10-Minute Tuneups: Quick Full-Body Workout

A fast full-body workout

This workout is designed to increase strength and endurance, and to help you create an overall well-toned and muscled body. The workout incorporates a combination of upper body and lower body moves using just your own weight to work all of your major muscle groups. Because it exercises several key muscles at the same time, this whole-body approach is efficient-perfect for those who are pressed for time.

Of course, ideally adults should be getting 30 minutes of fitness a day. But when time is tight, doing our 10-Minute Tuneups whenever you can fit them in can still make a significant difference to your overall fitness.

Each exercise has an easier option. If you do those ones, aim to try an increasing number of the tougher version each time until you can do that move for the entire time allotted.

Watch: 10-minute tuneups: Quick full body workout video

1. Warm-up: 1 minute

Do gentle jumping jacks. Or simply march briskly in place while swinging arms to shoulder height.

2. Lying hip extensions: 1 minute

Works: Lower back, glutes, quadriceps and hamstrings

Lie down with knees bent and soles of your feet on the floor, arms by your sides. Raise your hips and your lower back, pushing up as far as you can (knees will be pushing forward). Hold in this contracted position for three seconds, then lower, with control, but not all the way down; don’t allow your glutes to touch the floor. Repeat this sequence for a total of one minute.

Easier option: Allow glutes to touch the floor between lifts.

3. Bird dogs: 2 minutes

Works: Shoulders, back, abdominals, transverse abdominals and glutes

Get down on your hands and knees, and position your body with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under hips. Extend right leg and left arm, with thumb sticking up to help keep your head, shoulders, hips and heels in alignment. Hold for five seconds, then return to starting position and switch to left leg and right arm. Repeat this sequence, alter­nating sides, for a total of two minutes.

Easier option: Hold each side for three seconds.

4. Prisoner squats: 2 minutes

Works: Glutes, quadriceps and hamstrings

Stand with feet hip-width apart, and lightly interlock fingers behind your head. Shift weight back onto heels, push hips back and descend into a deep squat. Go as low as you can while keeping your knees in the same direction as your toes. Keep chest up and weight on heels. Return to standing position. Repeat sequence for a total of two minutes.

Easier option: Do squats with hands on hips.

5. Classic push-ups: 2 minutes

Works: Shoulders, chest, triceps and transverse abdominals

Get into a plank position balanced on your hands and toes, with your hands aligned under your shoulders and your feet together. Pull abs in and lower your body, bending at the elbows and squeezing your shoulder blades together on the way down. Then separate your shoulder blades as you push up. Don’t let your hips sag or drop. Pause with arms straight to complete the push-up. Repeat sequence for a total of two minutes.

Easier option: Do push-ups on your knees instead of toes.

6. Jumping jacks: 1 minute

Works: Shoulders, abdominals, inner and outer thighs and calves

Start with feet hip-width apart and knees bent. Jump out energetically with both legs and raise both arms overhead (see page 56). Keep your body fully upright with abdominals engaged. Quickly jump back to starting position. Repeat sequence for a total of one minute.

Easier option: Step legs out one at a time; return to starting position.

7. Cool-down 1 minute

For 30 seconds, walk around the room, taking deep breaths. For the remaining 30 seconds, gently stretch the major muscle groups you have just worked: back, shoulders, chest, abdominals, glutes, quads, hamstrings and calves.

Watch the 10-Minute Tuneups: Quick full-body workout video!

Bruce Krahn (pictured) is a personal trainer and the author of bestseller The Fat-Fighter Diet

These fitness moves demonstrated by Midori Rutledge.

About our 10-minute Tuneups

Ideally, we should be getting 30 minutes of fitness a day. But when time is tight, doing 10-Minute Tuneups whenever you can fit them in still makes a difference. Have fun!