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The 7-minute workout

Written by: Heftic

18 sessions over 6 weeks

Categories:Workout plansBeginnerA chair, a wallPDF and spreadsheet

Twelve moves, 30 seconds each, 10 seconds rest. At home, with a chair and a wall.

Plan summary

Main goal
Twelve moves, 30 seconds each, at home. No kit but a chair.
Length
6 weeks
Days a week
3
Each day
8–26 min
Kit
A chair, a wall
Training level
Beginner
Sessions
18 over 6 weeks
For
Everyone
Plan PDF
Download the planFree with a free account: your email, or Google.

Plan description

A well-known workout from a 2013 American College of Sports Medicine journal.

Do each move for 30 seconds. Rest 10 seconds. Go to the next. One round takes just under 8 minutes.

The order matters: it rests one body part while the next one works.

The 7-minute workout overview

This plan runs for 6 weeks, 3 sessions a week.

Rest a day between sessions. Rest 1 minute between rounds.

The six weeks

The six weeks
WeeksRoundsTimePace
1–218 minSteady. Learn the moves.
3–4217 minA little harder.
5–6326 minHard but steady.

One round

Too hard? Use the easier version in brackets.

One round
ExerciseHowSets × reps
Jumping jacksJump feet out and in, arms up. (Step side to side.)30 sec
Wall sitBack on the wall, knees bent. Hold. (Sit higher.)30 sec
Press-upBody straight, chest to floor. (Knees down.)30 sec
CrunchOn your back, knees bent. Lift your shoulders.30 sec
Step-upOnto a step or sturdy chair. Swap legs. (Low step.)30 sec
SquatSit back and down. Stand up tall.30 sec
Chair dipHands on a chair behind you. Bend, push up.30 sec
PlankForearms and toes. Body straight. (Knees down.)30 sec
Run in placeKnees up. Arms moving.30 sec
LungeStep forward, back knee toward floor. (Hold a chair.)30 sec
Press-up and turnPress-up, then turn and reach up. (Knees down.)30 sec
Side plankOn one forearm, hips up. 15 sec each side.30 sec

The rules

  • Use a sturdy chair against a wall for step-ups and dips.
  • Good form beats speed. Slow down if the move gets sloppy.
  • Sore the next day is normal. Sharp pain is not. Skip that move.
  • Warm up first: 3–5 minutes of marching on the spot and arm circles.

After week 6

Keep three days a week. Then pick your next step.

After week 6
Next stepWhat it is
Dumbbells at home (Pro)Two dumbbells, three days a week. Get stronger.
Keep it goingThree rounds, with more reps in each 30 seconds.

When to stop

Dizzy, faint, sick, chest pain, very short of breath, or a racing heart.

Call emergency services for: chest pain that does not stop with rest, or spreads to your arm, jaw or back.

Not medical advice. Check with your doctor before you start.

Based on 1 sourceAll the evidence →

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