I’ve worked out nearly every day for as long as I can remember—not because I’m perfectly disciplined, but because a minimalist approach makes it simple enough to fit into real life. These are the free, effective, and minimalist workouts I keep coming back to again and again.
Today I’m sharing my favorite free minimalist workouts—the ones I’ve saved and done dozens of times over the years. Whether you’re new to working out, starting from scratch, or just want effective workouts that actually fit into a busy schedule, you’re sure to find something you like below. And best of all? They’re all free. When it comes to building strength, energy, and consistency, less really can be more.
What is a minimalist workout?
A minimalist workout is simple, quick, and effective. It can be done anywhere, often with minimal equipment—just a mat, your bodyweight, and maybe a set of dumbbells if you have them. Minimalist workouts help you build strength, boost endurance, or improve mobility—or a mix of all three—without the need for expensive trainers, fancy equipment, or a pricey gym membership.
Minimalistic workouts keep exercise simple, making it easier (note: not easy!) to stay consistent, take care of yourself, and support both your physical and mental health—even when life feels full.
What exercises are best for minimalist training?
Most minimalist workouts (including the ones I’ve linked below) are built around compound exercises—movements that work multiple muscle groups at once. This makes them highly time-efficient and ideal for promoting muscle growth and building strength without fancy equipment or a gym membership. Because compound movements work multiple (and often big) muscle groups, these exercises also get your heart rate up, which is great for cardiovascular health and overall fitness. Most moves have built-in variations, allowing you to adapt your workout to your specific needs and level.
Some of the best minimalist exercises include squats, lunges, push-ups, pull-ups, swings, overhead press, and deadlifts, which you can do with dumbbells or a kettlebell. If you have a pull-up bar, you can add pull-ups and chin-ups. A chair is also useful for exercises like triceps dips, single-leg squats, and step-ups.
In addition to workouts that focus on strength, I also try to incorporate a couple of mobility and stability workouts each week. A simple Pilates or yoga flow with hip openers and shoulder rolls on days when I’m feeling tight or sore.
My favorite free minimalistic workouts (by type and time)
I haven’t set foot in a gym in more than five years (thank you, 2020). During that time, I’ve tested a lot of at-home workouts, and these have become go-to favorites that I’ve returned to time and again. I’ve categorized them by type and time, so you can find what suits your goals, energy, and schedule.
Most of these workouts can be completed in 10 to 45 minutes, with minimal or no equipment. I’ve linked directly to the YouTube videos, so feel free to bookmark this page and come back whenever you need a quick, reliable workout.
Minimalist Tip: I keep these saved in playlists so I don’t have to look for a workout each day. I just decide what type of workout I want to do, pull up the playlist, and choose one that fits.
Bodyweight workouts
These are my favorites for building functional strength when I’m traveling or just want a simple, effective strength workout. (As you can see, I like to stick to the trainers I love!) For these workouts, all you need is your bodyweight, maybe a chair or a yoga block, and a little space to move.
- 20-Minute Bodyweight Leg Workout – Caroline Girvan
Leg day with just a chair and a yoga block or a stack of books. Simple moves that bring the burn! - 30-Minute No-Equipment Arm Workout – Nourish Move Love
Be prepared for an upper-body burnout. Perfect when you want an effective arm strength workout on the go. - 30-Minute Full-Body At-Home Strength Workout — Nourish Move Love
Balanced and efficient. A great all-around strength session, no equipment needed. - 30-Minute HIIT At-Home Workout — Nourish Move Love
18 fast-moving bodyweight exercises that leave you breathless and feeling the burn! - 45-Minute Unilateral Bodyweight Workout – Caroline Girvan
Focused on single-sided strength. A chair or yoga block can help, but the workout works without them, too!
Dumbbell Workouts
If you’re ready to level things up a bit, these workouts incorporate resistance to build strength but also move quickly, so you get plenty of cardio too. You just need a pair or two of medium-to-heavy dumbbells (use what you have!) and maybe a band if you have one.
