30-Minute Gym Workout Plan (3 Days)
Three 30-minute full-body sessions built around the exercises that give the most results per minute: compound lifts, short rests and no filler. Proof that little time is no excuse.
Busy people with half an hour, three times a week.
Why this split
- Each major muscle is trained at least twice a week.
- Volume was trimmed to fit your time.
- No major muscle is trained on consecutive days.
Your training week
Mon
Full Body
Tue
Rest
Wed
Upper Body
Thu
Rest
Fri
Lower Body
Sat
Rest
Sun
Rest
MonFull Body
≈27 min · 10 sets
QuadricepsHamstringsGlutesChestBackShouldersBicepsTricepsCalvesAbs
Warm-up: 5 minutes of easy cardio plus mobility for the joints you'll train. Before Leg Press: 1 light set of 10–12 reps and 1 set of 4–6 at about 70% of your working weight.
Primary: Quadriceps, Glutes · Secondary: Hamstrings · Difficulty: Beginner
Reps6–10Primary: Chest · Secondary: Triceps, Shoulders, Abs · Difficulty: Beginner
Reps6–10Primary: Back · Secondary: Biceps, Forearms · Difficulty: Intermediate
Reps6–104Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Primary: Shoulders · Secondary: Triceps · Difficulty: Beginner
Reps6–10Primary: Hamstrings · Secondary: Calves · Difficulty: Beginner
Reps10–15
WedUpper Body
≈27 min · 10 sets
ChestBackShouldersBicepsTriceps
Warm-up: 5 minutes of easy cardio plus mobility for the joints you'll train. Before Barbell Bench Press: 1 light set of 10–12 reps and 1 set of 4–6 at about 70% of your working weight.
Primary: Chest · Secondary: Triceps, Shoulders · Difficulty: Beginner
Reps6–10Primary: Back · Secondary: Biceps, Shoulders · Difficulty: Beginner
Reps6–10Primary: Chest · Secondary: Shoulders · Difficulty: Beginner
Reps10–15Primary: Back · Secondary: Abs · Difficulty: Beginner
Reps10–15Primary: Shoulders · Secondary: Back, Traps · Difficulty: Beginner
Reps10–15
FriLower Body
≈30 min · 12 sets
QuadricepsHamstringsGlutesCalvesAbs
Warm-up: 5 minutes of easy cardio plus mobility for the joints you'll train. Before Barbell Back Squat: 1 light set of 10–12 reps and 1 set of 4–6 at about 70% of your working weight.
Primary: Quadriceps, Glutes · Secondary: Hamstrings, Lower back, Abs · Difficulty: Intermediate
Reps6–10Primary: Quadriceps · Difficulty: Beginner
Reps10–15Primary: Hamstrings · Secondary: Calves · Difficulty: Beginner
Reps10–15Primary: Glutes · Difficulty: Beginner
Reps10–155Standing Calf Raise (Machine)
Primary: Calves · Difficulty: Beginner
Reps10–15Primary: Abs · Secondary: Shoulders, Glutes · Difficulty: Beginner
Reps10–15
How to run each session
- Warm-up (5–8 min)
- 3–5 minutes of easy cardio (bike, treadmill or jumping jacks), mobility for the joints you will train and 1–2 light sets of the first exercise before your working sets.
- Effort
- Take sets to 1–2 reps short of failure. The last set of each exercise can get close to failure.
- How to progress (double progression)
- When you hit the top of the rep range on every set of an exercise, add 2–5% load next session and go back to the bottom of the range. Log your loads and reps.
- Deload week
- Every 6–8 weeks, do a week with half the sets at the same load to let your joints recover and come back stronger.
Your next 4 weeks
1Week 1
Learn the exercises and find your weights: finish sets with 3 reps left.
2Week 2
Add weight where it felt easy. Stop with 2 reps left.
3Week 3
Go for the top of the rep range. Stop 1–2 reps from failure.
4Week 4
Hit the top of the range on every set? Add 2–5% weight. Log everything to compare.
Every 6–8 weeks, take an easy week with half the sets.
To build muscle: eat in a small surplus with 1.6–2.2 g of protein per kg — see the ready-made meal plans. →
Weekly metrics
- Total weekly sets
- 32
- Sessions per week
- 3
- Avg. duration
- 28 min
- Exercises per session
- 5.3
Sets per muscle / week
- Chest6 / 12 · 2×/week
- Back7 / 14 · 2×/week
- Shoulders9 / 10 · 2×/week
- Biceps2 / 8 · 0×/week
- Triceps3 / 8 · 0×/week
- Quadriceps6 / 12 · 2×/week
- Hamstrings6 / 9 · 2×/week
- Glutes7 / 9 · 2×/week
- Calves4 / 6 · 1×/week
- Abs5 / 6 · 1×/week
Volume distribution
- Chest 11%
- Back 13%
- Shoulders 16%
- Biceps 4%
- Triceps 5%
- Quadriceps 11%
- Hamstrings 11%
- Glutes 13%
- Calves 7%
- Abs 9%
Build a custom plan
Free workout programmes for every schedule, plus muscle-focused sessions and a custom generator.
Generate my workoutUseful for this
Some links are affiliate links: we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes our recommendations.
- Editorial pick
Adjustable dumbbells
A full weight rack in the space of two dumbbells.
View options ↗ - Editorial pick
Exercise mat
Comfortable surface for core and floor exercises.
View options ↗ - Editorial pick
Lifting straps
Keep your grip from limiting heavy pulls.
View options ↗