20 Minute Workout Weekly Plan
Although the majority of people who focus on bodybuilding tend to spend 45 minutes to an hour and a half in the gym, it’s still possible to make good use of less time. It’s not ideal by any means, but for those who work around the clock or simply don’t have the time or energy at the end of a long day, a 20 minute workout may be the only option.
20 Minute Workout Brief
In order to benefit from a 20 minute workout, you need to make as much use of the time as possible. By keeping breaks between sets short, you’ll keep your heart pumping. This saves a lot of time and means that even if you focus solely on weightlifting you’ll still get a bit of a cardio workout. The main drawback to this is that there may be a bigger risk of injury as there is a near constant load on your joints. Additionally, by having less time to recover you’ll have a harder time banging out full sets with heavy weight. The below example is a starting point although you’ll have to play around to find what works best for you.
Quick Workout Tips
- Make the most of supersets and trisets to save time and get the blood pumping.
- Always keep your Gym bag packed and ready to go.
- To avoid injury always follow Correct Form and technique.
- Make sure to consciously squeeze whatever muscle you are Working Out.
- Push yourself, but don’t exceed your working weight. Only once you can comfortably complete 3 sets should you increase it slightly.
- If you’re working out at a gym, avoid socializing – you’re there to get Pumped, nothing else.
20 Minute Workout Example Plan
While you have a lot of options as to what 20 minute workout you choose, due to the short amount of time, the quick workout plan below targets one muscle group per day. Doing so means that you can hit the muscles from multiple angles in a short time to accelerate muscle Fatigue.
Sets: 3 regular sets of 8-12 reps for each exercise + 1 superset until failure.
Triset: Perform each exercise after each other with no break. Rest briefly before the next three sets.
Monday: Chest & Forearms
Main Exercise | Superset |
|---|---|
| Flat Dumbbell Bench Presses | Medium Grip Push Ups |
| Incline Dumbbell Flyes | Wide Grip Push Ups |
| Cable Crossovers | Half Weight |
| Reverse Grip Forearm Barbell Curls | N/A |
Tuesday: Legs & Abs
Main Exercise | Superset |
|---|---|
| Barbell Squats | Bodyweight Jump Squats |
| Leg Extensions | Half Weight |
| Seated Calf Raises | Standing Bodyweight Calf Raises |
| Decline Crunches | N/A |
Wednesday: Arms
Main Exercise | Superset |
|---|---|
| Barbell Bicep Curls | Half Weight |
| Tricep Dips | Close Grip Bench Press Push Ups |
| Dumbbell Hammer Curls | Half Weight |
| Reverse Grip Tricep Pushdowns | Half Weight |
Thursday: Shoulders
Main Exercise | Superset |
|---|---|
| Barbell Military Presses | Half Weight |
| Dumbbell Side to Front Raises | Half Weight |
| Barbell Shrugs | Half Weight |
| Upright Cable Rows | Half Weight |
Friday: Back & Forearms
Main Exercise | Superset |
|---|---|
| Barbell Deadlifts | Bodyweight Hyperextensions |
| Weighted Pull Ups | Bodyweight Pull Ups |
| Seated Cable Rows | Half Weight |
| Barbell Wrist Rotations | N/A |
Saturday: Legs & Abs
Main Exercise | Superset |
|---|---|
| Dumbbell Lunges | Bodyweight Jumping Lunges |
| Hamstring Curls | Half Weight |
| Standing Calf Raises | Standing Bodyweight Calf Raises |
| Hanging Leg Raises | N/A |
Sunday: Rest
As mentioned, this 20 minute workout plan is just one example. You could play around with the workout so you perform upper/lower or push/pull splits, or even focus solely on bodyweight exercises or utilize HIIT (high intensity interval Training) instead. Just keep in mind that for best results, it’s a good idea to extend your workout whenever you get a chance. Check out our workout plans for beginners if you would like some full length workout options.
