One of the most common excuses for skipping workouts is, “I don’t have time!” But as a fitness professional, you know that time shouldn’t be an excuse. It’s crucial to make time for keeping our bodies healthy.
With everyone busier than ever, fitness often takes a backseat. As personal trainers, whether online or in person, it’s our job to show people the benefits of exercise and how they can improve their health in a short amount of time.
Even if someone is short on time, their workout doesn’t have to be limited. You can create a quick and effective circuit workout! In just 30 minutes, you can boost your client’s heart rate and guide them through at least two circuits focusing on core, balance, reaction, and strength training. Here’s how to do it:
5 Steps to a Great workout for busy clients
Here’s a simple plan to get your client through a quick but effective workout:
- Start with Foam Rolling: Have your client foam roll their “hot spots”—the areas where you noticed imbalances during their assessment. Spend about five minutes on this.
- Warm-Up on the Elliptical: Next, if you have an elliptical trainer, have your client use it. Make sure they maintain good posture and count out loud to 10, 20, or 30, depending on their fitness level. This helps warm up their stabilizing muscles. The elliptical is great because it uses the glutes more, helping with hip extension, unlike the treadmill, which focuses on hip flexion. If an elliptical isn’t available, a treadmill works too!
- Core and Balance Circuit: Move into core and balance exercises. Start with planks (adjust them based on your client’s ability), then do single-leg balances with reaches. Aim for 12 reps for the core exercises and 10 for balance. This part should take about seven minutes. Afterward, let your client rest for 30 seconds before moving on to resistance training.
- Reactive and Resistance Circuit: Next, do another circuit that includes chest, back, shoulders, and legs exercises. Aim to keep your client’s heart rate up, which is great for cardiovascular health and calorie burning. If needed, you can skip biceps and triceps exercises depending on your client’s goals.
- Cool Down with Stretching: Finish up with some static stretches to help restore muscle balance and prevent imbalances in the future.
This routine keeps things quick, effective, and efficient for a busy schedule!
30-minute workout for beginners
No matter if your client is just starting out, has some experience, or is already a fitness pro, you can fit a great workout into just 30 minutes.
Here’s a simple workout plan perfect for beginners.
| BEGINNER | ||||||
| Body Part | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity | Tempo | Rest Interval |
| Core | Plank/Prone iso-abs | 2 | 12 | Bodyweight | 4/2/1 | 0 |
| Balance | Single-leg balance | 2 | 10 | Bodyweight | 4/2/1 | 0 |
| = 6.4 minutes | ||||||
| Body Part | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity | Tempo | Rest Interval |
| Chest | Ball Dumbbell (DB) press | 2 | 12 | 60% | 4/2/1 | 0 |
| Back | Ball DB row | 2 | 12 | 60% | 4/2/1 | 0 |
| Shoulders | Single-leg scaption | 2 | 12 | 60% | 4/2/1 | 0 |
| Legs | Single-leg squat | 2 | 12 | 60% | 4/2/1 | 45 sec. |
| = 11.1 minutes | ||||||
Including self-myofascial release and cardio brings the total workout to 27.5 minutes. For the final few minutes, wrap up with some static stretches to help your client cool down. Focus on stretching any tight muscles you found during your assessment.
30 minute workout for the intermediate client
| INTERMEDIATE | ||||||
| Body Part | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity | Tempo | Rest Interval |
| Core | Ball crunches | 2 | 10 | 75% | 4/2/1 | 0 |
| Balance | Single-leg squat | 2 | 10 | 75% | 4/2/1 | 0 |
| = 4.5 minutes | ||||||
| Body Part | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity | Tempo | Rest Interval |
| Chest | Bench press | 3 | 8 | 75% | 2/0/2 Str | 0 |
| Chest | Ball pushups | 3 | 8 | 75% | 4/2/1 Stab. | 0 |
| Back | Lat pulldown | 3 | 8 | 75% | 2/0/2 Str | 0 |
| Back | Ball DB cobra | 3 | 8 | 75% | 4/2/1 Stab. | 0 |
| Shoulders | 2-arm scaption | 3 | 8 | 75% | 2/0/2 Str | 0 |
| Shoulders | Ball combo #1 | 3 | 8 | 75% | 4/2/1 Stab. | 0 |
| Legs | Squat | 3 | 8 | 75% | 2/0/2 Str | 60 sec. |
| Legs | Single-leg Romanian deadlift | 3 | 8 | 75% | 4/2/1 Stab. | 60 sec. |
| = 19 minutes | ||||||
When you include self-myofascial release and cardio, the total workout comes to 29 minutes. Use any extra time to cool your client down with some static stretches. This will help prevent muscle imbalances and keep them feeling great.
30 minute routine for an advanced client
For advanced clients, swap out cardio for dynamic flexibility during the warm-up. Here’s a quick routine:
- Prisoner squats: 20 reps
- Push-ups with rotation: 10 total (5 each direction)
- Single-leg squats: 10 per leg
- Walking lunges with a twist: 10 total (5 per leg)
Do each exercise in a circuit, moving quickly from one to the next. This should take about five minutes.
| ADVANCED | ||||||
| Body Part | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity | Tempo | Rest Interval |
| Core | Cable rotations | 2 | 10 | 80% | 1/0/1 | 0 |
| Balance | Multi-Planar (MP) hops w/stabilization | 2 | 10 | 80% | 1/0/1 | 30sec. |
| = 3 minutes | ||||||
| Body Part | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity | Tempo | Rest Interval |
| Chest | Bench press | 3 | 5 | 85% | As fast as possible | 0 |
| Chest | Medicine Ball (MB) chest pass | 3 | 8 | 10% of bodyweight | As fast as possible | 0 |
| Back | Seated row | 3 | 5 | 85% | As fast as possible | 0 |
| Back | MB soccer throw | 3 | 8 | 10% of bodyweight | As fast as possible | 0 |
| Shoulders | Seated overhead press | 3 | 5 | 85% | As fast as possible | 0 |
| Shoulders | MB soccer throw | 3 | 8 | 10% of bodyweight | As fast as possible | 0 |
| Legs | Squat | 3 | 5 | 85% | As fast as possible | 120 sec. |
| Legs | Jump squats | 3 | 8 | 10% of bodyweight | As fast as possible | 120 sec. |
| = 8.6 minutes | ||||||
When you include self-myofascial release and cardio, the total workout comes to 21.6 minutes. Use any leftover time to cool your client down with static stretches to prevent muscle imbalances.
Short sessions like this give your clients a balanced workout that keeps their heart rate up and burns more calories. Remind them that making their health a priority is worth the effort and just a few minutes of exercise can add years of good health to their lives!
