With the rise of more sedentary lifestyles, with office jobs or working from home – we’re sitting around a lot more. There is also a perceived lack of time and access to facilities, all which consequently lead to a decline in health markers. For those who struggle to find 30 minutes or more to exercise, 15 minutes of exercise each day can make maintaining your health, fitness, and wellness more attainable.

Is a 15 Minute Workout Effective?

The notion of a 15 minute workout brings in the novel concept of “exercise snacking”, which are small bouts of vigorous exercise lasting over 1 minute, incorporated into your daily life.

Another study showed that over a 12 week period, performing 3 weekly 10 minute HIIT sessions showed the same improvement in cardiometabolic health, as those who exercised at a moderate pace for 3 weekly x 45-minutes straight (Gillen et al 2016). This means that when time/ resources are restrained, a brief intense interval workout could be as effective as a longer gym workout!

What Are The Benefits of Quick Workouts?

Physical Benefits

• Increased blood flow, delivery of oxygen to the muscles and brain, which will leave you feeling more energised and alert throughout the day.

• Exercise releases the feel-good hormones (i.e. endorphins, serotonin and dopamine) reducing  stress, anxiety and depression. Therefore, it improves mental wellbeing.

• Physical exercise stimulates the secretion of a protein called brain derived neurotrophic factor (or BDNF) responsible for memory and cognitive performance. Therefore, exercise improves cognitive functioning, memory, and clarity.

• Improves the ability to manage body weight, this is because exercise burns calories, builds lean muscle and helps to boost metabolism.

• Improves your quality of sleep, this is because exercise helps to regulate our circadian rhythm, and promotes relaxation.

Personal Benefits

• Allows those with time restraints to work out in the comfort of their own home gym.

• Minimal equipment is required so those with financial restraints can still access to effective workouts.

• You can stay more intentional and focused on the workout that you’re doing.

• Reduces any intimidation of having to follow a big training plan, and therefore could encourage consistency.

Five 15 Minute AMRAP Workouts

Start the clock and complete as many rounds as possible of the following workouts in 10-15 minutes. Break as you need, but for that extra push, try and keep your rounds unbroken.

15 Minute Dumbbell AMRAP Workout

• 16 alternating reverse lunges.

• 14 bent over rows (two dumbbells).

• 12 goblet squats.

• 10 devil's presses.

• 8 bridge chest presses.

15 Minute Kettlebell AMRAP Workout

• 12 American Kettlebell swings.

• 6 single arm squat cleans (right).

• 6 single arm push presses (right).

• 6 single arm squat cleans (left).

• 6 single arm push presses (left).

• 12 sumo deadlifts.

• 6 long lever plank drags (per side).

15 Minute Med Ball AMRAP Workout

• 21 Wall Ball throws.

• 15 weighted crunches.

15 Minute Sandbag AMRAP Workout

• 12 front squats.

• 6 shoulder tosses (each side).

• 12 Romanian deadlifts.

• 12 Zercher marches.

• 12 overhead presses.

• 12 bent over rows.

15 Minute Exercise Step AMRAP

40 seconds of work and 20 seconds of rest.

• Mountain climbers.

• Incline press ups.

• Alternating single leg squats.

• Knee tuck pull ins.

• Hop overs.

• Burpees.

• Box jumps.

A quick 10-15 minute workout is not to be overlooked! Like with any kind of routine or habit, consistency is king! A single quick workout is going to have minimal long-term impact on healthy markers, so ensure that you’re moving your body on a daily basis.

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Tags: Equipment > Dumbbells ; Equipment > Kettlebells ; Equipment > Medicine Balls & Slam Balls ; Equipment > Sandbags ; Equipment > Step ; Exercise Type > Conditioning ; Exercise Type > Strength ; Misc > Workout