Meet Your Go-To Workout for 2023

Getting in great shape doesn’t require hours-long gym sessions, fancy equipment, or expensive classes. The best workouts often involve nothing more than your own body weight and your best effort! 

Here’s a plan for 30 minutes of movement that will strengthen your whole body, increase your heart rate, and cool you back down again.

• WARM UP:

  Start by doing 5 minutes of warm-up exercise to get your body moving. Try jogging in place (or on a treadmill if you have one), jumping jacks, arm circles, and/or jumping on a rebounder (mini trampoline).
  

• THE WORKOUT:

  For a total body workout, do the following moves for 30 seconds each. (Scroll down for descriptions of each move.) Then take a 1-minute break and repeat the sequence of exercises 2 more times for 3 rounds.
  - Squats
  - Push-ups
  - Planks
  - Lunges
  - Sit-ups
  - Bridges
  - Dips
  - High knees
  

• THE MOVES:
  - Squats: Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Tighten your core and glutes as you sit into a squat position, as though you are sitting in an invisible chair. Squat as deep as you can comfortably go while keeping your knees behind your toes. Push back up to a standing position and repeat.

  
  - Push-ups: Start in a high plank position with your hands under your shoulders and your feet hip-distance apart. Tighten your core and bend your elbows back at a 45-degree angle to lower your chest to the floor. Push back up to your starting position and repeat. For an easier modification, do the push-ups from your knees.

  
  - Planks: Get into position as if you are going to do a push-up with your hands under your shoulders and your feet hip-distance apart. Hold the position for 30 seconds. If needed, bring your knees to the floor to modify.

  
  - Lunges: Stand with your feet hip-distance apart. Take a big step forward with your right leg. Bend your knees to about 90 degrees to lower into a lunge. Push off from your right leg to return to the starting position. Repeat on the other side.
  

  - Sit-ups: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Cross your arms in front of your chest. Crunch your ab muscles to lift your shoulders off the floor. Hold for a second, then slowly come back down to starting position. Repeat.
  

  - Bridges: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Press into your feet to raise your hips up, squeezing your glutes and core until your body makes a straight line from your chest to your knees. Hold for 3-5 seconds, then lower back down. Repeat.

  - Dips: Sit on the ground with your knees bent, butt raised off the ground, and hands behind you, directly under your shoulders. Allow your legs to extend, raising yourself up. Continue to raise yourself until your arms are completely straight while keeping your butt up. Bend your arms, lowering yourself until just before your butt makes contact with the ground, returning to the starting position. Repeat.
  

  - High Knees: Stand with your legs together and your arms at your sides. Lift one knee to your chest. Lower your leg while lifting the other knee. Continue alternating knees, and pump your arms up and down for 30 seconds.
  

• COOL DOWN:

  Complete your workout with 10 minutes of cooling down your muscles, such as walking or light jogging, followed by stretching.
  

Fitness is all about using your time effectively to get the biggest impact. Prioritize quick workouts like this in 2023, and you’ll be well on your way to staying in great shape in no time.