Is 20 Minutes of Exercise Enough? (Yes, If You Do This)

The short answer

Yes, if those 20 minutes are planned and you show up three or four times a week. Twenty focused minutes beats an hour of wandering around the gym on your phone.

What 20 minutes can do

• Build and keep muscle
• Get you stronger
• Support fat loss alongside a sensible diet

It won’t do the fat loss on its own. Your diet does that. Training makes sure what you lose is fat, not muscle.

How to make it count

1. No long warm-up. 3 minutes of easy moves, then light sets of your first exercise.
2. Big moves only. Squat or lunge, hinge (deadlift or kettlebell swing), push (push-up or press), pull (row).
3. Pair exercises. Do a push, then a pull, then a leg move back to back. Less waiting around.
4. Use a timer. Set work and rest times so you can’t drift.
5. Work hard. Finish most sets with only a couple of reps left in the tank.
6. Do a little more each week. One more rep, a bit more weight or a bit less rest.

A sample 20 minute session

• 3 min warm-up
• 15 min: goblet squat, push-up, dumbbell row. 40 seconds on, 20 seconds off, round and round.
• 2 min: farmer carry

How this fits a busy week

Three or four of these, plus daily walking. That’s a solid base for a busy man. For a slightly longer option, see our post on whether 30 minutes is enough.

FAQ

Is 20 minutes enough to lose weight?

Training helps, but weight loss comes from a small calorie gap. Combine the two.

Should I do 20 minutes every day?

Three or four days is plenty for most. Walk on the other days.

Do I need a gym?

No. Dumbbells or a kettlebell at home work well.

Read next

• Is 30 Minutes of Strength Training Enough?
• How Busy Dads Actually Find Time to Train
• How to Not Gain Weight on Work Trips

This article is general information only. Check with your GP before changing your diet, drinking or training if you have a medical condition.