20-minute no-equipment workouts for busy holiday days

Busy days are when workouts disappear first. The fix is having something short and ready to go, so you don't have to plan anything when the day is already full. These three workouts take about 20 minutes each, need no equipment, and work in a living room, a garage or a hotel room.

Pick one, set a timer and go. If you only have 10 minutes, do half. Something is always better than nothing.

Before you start: a 3-minute warm-up

Do each move for about 30 seconds, without rest:

1. March in place, swinging your arms
2. Arm circles, forward then backward
3. Bodyweight good mornings (hands on hips, hinge forward at the hips, stand tall)
4. Slow bodyweight squats
5. Step-back lunges, alternating legs
6. Inchworms: fold forward, walk your hands out to a plank, walk them back

Workout A: Full-body circuit

Workout B: Legs and core

Workout C: 40/20 intervals

Finish any workout with a 2-minute cool-down: an easy walk around the room, then a gentle hamstring stretch, a hip flexor stretch and a chest stretch in a doorway.

Form cues for each move

Squat

Feet about shoulder-width apart. Sit your hips back and down like you're reaching for a chair. Keep your chest up and your whole foot on the floor. Push the floor away to stand up.

Push-up

Hands just wider than your shoulders. Your body should be one straight line from head to heels, so squeeze your glutes and brace your stomach. Lower your chest toward the floor with elbows angled back, not flared straight out.

Glute bridge

Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat. Press through your heels and lift your hips until your body makes a line from shoulders to knees. Squeeze your glutes at the top and lower slowly.

Reverse lunge

Step one foot back and lower until both knees are bent. Keep most of your weight in the front heel. Push through that front foot to return to standing.

Dead bug

Lie on your back with arms reaching up and knees bent over your hips. Press your lower back gently into the floor. Slowly lower one arm and the opposite leg, then return and switch. Go slow; it's harder than it looks.

Plank and shoulder taps

Hold a straight line from head to heels. For shoulder taps, start in a high plank, widen your feet, and tap each shoulder with the opposite hand while keeping your hips as still as you can.

Make it easier or harder

Every move can be scaled, so these workouts work whether you're brand new or have been training for years.

• Easier: Do push-ups with your hands on a counter or couch. Squat to a chair. Hold planks on your knees. Cut a round, or take longer rests.
• Harder: Slow down the lowering part of each rep to 3 seconds. Add a round. Try jump squats or split-stance lunges if your joints feel good.

The right level is one where the last few reps feel challenging but your form stays solid. If your form breaks down, scale back.

If you have a health condition, an injury or are pregnant, check with your doctor before starting a new workout routine.

These are a great backup plan. If you want workouts that change every week and a coach to make sure your form is right, that's what our group classes in Lehi and Pleasant Grove are for. Coach Teresa writes every Boom workout herself. Want more holiday-friendly options? Try our hotel room and travel workouts.