60 Seconds to a Slimmer Body

By Jessica Smith
Make the most out of every minute with these exercise quickies that can be performed solo or combined to suit your schedule
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Every second counts, especially when it comes to fitting fitness into your super-busy life. But what can you do in a single minute? A lot—and these workout ideas are proof! Try squeezing them in one at a time throughout the day when things are really hectic, or mix and match a few when you have more time. The possibilities are endless.

How it works: For each circuit, do as many reps as possible of each exercise with proper form in the time specified. For a longer workout, choose three to five circuits and perform up to five rounds of your routine, or pick one circuit and repeat it five times, resting 30 to 60 seconds between circuits.

You’ll need: Some circuits require a set of 3- to 15-pound dumbbells.

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Circuit 1A: Scooping Squats

Vanessa Rogers

Reps: 20 seconds

Stand with feet hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell at either end with both hands in front of chest. Lower into a squat and lower dumbbell to side of left thigh in a scooping motion (think of tracing a circle from the front to back). Stand up, raising dumbbell back in front of chest. Immediately repeat to the right.

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Circuit 1B: Jack Press

Vanessa Rogers

Reps: 20 seconds

Stand with feet together. Hold a dumbbell at either end with both hands in front of chest. Quickly jump feet apart and press dumbbell overhead. Return to start. Repeat as quickly as possible.

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Circuit 1C: Pushup Tuck

Vanessa Rogers

Reps: 20 seconds

A. From a full plank position with hands and feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, lower into a pushup, keeping body in a straight line from head to toes (avoid letting hips sag to the floor).

B: Push back up, jumping feet in toward hands and landing on the balls of feet. Jump back out to start and repeat.

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Circuit 2A: High-Knee Jack

Vanessa Rogers

Reps: 30 seconds

Run in place, bringing knees up high to chest as arms lift overhead and lower to sides (as if doing a jumping jack). Repeat as quickly as possible.

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Circuit 2B: Switch Lunge Jacks

Vanessa Rogers

Reps: 20 seconds

Begin in a lunge position with right leg back and left arm extended overhead, palm facing in. Jump up, switching arms and legs mid-air, landing in a lunge with left leg back and right arm overhead. Repeat as quickly as possible.

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Circuit 2C: Plyo Jacks

Vanessa Rogers

Reps: 10 seconds

Stand with feet together, bend knees. Lower into a squat, swinging arms back by hips. Jump up, opening arms and legs mid-air into an "X" shape. Land in starting position. Repeat as quickly as possible. (Too tough? Try a traditional jumping jack instead.)

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Circuit 3A: Squat Press

Vanessa Rogers

Reps: 30 seconds

Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells at sides. Lower into a squat. As you return to standing, curl arms into body and then immediately press weights overhead. Return to start and repeat.

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Circuit 3B: Burpee Bent-Over Row

Vanessa Rogers

Reps: 30 seconds

A: Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells at sides. Lower into a deep squat, pressing dumbbells into the floor under shoulders. Keeping arms extended and shoulders over dumbbells, jump feet back to a full plank position with feet together.

B: Jump back into squat position, lift weights, and pull elbows behind body, rowing weights to sides of torso while keeping back naturally straight. Return to start and repeat.

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Circuit 4A: Cross-Over Climber

Vanessa Rogers

Reps: 30 seconds

Begin in a full plank position with feet together, hands shoulder-width apart. Quickly bend right knee across to left elbow. Return to start and bring left knee to right elbow. Continue alternating as quickly as possible.

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Circuit 4B: Pushups

Vanessa Rogers

Reps: 30 seconds

From a full plank position with hands and feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, lower chest toward the floor, keeping body in a straight line from head to toes (avoid letting hips sag to the floor). Push back up and repeat as many times as possible. (Make it harder by bringing feet together, or make it easier by performing on knees.)

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Circuit 5A: Squat Swings

Vanessa Rogers

Reps: 30 seconds

Stand with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell at either end with both hands in front of chest. Lower into a deep squat, swinging dumbbell through legs (keep eyes focused forward). Extend legs and swing dumbbell up in front of chest, tightening abs and glutes. Repeat.

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Circuit 5B: Plank Jack Pushup

Vanessa Rogers

Reps: 30 seconds

Begin in a full plank position with hands and feet wider than hip-width apart. Lower into a pushup. As you push back up, quickly "jack" feet in by jumping both feet together, then immediately back out to start position. Repeat as quickly as possible.

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Circuit 6A: Weighted Squat Hops

Vanessa Rogers

Reps: 50 seconds

Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells at sides. Lower into a squat. Maintaining squat position, perform small hops in place. Repeat as quickly as possible.

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Circuit 6B: Side Steps

Vanessa Rogers

Reps: 10 seconds

Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells at sides. Shift weight into right leg and tap left foot into right. Repeat to opposite side.

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Circuit 7A: Skate Jumps

Vanessa Rogers

Reps: 45 seconds

Stand with feet together, arms by sides, and knees bent. Quickly jump out and over to the right, opening arms and legs out to the sides mid-air. Land on right leg, crossing left leg back and tapping left toes to the floor, swinging right arm back and left arm forward. Repeat to opposite side.

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Circuit 7B: Wide-Arm Plank

Vanessa Rogers

Reps: 15 seconds

Begin in a full plank position with hands and feet slightly wider than hip-width apart. Draw abs in tight to spine and focus on pressing away from the floor with chest and hands. Hold, maintaining a straight line from heels to head.

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Circuit 8: Squat Thrust Hop-Up

Vanessa Rogers

Reps: 60 seconds

Stand with feet together, arms by sides. Lower into a squat and place hands on floor under shoulders. Jump feet back into a full plank position with feet together. Immediately jump feet back into squat position with feet together and jump straight up, swinging arms in front of chest to help lift body. Land in squat and immediately repeat as quickly as possible.

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Circuit 9A: Pushups

Vanessa Rogers

Reps: 30 seconds

From a full plank position with hands and feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, lower chest toward the floor, keeping body in a straight line from head to toes (avoid letting hips sag to the floor). Push back up and repeat as many times as possible. (Make it harder by bringing feet together, or make it easier by performing on knees.)

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Circuit 9B: 1-2-3 Run

Vanessa Rogers

Reps: 30 seconds

With body facing front, quickly step right, left, right with a 1-2-3 count, landing on right leg with knee bent, left knee lifted, and right arm bent in front of body. Repeat to the left as quickly as possible.

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Circuit 10: Weighted Walk

Vanessa Rogers

Reps: 60 seconds

Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells by sides with abs braced in tight and shoulders stacked over hips. Take 20 steps forward, then 20 steps back, keeping torso as still as possible. Repeat as many times as possible for 1 minute. Make this an even greater challenge by extending arms overhead.

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