too long for my first hold and the legs didn’t seem to be cooperative. For sure, it was a great reminder of the important role your lower back muscle plays in supporting the posture and most importantly, how mine still needs to be trained.
The T-rotation plank variation turned out to be another eye-opener. Although the rotation and side plank were okay, rotating from a face down to side plank made me really slow down and perform the exercise in a controlled manner. I definitely felt it in my abs, shoulders, and stabilizers—these are the so-called little muscles that in a fast-paced workout are usually forgotten.
Seriously, I was so excited by the time I got to the glute bridges that the whole body was literally on fire. These are my number one favorite because they are extremely hard to figure out and I always feel that with each rep, I really feel like I am in tight through my glutes, hamstrings, and core. I tried to make it to the top as well as to make the downwards as slow as possible to get the most out of each move.
But the truth needs to be told, as I was panting and blowing out of control during the first rest break. This is an intense workout. Sure, that’s the thing which gives it up its effective factor. When you are super busy moving from one exercise to the next, you don’t even notice how quickly time passes by, and thus you still stay focused and your muscles work as well.
So, would I say that this workout is great? Without a doubt. It is perfect for someone who might be needing to train their entire body for less than 30 minutes without using a dumbbell. The workout is also very versatile; for example, you could just add a quick set for abs at the end or use it as your base routine and on days when time is limited.
You could work out at home, stuck in a hotel room, or you just want a light warm-up away from the sun with this workout that is just tailor-made for the occasion. You neither have to buy any special equipment for the gym nor use it as no more than a place to practice and play the music from your playlist. Just pick the mat and show up.
And another thing? It’s a bonus, actually. That way, after it’s over, you will feel like you have really worked for that post-workout shower. At any rate, that’s exactly how I felt.
