20-Minute Bodyweight Workout

While I love my gym, it is the last place I want to be on a beautiful summer day. With the amazing weather we’ve been having here in NYC (barely any humidity!!) I’ve been taking my workouts outdoors.

This circuit hits all the major muscle groups, and can be done in 20 minutes. Keep moving the whole time to keep up your heart rate, taking minimal breaks.

Warm-up by going for a quick 5-minute jog. Do the following six exercises for 1-minute each, straight through for six minutes with no rest in between. At the end of six minutes, complete a 45 second sprint OR do 20 burpees. Rest for 30 seconds, and then repeat the circuit two more times (complete with the sprints or burpees at the end of each circuit).

I recommend downloading an interval-timing app such as this one. You can set up as many intervals as you want for varying amounts of time. This way you don’t have to watch your timer for each 1-minute interval.

1. Reverse Lunge with Twist

Standing with feet together, step your right foot back as far as you comfortably can. Bend the front knee down to 90 degrees, keeping your torso straight and your weight in your front left foot. Push through the front foot to standing, and drive your right knee up, twisting your torso to the right as you bring it up. Keep your abs pulled in and tight the whole time. Return to standing and repeat with the other leg, alternating for the full minute.

2. Pushups

Start in a pushup position with arms straight, hands underneath your shoulders. Tilt your pelvis under, so your butt isn’t sticking up in the air. Keep your neck neutral, with your eyes focused at a stop a foot or two in front of your hands. Bend elbows to lower your body, then push up to start. Modification: pushups on your knees.

3. Sumo Squat

Stand with your feet wide, toes pointed out. Sticking your butt out and back, lower down into a squat. Keep your weight pressing in to your heels as you push up to straight legs.

4. Walking Front lunge with Leg Lift

Standing with feet together, step your right foot forward as far as you comfortably can. Bend your front knee down to 90 degrees, keeping your torso upright and your weight in your front foot. Push through your front foot, leaning forward as you stand up on one leg. Keeping a slight bend in your front knee, bend forward at the waist keeping your spine straight. Bend as far as your hamstrings will comfortably allow, and then stand back up straight squeezing your butt and hamstrings to propel your body back to standing. Step forward with the opposite leg and repeat.

5. Plank with shoulder lifts

Start in a pushup position, feet shoulder width apart and hands directly under shoulders. Tuck in your abs to draw your pelvis under and your butt down. Keeping abs, legs and butt tight, raise your right arm out to the side – squeezing with the back of your shoulder. Return right arm to the ground, and repeat with left arm. Make sure to keep hips stable, pointed down at the ground the entire time.

6. Isolated squat holds

Stand with feet should width apart. Bend knees and drop butt down, as if you were going to sit in a chair. Bring knees as close to 90 degrees as you can. Extend arms overhead, so they are in line with your ears. Hold here for 1 minute.

Give it a try and comment below to let me know what you think!

Looking for intuitive eating and body image support?

Check out my Unapologetic Eating 101 Course, an online, self-paced program to liberate yourself from dieting and make peace with food and your body.

My team and I also offer virtual one-on-one support – you can check out our virtual intuitive eating nutrition coaching packages.

My book, Unapologetic Eating: Make Peace with Food and Transform Your Life, is also a great resource that includes information, research, and reflection prompts to help you move away from dieting and come back home to your body, so you can live your most unapologetic, liberated life. 

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Author Bio

This article was written and reviewed by Alissa Rumsey, MS, RD, CSCS, a registered dietitian and Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor. She specializes in weight-inclusive care, intuitive eating, body image healing, mindfulness, self-compassion, and healing from chronic dieting, disordered eating, and eating disorders. Alissa holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Nutrition and Exercise Science, and a Master’s Degree in Health Communications, and is also an NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist.