A welcomed trend in the fitness and health community over the last decade can be attributed mostly to the explosion of home dvd workouts, particularly P90X from Beachbody.  This is the idea that workouts aren’t about how long but the quality of what you do during the time you set aside.

So the thing to do is figure out how much time you have and then find a workout that will both fit those time constraints and get you to your goals. The great news for people of any fitness level is that you can easily find programs or routines to meet your needs.  Remember we recently talked about one of the three most desired body goals and how you need to choose one and focus in on that.

The Case For a 30 Minute Workout as Your Choice for Correct Length

There are 4 reasons that I think 30 minutes is a perfect workout length for you to build your fitness strategy around if you either trying to lose weight or get really ripped (2 of the big 3 most desired body goals) If you are looking to get big and muscular in a compressed calendar of time, 30 minutes probably won’t be enough.

Reason #1 is it is long enough to get your work in, but not long enough for you to waste time. With a 30 Minute Workout, you are likely going to be on the move constantly which means a big calorie burn. If you have a longer time frame, you are likely to waste more time. This leads us to Reason #2.

Reason #2 is that when you know you are only going to be working out for a half hour, you are more likely to fit it in before your day get’s rolling. The longer your was to be invested, the longer you are likely to put off actually doing it. 30 minutes takes away the excuses for putting it off. It is a short enough period of time where you can not feel like you are entering into a never ending hell by starting in. It’s mentally manageable.

Reason #3 is you can rest on just the one workout. Many shorter programs like 10 Minute Trainer with Tony Horton require you to workout again during the day to get the best results. I don’t like the thought of having to work out morning and night or twice in a day in any form. It’s called working out, not playing out. Frankly, you need to get in and get out, but also keep moving towards your goals. When you are done, move on with your day.

Reason #4 is there are lots of great resources out there to help you meet your goals in the 30 minute time frame. I love Power Half Hour, the 30 Minute Workout Program from Tony Horton. It is a slightly easier version of P90X but with the muscle confusion principles that got people such amazing results.

Your Power Half Hour Price is About $40 as opposed to $120 and up for P90X. Power Half Hour is my 30 Minute Workout program choice, but there are countless others online you can try out. Look for programs that force you into high-intensity full-body work, but also utilize weights. Dumbbell or weighted resistance stimulates calorie burn and changes your body faster than if you don’t use weights.

You can get Power Half Hour for a risk-free trial below: