Skip the gym — you only need 15 minutes to build full-body strength with this bodyweight workout

Man doing plank
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Full-body workouts are the most time-effective way for most of us to train. Unless you’re able to hit the gym several times a week and target certain areas of the body with different workouts, then aiming to work all the major muscle groups in one session is a smart way to train.

This 15-minute workout from fitness trainer Jay T. Maryniak, who goes by JTM_FIT on YouTibe, is the perfect session to add to your week if you’re looking for a quick blast to hit your whole body. It doesn’t require any equipment, bar one of the best yoga mats, and you can do it anywhere you have enough space to roll out said mat.

The workout involves doing 15 exercises in 15 minutes, working for 40 seconds and resting for 20 seconds with each move. Follow Maryniak’s example for each exercise to make sure your form is on point, and that you’re working the right muscles.

While you do get 20 seconds of rest a minute, because you don’t repeat moves, you’ll spend a lot of that time switching positions and seeing what exercises is coming up, so the pace of the session is high and your heart rate will stay elevated throughout, adding a boost to your cardiovascular fitness to the strength gains from the session.

Watch JTM_FIT’s 15-minute bodyweight workout

15 Min Full Body Workout | NO EQUIPMENT | NO REPEATS - YouTube 15 Min Full Body Workout | NO EQUIPMENT | NO REPEATS - YouTube
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Maryniak uses a mix of classic compound exercises like squats and lunges in the workout, as well as some plyometric moves with jumping and isometric abs exercises like the plank and hollow body hold. As well as being a great workout in its own right, if you’re a beginner the video will teach you a lot of useful fundamental exercises that you can include in other training sessions.

You can also scale the workout according to your fitness level by shortening or lengthening the work periods. If you have done the workout a few times you could try to do it without any rest, or complete two rounds of the exercises for a 30-minute bodyweight session. You can also progress the workout by using weights for some of the moves, if you do have dumbbells at home.

The fitter you get, and the more accustomed to the exercises, the faster you can move in the workout to maximize the benefits while maintaining good form. When you first do it, or if you’re a beginner in general, then it’s more effective to move with control and get your technique right rather than rushing.

If you do have weights and would rather do a dumbbell workout, this 20-minute full-body workout is a great option, while if you’d rather focus on your core, have a bit more free time and are up for a challenge, I tried this 40-minute bodyweight core workout and it’s undeniably effective.

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Nick Harris-Fry
Senior Writer

Nick Harris-Fry is an experienced health and fitness journalist, writing professionally since 2012. He spent nine years working on the Coach magazine and website before moving to the fitness team at Tom’s Guide in 2024. Nick is a keen runner and also the founder of YouTube channel The Run Testers, which specialises in reviewing running shoes, watches, headphones and other gear.

Nick ran his first marathon in 2016 after six weeks of training for a magazine feature and subsequently became obsessed with the sport. He now has PBs of 2hr 27min for the marathon and 15min 30sec for 5K, and has run 13 marathons in total, as well as a 50-mile ultramarathon. Nick is also a qualified Run Leader in the UK.

Nick is an established expert in the health and fitness area and along with writing for many publications, including Live Science, Expert Reviews, Wareable, Coach and Get Sweat Go, he has been quoted on The Guardian and The Independent.