The Best 20-Minute Workout To Tone Arms, Legs, And Core—No Equipment Needed

Addison Aloian
·4-min read
woman doing a push up
Women's Health Bodyweight Challenge: Week 4skynesher - Getty Images

If you didn’t get your workout in today, no sweat—well, maybe a little. And if you only have 20 minutes, that’s all the time you need to get stronger with this full-body workout, which is part of the Women’s Health 30-Day Bodyweight Challenge. Without equipment, you’ll work your butt, arms, legs, and core on strength training days, supplemented with alternating cardio days. The goal is to zero in on your form and understand the foundation of each move so you can ultimately reap the biggest benefits to your body.

This week, your strength training workout consists of 5 different bodyweight exercises, each set followed by 30 seconds of rest, and each move performed for a total of 3 sets. Then, you’ll alternate those training seshes with 30 to 45 minutes of cardio on the other days—this can be anything from walking on an incline, to cycling, to rowing, or running. Of course, you’ll also take an active rest day, where you’ll still move, but mostly listen to your body and what it needs.

Schedule:

  • Day 1: Strength Training

  • Day 2: Cardio (30 to 45 minutes)

  • Day 3: Strength Training

  • Day 4: Cardio (30 to 45 minutes)

  • Day 5: Strength Training

  • Day 6: Cardio (30 to 45 minutes)

  • Day 7: Active Rest Day (Long walk, yoga, hike)

Ahead, you’ll find a breakdown of each move in the workout program, followed by detailed instructions and a visual exercise demo.

The Workout

Time: 17 to 19 minutes per day

Equipment: None

Instructions: Perform 3 sets of each exercise (either the prescribed number of reps or for time), with 30 seconds of rest between each set. Then, continue on to the next.

Exercises At A Glance:

  • Pushup Isometric Holds (5 or 6 reps)

  • Superman Hold (45 seconds)

  • Broad Jump (10 to 12 reps)

  • Burpee (10 to 12 reps)

  • Single-Leg Deadlift (10 to 12 reps per leg) then rest (30 seconds): 3 rounds

Muscles Worked: Shoulders, triceps, biceps, chest, glutes, calves, quads, back, core, hamstrings, deep transverse abdominals

Pushup Isometric Hold

How to:

  1. Start in a high plank, then bend elbows to lower down as far as possible while keeping body in a straight line from head to heels.

  2. Hold for 3 counts, then press back up to return to start. That’s 1 rep.

  3. Complete a total of 5 or 6 reps.

Superman Hold

How to:

  1. Lie facedown with arms bent 90 degrees, elbows in line with shoulders, all four limbs and forehead on floor.

  2. Engage abs and squeeze glutes to lift head, chest, arms, and legs a few inches off floor.

  3. Gaze just in front of nose to keep neck neutral, and extend arms straight forward. Hold for 45 seconds. That’s 1 set.

Broad Jump

How to:

  1. Stand with feet hip-width, a soft bend in the knees, and arms relaxed by your sides.

  2. Preparing to jump, hinge hips towards the back of the room and swing arms down and back. The torso will drop slightly, but keep the chest and eyes up, directed to the front of the room.

  3. Leverage momentum to jump, with both feet, as far forward as possible. Land gently with both feet in a shallow squat. That’s 1 rep.

  4. Either continue jumping forward if space allows or step back to reset and repeat the jump.

  5. Complete a total of 10 to 12 reps.

Burpee

How to:

  1. Stand, then swing arms overhead and jump a few inches into the air. Land softly, then immediately fold forward to place palms on floor and hop feet back into a high plank.

  2. Reverse movement to return to start. That’s 1 rep.

  3. Complete a total of 10 to 12 reps.

Single-Leg Deadlift

How to:

  1. Stand with weight on left leg and arms by sides.

  2. Hinge forward at hips to simultaneously lower upper body toward floor while lifting right leg into the air until both are parallel to ceiling and body forms a T shape; extend arms straight down in line with shoulders for extra balance and stability.

  3. Slowly return to start. That’s 1 rep.

  4. Complete a total of 10 to 12 reps, then repeat on opposite side.

Great job on completing the Women’s Health+ 30-Day Bodyweight Challenge—you crushed it!

To access follow-along videos of more Women's Health+ workout challenges and 450+ streaming workouts, download the All/Out Studio fitness app, included in your Women's Health+ Premium membership.

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