Another week of isolation and at-home workouts! This week, I concentrated on reviewing workouts under 30 minutes long. Read on to find out more about my new discoveries, and which of last week’s routines I went back to!

{Workouts Under 30 Minutes: At-Home Workouts, Week 2}

Disclaimer: The following are my personal opinions, and should not be considered a substitute for professional advice. Please consult your healthcare provider before beginning any new workout regimen.

I’m still exploring all the available YouTube and Instagram options, and am narrowing down my favourite routines and instructors. This week, I focused on workouts under 30 minutes that are easy to squeeze in whenever you have the time. Depending on your mood, you may try one tough one, one in the morning and one later in the day, or even back to back workouts to give yourself a real challenge.

I continue to look for workouts that need little to no equipment beyond what you have at home. This week I dug out my skipping rope, and also found some resistance bands that I used as part of my physiotherapy when recovering from an injury years ago. I sometimes add the bands to the workout when the instructor suggests grabbing soup cans or kitty litter for extra weight, but I generally prefer routines that require only body weight.

Here are my top picks for workouts under 30 minutes!

Fitness Workouts Under 30 Minutes

15 Minute Fat-Burning HIIT Workout (The Body Coach)

This is a kick-ass 15 minute workout. It consists of a series of 4 exercises done in 35 second work / 25 second rest intervals. After each round you have a 1 minute break, then repeat the series two more times. The exercises attack the full body and the time goes by fast. The instructor is encouraging, but doesn’t give a lot of instruction about correct form. So, this is probably good for someone familiar with HIIT technique. (See if the instructor reminds you of Russell Brand!)

7 Days of Sweat Challenge (The Body Coach)

This 7 Day series is by the same instructor as the above workout. I like that every day there is something different and again, you don’t use equipment, but you get a full-body workout. Each workout focuses on a different part of the body, but also includes cardio. This series provides a well-balanced regimen over the seven days.

10-Minute Flat Belly Super Tabata Workout (POPSUGAR Fitness)

This short ab workout is done in just 10 minutes (!) and follows the Tabata workout style of 20 seconds work / 10 seconds rest. The instructor, Raneir Pollard, provides clear directions and is quite funny. I really liked his style, so I searched for other videos he leads.

BONUS: 30-Minute No-Equipment Full-Body HIIT With Tabata Intervals (POPSUGAR Fitness)

Ok, so this isn’t technically an “under-30 minute workout”, but this is my favourite video of Raneir’s. It’s an intense, full-body workout that requires no equipment. As with the 10-minute ab video, Raneir’s humour and personality make this workout genuinely fun to do. He is very clear in his instructions, and also provides modifications for those with injuries or beginners. Highly recommend!

Skipping Workouts Under 30 Minutes

I thought I would try skipping again, as it’s great for cardio and calorie burning. This may seem obvious, but make sure you have enough room to skip before trying these videos! I’m fortunate to have high ceilings, so by moving around some furniture, I was able skip inside without incident. Once the weather improves, this might be fun to do outside. (If we’re ever allowed outside again!)

10 Min Beginner Jump Rope Workout (The Jump Rope Dudes)

This is a great 10-minute introduction to jump rope fitness. The workout mixes bodyweight exercises in with the jumping, and the longest you skip for is 20 seconds (not as easy as it sounds!). The trainer tells you how to focus on proper form, and despite being brief, the workout is hard.

10-Minute Jump Rope Workout (POPSUGAR Fitness)

This is a quick-paced workout that is divided into a warm-up and 3 skip intervals with varied moves. My heart rate increased as I followed along, and I started sweating right away! Definitely an effective short workout.

Last Week’s Repeats

Funk Roberts

If you read last week’s edition of my workout recommendations, you’ll remember that Funk Roberts was one of my favourites. While the previous workout I tried was on Facebook, Funk also posts workouts with his partner Monday-Friday at 11am on his Instagram page. This version is more about working out together to complete 20 sessions, but doesn’t offer the coaching that the Facebook or YouTube workouts have. Regardless of the platform, the workouts are challenging, and we love supporting Toronto locals!

Droughan Costello

Dru continues to offer a variety of workouts from home on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, streaming either on Facebook or Instagram. There’s always lots of variety to the exercises, and he’s very good at offering modifications and encouraging proper form.

Working Out Mental Health, Too

Staying at home makes it a real challenge to maintain fitness, especially for those who are used to hitting the gym throughout the week. Luckily, the videos I’ve mentioned above have kept me active and sweating! Another benefit to all the workouts has been the improvement in my mental health and state of mind. I don’t think about COVID-19 when I”m skipping or doing burpees and making sure I’m using proper form! The physical health benefits combined with the mental health benefits have definitely helped me make the best of a challenging situation.