Want to Age Well? This 30-Minute Full-Body Workout That Focuses on Your Core Is Key

If you want to build overall strength and move better on the daily, doing full-body workouts that emphasize your core is key. That’s because they help keep your bones and muscles strong, protect you from injury, and help you perform tasks like carrying groceries, playing with your kids or pets, and lifting those heavy U-Haul boxes with ease.

Not to mention, you get more bang for your buck with this abs, arms, and legs workout: It targets all your major muscle groups and doesn’t require a ton of time out of your day. The best part? You don’t need anything more than your own body and the furniture in your home to achieve this.

To get started with a full-body routine that only takes about 30 minutes—less time than it takes to bake a sweet potato—check out this workout from Or Artzi, CPT, a lead group fitness instructor at Equinox and creator of the fitness platform Orriors.

Join the club

If you’re following along with our January 2025 Good Moves Club Winter Challenge (sign up here if you haven’t already!), this is the workout for day 6, week 1. You can follow along with Artzi and the full-length workout below. This efficient workout includes a warmup and six strength-based exercises.

The warmup

Do each exercise for 30 seconds. Complete one round. 

1. Walkout

1. 1.
   Stand with your feet hip-width apart and arms by your sides.
2. 2.
   Hinge forward at your hips and reach toward the floor.
3. 3.
   Keeping your feet in place, walk your hands forward and come into a high plank so that your shoulders are over your wrists.
4. 4.
   Pause, engaging your core.
5. 5.
   Walk your hands back to your feet, then return to standing.
6. 6.
   Repeat.

2. World’s greatest stretch (alternating sides)

1. 1.
   Start in a high plank with your feet hip-width apart and your shoulders stacked over your wrists.
2. 2.
   Step your right foot forward and place it outside of your right hand.
3. 3.
   Keeping your hips square, lift your right hand toward the ceiling, rotating your chest toward your right leg. Allow your gaze to follow your fingertips.
4. 4.
   Pause, then return your right hand to the floor and extend your right leg back to plank position.
5. 5.
   Repeat on the opposite side.
6. 6.
   Continue alternating sides.

3. Cat-cow pose (Bitilasana Marjaryasana)

1. 1.
   Start on all fours with your hands and knees on the floor. Align your elbows and shoulders over your wrists and your hips over your knees.
2. 2.
   Slowly arch your spine, dropping your belly toward the floor. Look up as you draw your tailbone toward the ceiling (cow pose).
3. 3.
   Slowly transition into a rounded spine, tucking your chin toward your spine as you tilt your pelvis forward (cat pose).
4. 4.
   Continue alternating between cow and cat poses.

4. Deep squat with thoracic twist (alternating sides)

1. 1.
   Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and hands clasped in front of your chest. 
2. 2.
   Inhale, then bend at your hips and knees, lowering your butt until your thighs are parallel to the floor (or lower if that’s comfortable).
3. 3.
   Exhale, pressing evenly through your feet as you place your left hand on the floor and lift your right arm up to the sky while still in a deep squat.
4. 4.
   Twist your torso toward your right hand, reaching for the ceiling.
5. 5.
   Pause, then return your torso to center. 
6. 6.
   Repeat on the opposite side. 
7. 7.
   Continue alternating sides.

5. Hamstring sweep (alternating sides)

1. 1.
   Stand with your feet hip-width apart and arms down by your sides.
2. 2.
   Bend your left knee slightly and step forward with your right foot, flexing your toes up. Your right leg should be straight.
3. 3.
   Lean your torso forward until it’s nearly parallel to the floor, reaching your arms behind you.
4. 4.
   Then, sweep your arms forward and up so your biceps are next to your ears. You should feel a stretch in the muscles behind your right thigh.
5. 5.
   Repeat on the opposite side.
6. 6.
   Continue alternating sides.

6. Jumping jack

1. 1.
   Stand with your legs together and arms at your sides.
2. 2.
   Jump your legs out to the sides while lifting your arms up over your head.
3. 3.
   Finish the rep by jumping your feet back together and returning your arms to your sides.
4. 4.
   Stay light on your toes and keep a soft bend in your knees as you jump.
5. 5.
   Repeat.

The workout

You’ll need a weight bench, couch, or wide chair for this workout. Perform each exercise one time through, then rest for 60 seconds before moving on to the next round. Do 2-4 rounds total. 

• Beginners: Do each exercise for 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds before moving on to the next exercise. 
• Intermediate: Do each exercise for 40 seconds, then rest for 20 seconds before moving on to the next exercise. 
• Advanced: Do each exercise for 60 seconds, then move on to the next exercise. 

1. Hip thrust

1. 1.
   You’ll need a weight bench, couch or wide chair for this exercise.
2. 2.
   Sit with your mid back against the edge of a weight bench, couch, or wide chair. Clasp your hands in front of your chest.
3. 3.
   Place your feet on the floor about hip-width apart.
4. 4.
   Squeeze your glutes, engage your core, and push through your heels to lift your hips up toward the ceiling.
5. 5.
   Fully extend your hips and squeeze your glutes. Your knees should be bent to form 90-degree angles.
6. 6.
   Pause, then slowly return to starting position.
7. 7.
   Repeat.

2. Incline push-up

1. 1.
   You’ll need a bench or chair for this exercise. 
2. 2.
   Place your hands on a bench or chair and extend your legs behind you so that you are holding an elevated high plank position.
3. 3.
   Engage your core, bend your elbows, and lower your chest toward the bench.
4. 4.
   Extend your elbows to return to starting position.
5. 5.
   Repeat.

3. Hollow hold with bent knees

1. 1.
   Lie face up with your knees bent at 90 degrees and arms extended overhead so your biceps are by your ears.
2. 2.
   Lift your head, neck, and shoulders a few inches off the floor. 
3. 3.
   Brace your core and hold this position for the allotted amount of time. 

4. Reverse lunge (alternating sides)

1. 1.
   Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your hands clasped in front of your chest. 
2. 2.
   Step your right foot back while simultaneously bending your left knee and lowering your hips, dropping into a lunge. Keep your torso straight and core engaged.
3. 3.
   Stop when your left knee is at a 90-degree angle and your left thigh is parallel to the floor.
4. 4.
   Pause slightly and press into your left heel, squeezing your glutes to stand up, while bringing your right leg back to the starting position. 
5. 5.
   Repeat on the opposite leg. 
6. 6.
   Continue alternating sides for the allotted amount of time.

5. Superhero

1. 1.
   Lie facedown with your legs behind you and your arms in front of you.
2. 2.
   Engage your core, then lift your legs and upper body a few inches off the floor.
3. 3.
   Pause for a moment, then return to the starting position.
4. 4.
   Repeat. 

6. Plank jack

1. 1.
   Start in an all fours position with your shoulders stacked over your wrists, hips stacked over knees.
2. 2.
   Engage your core and glutes, and step back one foot at a time to come into a high plank.
3. 3.
   Jump your feet to the sides while maintaining your plank position.
4. 4.
   Then, jump your feet together.
5. 5.
   Repeat.