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Key Takeaways Resistance bands are a great tool for beginners and the perfect choice for at-home and travel workouts. They are easily portable and an effective and easily modifiable form of resistance, which makes them a great option no matter your fitness or experience level. This is the third blog in our series of quick-hit workouts. Check out the first two here: |
Quick-hit workouts that take 20 minutes or less are a great way to incorporate resistance training into your routine without feeling like you have to devote a full hour or even make your way to the gym. Whether you are staying in a hotel room or simply unable to make it to the gym on a particular day, this resistance band circuit provides a quick cardio and resistance-training workout that can help keep you on track with your goals.
It’s important to note that these workouts can form the centerpiece of an effective total-body resistance-training regimen that also delivers cardio benefits in a short amount of time. You can modify the workouts as needed to align with your goals, fitness level and exercise preferences.
The total-body workout, which combines resistance bands with body-weight exercises, takes 20 minutes to complete and is an excellent choice if you are pressed for time, are missing a day at the gym or are looking for a way to complete a few short workouts while traveling for work, for example.
Complete this workout for three rounds with little to no rest between exercises. Each round takes approximately six minutes, so adding one minute of rest between each round of exercises will create a 20-minute workout. If you don’t have the full 20 minutes available, complete as many rounds as possible based on your available time. Keep in mind, some exercise is always better than none!
Total-body Resistance Band and Body-weight Workout
| Type | Exercise | Times |
| Cardio | Mountain Climbers | 30-seconds |
| Resistance | Standing Single-leg Cable Rotation | 1-minute (change stance leg and direction you are facing after 30 seconds) |
| Cardio | Mountain Climbers | 30-seconds |
| Resistance | Kneeling Reverse Fly | 1-minute |
| Cardio | Spider Walks | 30-seconds |
| Resistance | Walking Abduction | 1-minute (change directions as needed) |
| Cardio | Spider Walks | 30-seconds |
| Resistance | Push-up | 1-minute |
You could also create a split routine where you alternate upper- and lower-body workouts and complete four or more workouts each week. This is a great option if you know you may be away from your normal routine for a week or more. For these workouts, each round takes approximately four and a half minutes to complete, so completing three rounds with 30 seconds of rest between rounds creates a 15-minute workout.
Lower-body Resistance Band and Body-weight Workout
| Type | Exercise | Times |
| Cardio | Spider Walks | 30-seconds |
| Resistance | Hamstrings Curl | 1-minute (change legs after 30 seconds) |
| Cardio | Mountain Climbers | 30-seconds |
| Resistance | Standing Leg Extension | 1-minute (change legs after 30 seconds) |
| Cardio | Spider Walks | 30-seconds |
| Resistance | Walking Abduction | 1-minute (change directions as needed) |
Upper-body Resistance Band and Body-weight Workout
| Type | Exercise | Times |
| Cardio | Spider Walks | 30-seconds |
| Resistance | Side Plank Row | 1-minute (30 seconds on each side) |
| Cardio | Mountain Climbers | 30-seconds |
| Resistance | Standing Chest Fly | 1-minute |
| Cardio | Mountain Climbers | 30-seconds |
| Resistance | Triceps Press-down | 1-minute |
Final Thoughts
Lack of time—or a perceived lack of time—is among the most common reasons people give for not exercising or being active. Finding balance among life’s usual obligations, such as work, travel and family routines, while still devoting time to health and physical activity, can often be difficult. This type of quick-hit workout that you can perform at home, in the park or in a hotel room may be just the thing to keep you on track.
Visit the ACE Exercise Library to explore effective exercises categorized by body part, experience level and equipment availability. For each exercise, you’ll find a detailed explanation of proper form, along with photo or video demonstrations.
