The Best 7

Jan 19, 2024

Take on these bodyweight training sessions when you're short on time but don't want to miss out on gains.

YOUR WORKOUTS SHOULDN'T take up your entire day. Unless you're a pro athlete or fitness trainer, you're probably working to fit your sweat sessions into a schedule packed with other plans and responsibilities that take precedence over your trips to the gym. You might find that it helps when you can measure your exercise plans in minutes rather than hours—especially on those days when squeezing in even a short period for movement feels impossible.

Good news: Science says you can get an effective training session in less that 10 minutes—just seven to be exact. A 2013 study published in the American College of Sports Medicine's Health & Fitness Journal found that trainees who followed a specific protocol were able to make improvements in strength and endurance measures while burning fat.

There is a catch: You need to be willing to go extremely hard to make those seven minutes count. The protocol in question, high-intensity circuit training (HICT), demands that you train at or near 90 percent of your VO2 max. That's not quite all-out effort—you should still be able to finish the workout—but you shouldn't feel like you're not working near the peak of your capacity. Intensity is the key.

If you're short on time and you're willing to work hard, these bodyweight seven minute workouts from trainer Jah Washington can serve as your fitness solution. Each of the routines has a specific focus, so you can rotate them as needed when you're at your busiest.

This chest-focused bodyweight workout is split into four blocks of push moves, with 15 to 20 seconds between exercises, plus a minute-long finisher. Each block includes a standard pushup, plus another exercise.

Work for 1:15. Increase by 1 rep each time until the period ends.

Work for 1:15. Increase by 1 rep each time until the period ends.

Work for 1:15. Increase by 1 rep each time until the period ends.

Work for 1:15. Increase by 1 rep each time until the period ends.

60 Second Finisher

Finish as many burpees as possible in 60 seconds using good form without taking a break

Change focus to your lower half with this quick-hitting bodyweight routine. Again, the structure will consist of blocks—each consisting of three exercises—but this time, you'll work for a set period of 20 seconds for each movement. Rest for 30 seconds at the end of every block, and repeat for a total of two rounds.

This core-crushing bodyweight series will have you winded, featuring fast-moving exercises that hammer your midsection muscles while also pushing the pace to improve your conditioning. The workout shifts format from block to block, so be sure to pay attention to what you should be doing during each series.

This is an "Every 30 on the 30" format. You have 30 seconds to complete 8 reps of each of the three exercises, then rest until the next 30 seconds kicks in. Perform six total rounds.

8 reps

8 reps

8 reps

You'll double your work time to a full minute for an Every Minute on the Minute (EMOM) structure. At the start of each minute, you'll have to finish 8 reps of each exercise before the period ends. When the next minute begins, you start with a clean slate of reps. You'll perform three total rounds.

8 reps

8 reps

8 reps

Get ready to sprint (and sit up, too). All you have to finish is 30 seconds of all-out reps of sprinter situps.

30 seconds

Focus in on your backside for a bodyweight hamstrings and glute-focused workout. You'll need a raised platform—like a weight bench, a couch, or ottoman—for a few of the exercises. Your session is broken down into three distinct blocks, all of which feature three movements. You'll work for 20 seconds at a time, but will need to pay attention to the specific demands of the single-leg variations.

Block 1 is all about split squats. Work for 20 seconds doing one variation, then immediately transition into the next using the same leg position. Work through all three exercises on one side, then switch to repeat on the other side. You'll need your platform for the Bulgarian split squat.

Block 2 is all about the butt, with several hip thrust variations. Perform each for 20 seconds, then repeat for two total rounds. You'll need your platform for all of these movements.

Block 3 hammers the hamstrings with bridge variations. Move to the floor and perform each exercise for 20 seconds. Repeat for a total of two rounds.

Hit the great outdoors for this full-body conditioning workout, which will have you up on your feet, then back down on the ground. Since you'll be doing moves like burpees, it's probably best if you do this one of the grass or sand if you head outside.

Get warm with a quick stretch series, repeating each movement for 3 reps.

This block consists of three exercises. Start by performing three reps of each move, then add an additional rep for every 30 seconds. Repeat for eight total rounds (you'll do eight reps of each movement by the end).

In Block 2, you'll perform six 30-second rounds, with the first four rounds using the same rep scheme. For Round 5, you'll add an additional rep for each exercise, and then an additional rep to those totals for Round 6.

Rounds 1 to 4

Round 5

Round 6

A ladder structure is one of the simplest, most efficient ways to pack a ton of volume into a short workout session. You start with a set number of reps, then either climb down by removing a rep for each subsequent round, or climb up by adding a rep for each round. This is a descending ladder, so you'll start at 10 reps for each exercise, then cut a rep for each round. Start with a 30-second warmup, then try to beat the clock by finishing all those reps.

Perform each movement for 10 reps, then 9, then 8, all the way down to 1 rep, alternating between exercises. Finish as quickly as possible.

You might have more time for your training and opt for more traditional strength splits—but you can still use this intense series for your post-free weight ab burn on top of your normal workout. It's quick, it's clean, and it'll rock your six-pack.

20 seconds

20 seconds

Perform each exercise for 25 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds. Repeat for 3 total rounds.

Brett Williams, a fitness editor at Men's Health, is a NASM-CPT certified trainer and former pro football player and tech reporter who splits his workout time between strength and conditioning training, martial arts, and running. You can find his work elsewhere at Mashable, Thrillist, and other outlets.

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