8 Intense Exercises In 15 Minutes To Carve Your Fiercest Body

Fit in a full-body workout at home or in the gym when you’re strapped for time. Some days, even fitting in a 30-minute workout can be next to impossible. Even when you’re short on time, you can still fit in a complete workout at home. If you only have 15 minutes, you’re going to want to make every second count.

The following moves are a sneak peek at the fat-blasting, cal-torching method. Sprinkle a few of them into your routine for an extra kick. Or string them together for a total-body circuit: Start with the first exercise (1a) and complete as many reps as possible in 30 seconds; then do the same with the second exercise (1b), without resting in between.

Repeat two more times (for a total of three rounds), then rest one minute. Move to the next round (2a and 2b) and follow the same pattern. Continue until you’ve finished all eight exercises. It will take just 15 minutes!

1A Chest Press With Legs Extended:

You’ll build a stronger upper body while tacking on a major core challenge with every rep—and don’t be surprised when you start cranking out stronger pushups! (FYI: You can make this move easier by bending your knees or putting your feet on the floor; make it harder by holding your legs closer to the floor.)

How to:

Lie faceup on the floor, holding a dumbbell in each hand, legs extended.
Bring your elbows out to the side and raise the weights above your chest, palms facing forward, so that your upper arms are on the floor and your elbows are bent at 90 degrees; lift your legs into the air, feet together (A).
Keeping your core tight and lower body still, press the weights directly above your chest until your arms are fully extended (B).
Pause, then slowly lower back to start.
That’s one rep.

1B Lateral Bear Crawl:

There is something I just love about primal moves, yet they’re often underutilized. This one exercise works your entire body—a reminder that it doesn’t have to be fancy to be effective.

How to:

Get down on your hands and knees in a tabletop position, with your arms and thighs perpendicular to the floor and your knees bent 90 degrees.
Without allowing your lower back to rise or round, brace your abs and lift your knees a few inches off the floor (A).
Keeping your hips parallel to the floor, slowly step your right hand and foot a few inches to the right (B); followed by your left hand and foot.
Repeat to the other side and continue alternating back and forth.

2A Plank Jack:

This fresh alternative to mountain climbers will boost cardio and core strength, plus activate smaller, supporting muscles in your hips and glutes.

How to:

Get into a pushup position with your hands flat on the floor directly under your shoulders and your legs extended, feet together (A).
Keeping your core tight and your body in a straight line from head to heels, jump your feet away from each other (like you would for a jumping jack), landing lightly on your toes (B).
Quickly return to start.
That’s one rep.

2B Jump Start:

This simple yet explosive drill helps develop both power and endurance in your quads, hamstrings, and glutes. Go all out for 30 seconds and, trust me, you’ll be breathing hard and your legs will be burning!

How to:

Standing with your feet together, step back with your right leg and bend your left knee until your thigh is nearly parallel to the floor; keeping your back flat, lower your torso toward your left leg, reaching your right hand to the floor and your left hand behind you (A).
In one motion, press through your left heel to stand up and jump into the air while driving your right knee and left arm forward and swinging your right arm behind you (B).
Reverse the movement to return to start and immediately repeat on the other side.

3A Lateral Shuffle With Reach:

This agility exercise feels fun and flies by—you’ll be done before you start to feel winded—and seriously fires up your booty and thighs!

How to:

Start with your feet about shoulder-width apart, knees bent, chest upright, and hands in front of your chest (A).
Keeping your feet parallel, take two or three quick shuffle steps to the right, then rotate your torso to the right as you reach your left hand toward your right foot (B).
Reverse the movement to return to the starting position, then immediately repeat on the other side (C).
Continue alternating as quickly as possible.

3B Burpee With Shoulder Press:

If I could do only one move for the rest of my life, it would be this one! It’s a killer total-body move that you can change up in so many ways, like using heavier weights or adding a pushup to each rep.

How to:

Standing with a dumbbell in each hand, arms at your sides, sit your hips back and bend your knees to lower into a squat, placing the weights on the floor in front of you (A); quickly step or jump your feet back into a pushup position (B).
Reverse the movement to return to standing and curl the dumbbells to your shoulders, keeping your elbows close to your body (C); press the weights directly overhead until your arms are fully extended (D).
Reverse to return to start.
That’s one rep.

4A Wood-Chop Jump:

The rhythm gets you in the zone and feeling badass. Plus, it blasts your legs, core, upper back, shoulders, and arms in every rep.

How to:

Hold a dumbbell at arm’s length with both hands and stand with your feet slightly more than hip-width apart.
Hinge forward at the hips, chest lifted and knees slightly bent, letting the weight hang between your legs (A).
Keeping your arms straight, thrust your hips forward and jump your feet together as you swing the dumbbell directly overhead (B).
Reverse the movement to immediately lower into the next rep.

4B Starfish Crunch:

We all know we can’t even with crunches. This is a fun way to work your entire core while hitting all the hard-to-reach spots, like your obliques.

How to:

Lie faceup on the floor with your arms and legs extended so that your body forms an X (A).
In one movement, lift your left leg and torso off the ground while rotating your upper body to the left, reaching your right hand toward your left foot (B).
Slowly reverse the movement to return to start, and repeat on the other side.
Continue alternating.