The 20-Minute Total-Body Workout

A time-efficient plan for a longer, healthier, stronger life
Let’s get something straight: You’re not lifting for the beach or to try to intimidate your daughter’s dates. Your goal is efficiency, so you need to focus on exercises that work the most muscle in the least time, says Michael Mejia, C.S.C.S., a trainer and the author of Scrawny to Brawny. As a rule, Mejia recommends only multi joint movements, which force you to bend at more than one joint. Plan your workout around these six basic movements, and you’ll train every muscle in your body in less than 20 minutes per session. “It only takes two sets of each movement, done twice a week, to get most of the health benefits of lifting, including maintenance of your muscle and strength,” says Mejia. Choose one exercise from each movement category below, and then create your own workout regimen by using the.

Create your own workout regimen with this guide
1 Twice a week, perform each movement in the order shown above. In your first workout, do 4 to 6 reps of each movement. In your second workout, perform 10 to 12 reps of each movement. Alternating between these two repetition ranges each session trains your muscles for both strength (the lower reps) and endurance (the higher reps).

2 Do the two lower-body movements as straight sets, performing both sets of Movement 1 (quad-dominant) before moving on to Movement 2 (hip-dominant). Rest 60 seconds between each set of each movement.

3 To save time, do Movement 3 and Movement 4 as a pair, and Movement 5 and Movement 6 as a pair, resting 30 seconds between each set. That is, perform one set of Movement 3, rest 30 seconds, and then perform one set of Movement 4, and rest another 30 seconds. Repeat one time—for a total of two sets of each exercise—and then move on to Movement 5 and Movement 6.

4 Always rest at least a day or two between workouts.

5 Every 4 weeks, choose a new exercise from each movement category.

Exercise1
Quad-dominant Any lower-body exercise in which your quadriceps work the hardest. An easy gauge: For any standing exercise, your torso will be bent forward less than 45 degrees as you perform the move.
The main move Squat
Perfect it Arch your lower back and push your knees outward as you lower your body. “This keeps the stress off your knees and lower back, providing you with the safest way to perform the move,
Super substitutions Lunge, split squat, and overhead squat

Exercise 2
Hip-dominant Any lower-body exercise in which your hamstrings and Glutes work the hardest. For any standing exercise, your torso will be bent forward more than 45 degrees as you perform the move.
The main move High step-up
Perfect it Use a knee-high step or box, and hold a heavy dumbbell in the hand on the same side as your working leg, instead of two lighter dumbbells in each hand. “That ensures that the weight is focused directly on the target leg, Using the combination of a knee-high box and heavy dumbbell will force your torso to bend forward, focusing the stress on your hips, hams, and Glutes.
Super substitutions Dead-lift, Romanian dead-lift, and back extension

Exercise 3
Horizontal press Any upper-body exercise in which you push the weight out and away from your body
The main move Dumbbell bench press
Perfect it Start by holding the dumbbells next to your chest so that your palms face each other. As you push the weight up, rotate the dumbbells outward, so that your palms are facing forward. “This works your pectorals the way they’re designed to function, giving you better results.
Super substitutions Pushup, dip, and close- or wide-grip versions of the barbell bench press

Exercise 4
Horizontal pull Any upper-body exercise in which you pull the weight in to your torso
The main move Barbell row
Perfect it Use a grip that’s twice shoulder width and squeeze your shoulder blades together as you pull the weight to your chest. “You’ll better work the muscles of your rear shoulders and upper back, which when weak, cause men to slump and lead to the rounded-shoulder look.
Super substitutions Dumbbell row, inverted row, and seated row

Exercise 5
Vertical press Any upper-body exercise in which you press the weight upward
The main move Dumbbell shoulder press
Perfect it Hold the dumbbells with an “offset” grip, so that your thumbs are against the inside heads of the dumbbells. “This creates an imbalance in the distribution of the weight, forcing your shoulder muscles to work twice as hard.
Super substitutions Barbell shoulder press and pike pushup

Exercise 6
Vertical pull Any upper-body exercise in which you pull the weight downward
The main move Lat pulldown
Perfect it Perform the movement while on your knees, instead of sitting on the bench. “It aligns your Lats and you’re Glutes, which naturally work together, allowing you to use more weight.
Super substitutions Chin-up and pull-up