The Perfect 30-Minute Workout to Get You Pumped in No Time

At one point or another, every fitness enthusiast spent hours at a time at their local gym. Whether it be for Saturday leg day, deadlift parties with their gym bros after work, or HIIT classes that turned into coffee hangouts afterward, we've all been there. But as you age, deadlift parties turn into 15-minute dumbbell workouts before or after work just to stay in shape. While three-hour-long sessions are undoubtedly nostalgic, you don't need a lot of time to stay shredded and gain muscle. 

To get the most bang for your time at the gym, fitness expert and creator of Turbulence Training, Craig Ballantyne, laid out one of his tried and true high-intensity workouts so you can make gains in just 30 minutes with just a pair of dumbbells, a bench, and your body weight.

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Warmup (x2)

1. Prisoner Squat

How to Do It 

1. Place your hands behind your head, interlacing your fingers. 
2. Stand with your feet shoulder width and your toes turned slightly out. 
3. Squat as low as you can.
4. That's 1 rep.
5. Perform as many squats as you can in 20 to 30 seconds while keeping proper form. 

2. Elevated Pushup 

How to Do It

1. Position two short boxes (about 6 inches tall) wider than shoulder-width apart.
2. Throughout the move, maintain a straight line from heels to head. 
3. As you come down, think about squeezing your shoulder blades together, then pressing them outward to return to start.
4. That's 1 rep.

3. Prisoner Reverse Lunge

How to Do It

1. Start with your hands behind your head and take a step backward—exactly the same width as you would take moving forward in a walking lunge.
2. Once your knee almost touches the floor, push back up and forward to your starting position, trying to maintain level hip alignment throughout and keep your weight in your back leg.
3. That's 1 rep.
4. Complete as many reps as you can on one side for 20 seconds before switching sides. 

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Metabolic Resistance Training Round 1

1. Bulgarian Split Squat 

How to Do It

1. Stand in front of a flat bench, facing away from the bench, to start.
2. Rest the top of one foot on the bench, then transition all your weight onto the other leg. This is your "working leg."
3. Slowly lower yourself down until your working leg's thigh is parallel to the floor.
4. Push all your weight through your heel and stand.
5. That's 1 rep.
6. Repeat all reps on one side, then repeat on the other.
7. Complete as many reps as possible (AMRAP) in 20 seconds on one side while keeping proper form before switching legs. 
8. Rest for 20 seconds between sets. 

2. Dumbbell Bench Press

How to Do It

1. Lie back on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Hold the weights at shoulder level.
3. Then press the weights straight up.
4. That's 1 rep.
5. Perform AMRAP in 40 seconds while keeping proper form. 
6. Rest for 20 seconds between sets. 

3. Pullup

How to Do It

1. Grab the bar with an overhand grip a little wider than shoulder-width apart, to start.
2. Pull up to the bar in a smooth motion so the bar grazes the bottom of your neck at the top of the pullup.
3. Lower down—keeping the movement controlled—until your arms are locked.
4. That's 1 rep.
5. Complete AMRAP in 40 seconds while keeping proper form.
6. Rest for 20 seconds between sets. 

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Metabolic Resistance Training Round 2 (x3)

1. Goblet Squat

How to Do It 

1. Hold a kettlebell upside-down by the bell or by the horns with feet shoulder-width apart, to start.
2. Keeping the kettlebell close to your chest and elbows pointing down, lower your body into a squat for a count of three.
3. Push your knees out and allow your elbows to brush against the inside of your knees to reach the full range of motion.
4. Explosively drive through heels to stand.
5. That's 1 rep.
6. Perform AMRAP in 40 seconds with no rest. 

2. Dumbbell Incline Press

How to Do It 

1. Set an adjustable bench to a 30°-45° angle and lie back on it with a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level.
2. Press the weights over your chest.
3. Perform AMRAP in 40 seconds with no rest. 

3. Dumbbell Row

How to Do It 

1. Rest your right knee and right hand on a flat bench and grasp a dumbbell with your left hand, to start.
2. Let the weight hang straight down.
3. Retract your shoulder and row the dumbbell up and to your side. Squeeze your shoulder blades at the top and hold for one second.
4. On the final two sets, choose a heavy weight and “cheat” it up, performing your reps explosively and with loose form.
5. Complete all reps on one side for 40 seconds, then switch. 

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Total-Body Finisher

1. Total Body Extension

How to Do It 

1. Stand with your arms to your sides and feet shoulder-width apart, to start. 
2. Dip down as if you were about to do a squat swinging your arms behind you.
3. In one fluid movement, explode up onto your toes extending your arms above your head. 
4. That's 1 rep. 
5. Perform the movement for 20 seconds, rest for 10, perform again for 20, and rest for 10. 

2. Pushup 

How to Do It

1. Get into a pushup position with hands under your shoulders.
2. Your entire body should be straight and your core braced.
3. Lower your body, keeping your elbows tucked near your torso and your head neutral, until your chest is almost touching the floor.
4. Fire your chest and triceps and raise your body back to the pushup position.
5. Perform the movement for 20 seconds, rest for 10, perform again for 20, and rest for 10. 

3. Alternating Lunges

How to Do It

1. To start, take a split stance so that when you lower yourself into the lunge, both knees are bent at 90 degrees.
2. If your right leg is forward, place most of the load through this foot, aiming to keep it firm and flat against the floor at all times.
3. Your trailing left leg should be used to support and balance you as you drive upward through the heel of your right (forward) leg.
4. Make sure you stay on the balls of your feet as your left (trailing) leg comes back up.
5. Perform the movement for 20 seconds, rest for 10, perform again for 20, and rest for 10. 

4. Burpee

How to Do It 

1. Start by standing with feet shoulder-width apart. 
2. Lower your body into a squatting position, placing your hands on the floor in front of you. 
3. Kick your feet back so that you are in pushup position. 
4. Keep your hands firmly on the ground to support your body and lower your chest to the floor. Bring your chest back up. 
5. Kick your feet back to their original position, outside of your hands, stand back up by coming back through the squat position, and complete the move by jumping into the air.
6. Perform the movement for 20 seconds, rest for 10, perform again for 20, and rest for 10. 

*Bonus Round

Do the finisher again (optional)