Full Body Workout for Men at Home in 40 Minutes

You're a man with a hectic life. School, work and family commitments can leave you starved of free time. You don't have to spend hours in the gym to get in shape, though. In fact, two to four 40-minute full body workouts a week can get you -- and keep you -- fit and healthy. While 40 minutes might not sound long, you can get a lot done in a short space of time, especially if you exercise at home and follow a solid workout program.

  1. Warm Up

    • To ensure you have an effective but safe workout, spend five minutes warming up before you start exercising vigorously. While you might be think you'll save time by diving straight into the main part of the workout, that few minutes saved may turn into months of wasted time if you are unlucky and suffer an injury. Spend three to five minutes doing some light cardio like jogging, jumping rope or step-ups, and then perform some dynamic stretching exercises such as leg swings, side bends and arm circles.

    5/10/15/20 Rep Circuit

    • The 5/10/15/20 rep circuit works virtually every muscle in your body and also drives up your heart and breathing rate to deliver an effective cardiovascular workout. Your task is to perform as many sets as possible of five burpees, 10 pushups, 15 squats and 20 mountain climbers in 20 minutes. To get the most from this workout, perform each exercise properly. While you may be able to do your repetitions more quickly, using sloppy exercise technique, you won't get as many benefits. Rest when you need to, but no longer than absolutely necessary. Remember -- you are trying to do as much work as possible in the allotted time.

    Core Circuit

    • On completion of the 5/10/15/20 rep circuit, it's time to work your core. Core is the term used to describe the muscles of your midsection. These muscles are important for more than just simple aesthetics -- they also provide vital support for your spine. Perform 30 seconds each: right side plank, front plank, left side plank and hip bridge to total two minutes. Rest for 60 seconds and then repeat for a total of three sets. This should take about eight minutes.

    Cool-Down

    • On completion of your workout, spend the remaining time -- about seven minutes -- bringing your body back to it's pre-exercise state by doing light cardio for five minutes and then stretching all of your major muscles with the remaining time. Start at your calves and work up your body. Take a little longer over any muscles that feel tight. Once your stretching is done, it's time to congratulate yourself on a job well done and hit the showers.