Congratulations! You finally understand that you don’t need an hour-long sweaty workout to stay fit. Yay! At last, you recognize the importance of having a few key pieces of equipment at home that will come through in a pinch when you literally have 30 minutes – start to finish – to squeeze in a workout.

First, what equipment, you ask. Here is a list with links to the equipment my Adrien Cotton clients purchase before we start their sessions. We meet once a week, and then I ask them to independently complete at least two additional sessions because we need at least three strength training sessions per week to see progress. The research supports it, and you will simply sleep better, stress less, and feel much better in your body if you do.

Ready – Set – GO! 

Wait, what do you do for those 30 minutes?

Have a Workout Plan Ahead of Time

It all starts with the plan! I have a number of programs I can complete at a minute’s notice. Most of them include a 45-minute or hour-long session, with warm-ups, strength blocks, and the metabolic finisher to create a great session – all on my own. But I don’t expect you to be able to do that.

That’s why I’m sharing with you my perfect 30-minute workout plan!

Get Your Equipment Ready

If your plan is the most important factor to a perfect workout, then the second-most important factor is that your equipment is ready, including having the floor space OPEN and primed for your workout. Don’t leave it to the last minute to move furniture or gather your dumbbells and bands. 

This preparation takes time, and you do not want to take 5-10 minutes from your actual workout on this task. I set up my basement, and many of my clients do as well, so they can walk to their workout space so they are always ready to go. This dedicated space is also helpful when you need to pull out a 5-10 minute workout. Kelly just shared with our group today that she’s been doing that for a few weeks as her schedule has been nuts. 

For the workout I am teaching you today, you will want to grab two (2) 8-10lb dumbbells or Kettlebells, two (2) resistance bands, clear your space, and have some great tunes ready!

I beg you: do not walk to your exercise space without a plan or equipment. And don’t create your workout space then never make a plan or set foot in it! I can help you devise your optimal workouts in one session. In fact, I help many women knock out 3-4 workout plans in one session so they are set for months! 

The Perfect 30-Minute Workout for Women Over 40

Here is the workout you will be learning today:

• Warm Up: 5 minutes
• Block 1: 8 minutes
• Block 2: 8 minutes
• Metabolic Conditioning/Cardio: 5 minutes
• Cool Down: 4 minutes

Easy enough, right? Let’s talk about what you do in each section. Then when you are ready to work through it, set your timer for each section and put it away so you cannot turn it off.

Once you have the plan, you want to warm yourself up. This is super important. We want to prep the body for the workout you are about to do. If you plan a lot of squats, let’s get those legs and quads warmed up with some planks, AKA the top of the squat. If you want to include lunges, then let’s work on some hinging, some hip openers and again some variety of plank (AKA the top of the lunge). If handstands are in your repertoire, like one of my members Kelly, then make a space for handstands that is easily accessible. Creating space you want to use in this way is one of the key pillars of building this new workout habit.

Okay, here is my warm up for this perfect 30-minute workout! Set your timer for 5 minutes and keep going until the timer runs out.

(Want to watch me do all of the moves? Here’s a video showing you how to do this workout if that is easier to follow!)

Warm Up:

• Bounce for 30 seconds
• Walkout to hand plank and hold for 15 seconds (count to yourself or watch phone countdown)
• Return to stand and squat 10 times
• Criss-cross to floor and complete 10 pelvic tilted glute bridges 
• Roll yourself up to standing potion
• REPEAT

Now that your body is warmed up, let’s jump into Block 1. Set a timer for 8 minutes and repeat these steps until you hear the alarm.

Block 1:

• Walkout to push up (knees or toes) 5 times
• Deadlift or lunge 10 times (lunge is 5 on each side) with or without weights
• Side plank (knees or toes) and hold for 20 seconds 
• REPEAT

Reset your alarm for another 8 minutes, and jump into Block 2.

Block 2:

• Two-arm rows with dumbbells, resistance bands, or kettlebells 8 times
• Squat with weights or with your bodyweight 8 times 
• Sideway shuffle or band walks with hip circle resistance bands 8 times

Let’s get your heart rate up a little. This section is one minute of work, recovery, one minute of work, recovery, and a final minute of work. I’m giving you four moves to choose from. Whichever you choose, do that for one full minute before recovery.

Set your timer for 5 minutes and watch the timer to see when you recover and start again.

Metabolic Conditioning/Cardio Options:

• Jump (Note: Stay tuned for an article on the new science of jumping for midlife women. You may be surprised!)
• Jog in place (slow or fast)
• Kettlebell swings (demonstration here!)
• Ball Slams (demonstration here!)

Cool Down:

I am a big fan of the cool down with a focus on getting our breathing steady with nose breathing (mouth closed!), a good roll on a foam roller, getting on the floor to open up hips and stretch out the chest and shoulders. Downward facing dog and deep lunge rotation (in the photo below) are two of my favorite stretches.

There you go! An easy-to-follow 30-minute workout that’s so good you won’t want to stop. Save the video on your phone so you always have it in your pocket when you need a workout – at home, at the gym, or when you are traveling.

One of the best ways to learn all of these moves so they are easy for you is to join a Friday or Saturday session with my members, either in-person or online! Email me at Contact@AdrienCotton.com to sign up.