How much time you really have
A 30-minute window at home is a 20-minute workout once you’ve changed and put things away. So the planner first takes off time to get ready: 10 minutes in the example.
For a gym, that time is bigger than you think: travel, changing, the locker. We’d put in 25.
In the example, Tuesday’s 30 minutes becomes a 20-minute session. Friday’s 15 minutes leaves only 5, so Friday is a rest day.
Saturday’s hour is capped at 40 minutes, the longest session the example asks for.
Leave yourself a backup day
Leave a day between sessions when you can, and keep Sunday’s 15 minutes free in case you miss Tuesday.
Ask for four sessions in the example week and you’ll need Saturday and Sunday, with no backup day. Four is the most that week can hold, even if you ask for five.
Choose a routine you have time to finish
With 20 minutes at home, you can do four rounds of squats, push-ups, glute bridges, step-ups and a plank. Save the longer session for Saturday, when there’s time to warm up and cool down.
At the gym, you’ll do squats, presses, rows and deadlifts, with 60 to 90 seconds’ rest. Choose “strength and cardio” to alternate them.
Most guidelines ask for two strength days a week. If you can only protect one, make it Saturday’s longer session.
Sources
- NHS: Physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64
Page last reviewed 22 May 2024
The NHS asks for 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, plus strength work on two days. If you haven’t been active for a while or have a medical condition, talk to your doctor first.
