Do the best 30 minute workouts offer the perfect workout length? This is hard to say because your ideal workout varies depending on the type of exercise, the intensity and a number of other factors. But in terms of pure logistics, 30 minutes is an excellent length of exercise – it’s long enough that you feel it’s worth sweating, but short enough that you can do it during your lunch without skipping a meal. .
Thirty minutes is also ideal for workouts, as all of the most popular, most intense interval workouts (HIIT) and strength workouts seem to fall within 20 to 40 minutes. But if you are looking for the best 30 minute workouts to do at home, this may be there also lots of variety – there are thousands of classes on YouTube. Most of them are the same six or seven exercises that are repeated in different order, which is not necessarily a bad thing (it is not as if this exercise will not make you fit). However, it can be hard to be interested in exercising if you just do the same thing over and over.
We went through just about every popular home workout on YouTube and found the 10 best 30 minute workouts that are interesting, easy to follow, and accessible to a variety of fitness levels. Most of these classes do not require equipment, but one of the best yoga mat will make things more comfortable.
Best 30-minute workouts
1. 30 minute fat burning exercise for beginners
Equipment: Light dumbbells (optional)
This full-length, low-impact workout is designed for beginners and is very accessible. This is a great introductory workout for anyone who is just getting going (or who is back in shape.) It also makes for a good warm up before something more intense, like strength training. The video is fully narrated and designed to be followed nicely. You must make sure that you can see the instructor on the screen throughout the class through the setting.
2. Soft yoga flow: yoga class at all levels of 30 minutes
Equipment: Yoga mat
Yoga workouts can be hard to follow in real life, let alone on YouTube. It’s not always easy to see what an instructor is doing while twisting your body in different positions. This full-length yoga workout is one of the best 30 minute workouts, because it’s well told – you do not have to figure out too many problems to do based on the voice of the instructor alone, even if it is your whole first time yoga.
3. Cardio Latin dance exercise of 30 minutes
Equipment: No
Dance exercises are my favorite type of cardio workout because I am a terrible dancer but like a good challenge. Latin dance provides very effective cardio because there is so much movement. You will sweat, even if you have no rhythm. This full-length workout also includes warming up and cooling down. It is also told, but you will want to see what happens on the screen as you follow it.
4. 30-min body fat burns HIIT: Abs, arms, thighs and legs
Equipment: No
No space? No excuses. This 30-minute interval workout includes all standing exercises, so you do not need an exercise mat or enough space to fully stretch. That said, there are many arm-swings, so you will want some space. It is also one of the best tabata workouts to do outside, for there is no sitting or lying down. The video is fully narrated and contains visual / audio cues (timer, countdown beeps, workouts), so it’s easy to follow no matter how you set up your workout.
5. Complete 30-minute workout (no equipment)
Equipment: Yoga mat
It’s hard to keep cardio interesting. HIIT is a great way to blend the monotony of traditional cardio, but intervals can also be repetitive. It is not an actual interval exercise, but it goes through different exercises and takes regular rest breaks. You can do this without any equipment, but there are enough floor movements to grab an exercise mat. This physical exercise is not told; there are visual cues (timer, practice names) and sound cues (countdown). You need to be able to see the screen so you know what’s coming, especially since it’s not a classic interval exercise.
6. Strong nation class of 30 minutes
Equipment: No
Strong Nation is a Zumba workout that syncs HIIT movements perfectly with background music. The result is an intense, futuristic workout that matches your partner so well that you feel like you’re part of a video game. Needless to say, it’s pretty motivating, even if you’re being challenged rhythmically. It’s a HIIT workout, but it’s mainly strength and plyometric (jumping) exercises, so it’s a good fit from the usual endless stream of home cardio. You do not need to have equipment for this workout, but there is a lot of jumping and movement in general. I recommend doing this on a surface that is not very difficult to protect your joints, if possible.
7. 30-minute dumbbell workout for the whole body
Equipment: Halters, yoga mat
The best adjustable dumbbells is a staple for any home gym setup, but it will not help you get in shape if you do not use it. This dumbbell workout for the whole body is one of the best 30 minute workouts for people who want to incorporate dumbbells into a cardio-heavy routine. You only need one weight pair for this workout (and if you do not have dumbbells, you can definitely replace homemade weights). It’s not intimidating – it’s still mostly a cardio workout, just with weights.
8. 30 minute workout for the dumbbell at home
Equipment: Halters, yoga mat
Let’s go ahead and go fully into strength training with this intense dumbbell exercise. This workout contains 30 different exercises, performed at intervals of 40 seconds and 20 seconds of rest. It does not contain warming up or cooling down, but it is a great workout for all levels. It is a dumbbell exercise, so most exercises are complementary and relatively safe / easy to learn on your own. This creative routine includes a variety of combination exercises so that even experienced strength trainers will find new movements to keep things interesting. For this workout you need at least one pair of dumbbells (although you want different weights for different exercises), as well as an exercise mat / surface and enough space to move around.
9. 30 minute workout for home arms (dumbbells only)
Equipment: Halters, sloping bench
Arm work is often done with dumbbells anyway, so you don’t necessarily have to sacrifice anything by exercising at home instead of a “real” gym. This workout consists of six exercises arranged in three supersets and can be done at home or in the gym. You will need some moderately heavy dumbbells (though it is better if you have a set so you can gain weight with each set) and a sloping bench. If you do not have a slope bench, you can get a similar slope with a Swiss ball. Unlike most of the other best 30 minute workouts on this list, this is not a full length workout video. The instructor explains and demonstrates each exercise and goes through the first set, but you must interrupt the video and perform additional sets before proceeding.
10. Plyo workout of 30 minutes
Equipment: 18-inch box
Plyometric workouts do not get enough love – possibly because jumping destroys your knees and / or is impossible if you already have bad knees. Yet it is an excellent way to build strength in both your muscles and legs. This plio workout consists of seven exercises, several of which use an 18-inch box; if you do not have a box at home, you can basically jump on anything, as long as it is stable. It is also a great workout to do outdoors as park benches are ideal for jumping on. You need to make sure you do it on a spring-friendly surface, such as grass or something that is not concrete.
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