The Ultimate 15-Minute Workout

Here's a question we get from readers every day: How long do I need to work out to see results? Our response: How long do you have?

Some guys love programs like P90X, which has you exercising for 60 minutes or more six days a week. But studies have shown that as little as 11 minutes of exercise is enough to boost your metabolism—and burn fat—for the rest of the day.

And, according to a recent study in the European Journal of Applied Physiology, 15 minutes of resistance training is just as effective as 35 minutes of weightlifting in elevating resting energy expenditure up to 72 hours after the exercise. That means you can burn calories and build muscle in less than half the time. It also means you can work out three days a week, not six. (For more instant exercise tips, don't miss the 100 Smartest Fitness Tips Ever!)

The most effective fat-melting, muscle-pumping strategy is all about intensity. If you're like most guys, you're working out too slowly, spending too much time in the gym, and not seeing the results you want. But by condensing your workout into a perfectly designed 15-minute total-body pump, you can rev up your metabolism and burn massive amounts of fat, while building your aerobic endurance and stimulating muscle growth. The result: A stronger, leaner you—and 5 extra hours a week to play Home Run Battle 2.

This dumbbell routine, from the Men’s Health Big Book of 15-Minute Workouts, builds muscle and melts unwanted flab the old-fashioned way—hard work, no rest. Do this four-exercise circuit with no break between exercises. After completing a circuit, rest for 90 seconds before doing it again. Do three complete circuits. Sound easy? Just wait.

1. INCLINE BENCH PRESS

A. Grab a pair of dumbbells and lie on your back on a bench set to a low incline (15 to 30 degrees). Lift the dumbbells up to arm’s length so they’re over your chin, and hold them with your palms turned toward your feet (thumbs facing each other).

B. Slowly lower the weights to your upper chest, pause, and push them back up over your chin.

REPS: Do 10 to 12

2. ONE-ARM SNATCH

A. Hold a dumbbell in your right hand using an overhand grip. With your feet shoulder-width apart, bend your knees and place the dumbbell on the floor.

B. Perform a high pull: In one explosive movement, straighten your legs and hips while bending your elbow to pull the dumbbell upward.

C. At the dumbbell’s highest point, drop your hips and “catch” the weight by rotating your wrist under the dumbbell. Quickly straighten your arm so the dumbbell is now over the top of your shoulder. Complete all your reps, and then repeat with the dumbbell in your left hand.

REPS: Do 10 with each arm

3. SEATED CALF RAISE

A. Place a step in front of a bench, grab a pair of dumbbells, and sit down. Set the balls of both feet on the step, and hold a dumbbell vertically on each knee. Lower both heels as far as you can without touching the floor.

B. Push off the balls of your feet and lift your heels as high as you can. Pause and repeat.

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4. CHEST-SUPPORTED ROW

A. Grab a pair of dumbbells and lie chest down on an adjustable bench set to a low incline. Let the dumbbells hang at arm’s length from your shoulders, your palms facing each other.

B. Without moving your torso, pull the weights to your sides. Pause, lower, and repeat.

REPS: Do 10 to 12

Trust me, the results you'll see in just a few weeks will convince you of the power of boosting workout intensity by putting more muscle under tension in a much smaller window of time.

You'll find more workouts like this one in The Men's Health Big Book of 15-Minute Workouts, which features more than 350 fat-blasting exercises, dozens of total-body metabolic circuits, and 80 high-intensity programs in all. Check it out.

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