- 20-Minute Dumbbell Full-Body – Caroline Girvan
A quick yet challenging full-body session. It’s short and effective! - 30-Minute Best Leg Day Workout – Nourish Move Love
Bring on the burn. Grab some heavier weights and a loop band if you’ve got one—your legs willthank youdefinitely be sore the next day! - 30-Minute Upper Body Circuits – Caroline Girvan
My go-to for upper body strength days—easily adaptable with lighter weights. - 30-Minute Full-Body Strength – Nourish Move Love
A foundational full-body pyramid workout that’s all about the reps. It gets your heart rate up while building strength. - 45-Minute Full-Body Dumbbell Strength Pyramid – Nourish Move Love
If you’re feeling fresh and are up for a challenge, this is a tough but great one!
If you’re looking for a full minimalist strength training program, I’m currently loving this 2-Week Summer Workout Challenge from Nourish Move Love—2 weeks of 30-minute strength workouts with just dumbbells and an optional resistance band and pullup bar.
Quick Workouts
These are my go-tos when I only have 10–20 minutes but still want to do something. They’re short and incredibly efficient—just enough to feel the burn and be glad it’s over!
- 10-Minute 1-Dumbbell HIIT Workout – Nourish Move Love (Instagram)
A single dumbbell is all you need. Do 4 rounds if you want to stretch it to 20 minutes—quick, sweaty, and effective. - 15-Minute Quick HIIT – Rachel DeVaux Harlington (Instagram)
Just 15 minutes of fast-paced HIIT that leaves no muscle untouched. Perfect for busy mornings or mid-day resets. - 20-Minute Dumbbell Leg Workout – Caroline Girvan
Focused and no-nonsense. I use half the weight she does and still feel it by the end. - 20-Minute Quick Arm Workout – Nourish Move Love
Upper body burn—no pushups required! This is a favorite when I want arm day without dread. - 20-Minute Full-Body Strength + Cardio — Caroline Girvan
High-energy, full-body compound movements that packs both strength and cardio into 20 minutes. Equipment optional, results guaranteed.
Low-Impact or Beginner Workouts
These workouts are great if you’re easing into strength training or just want something gentle that still feels effective. Many are low-impact, joint-friendly, and easy to modify. I discovered many of these when I was pregnant, postpartum, and recovering from a broken ankle, and I still do them today!
- 10-Minute Low-Impact Cardio – Nourish Move Love
A great way to get your heart rate up without any jumping or equipment. - 15-Minute Dumbbell Arms Workout – Caroline Girvan
Focused and fiery! A short upper-body workout using dumbbells that’s easy to modify with lighter weights. (I use about half the weight Caroline does. 😂) - 20-Minute Beginner Bodyweight Strength Workout – Nourish Move Love
Approachable yet effective—a great starting point if you’re new to strength training. - 25-Minute Full-Body Beginner Dumbbell Workout – Nourish Move Love
A great starting point for full-body strength with dumbbells. - 35-Minute Advanced Pregnancy Workout — Nourish Move Love
The modifications make this a great workout for non-pregnant beginners as well. Safe for all trimesters.
Yoga & Pilates workouts
These yoga and Pilates workouts are perfect when I’m feeling sore and want more restorative movement and stretching or lower-impact strengthening with Pilates.
- 30-Minute Intermediate Yoga Flow – Kate Amber Yoga
A well-rounded yoga flow with all the familiar poses. Grounding and energizing. - 30-Minute Intermediate Full-Body Pilates – Move With Nicole
No equipment needed. Just your body and some serious core engagement. - 30-Minute Yoga Pilates Flow – Move With Nicole
The best of both worlds—gentle, stretchy, and strengthening. A great way to start or end the day. - 40-Minute Intermediate Full-Body Pilates – Move With Nicole
A longer session that challenges you in all the right ways. Great for the core and lower body. - 40-Minute Strong & Flexible Vinyasa Yoga – Yoga with Kate Amber
A lovely yoga sequence that leaves you feeling… well, strong and flexible.
Tips for building a minimalist routine
One of the biggest shifts that has helped me stay consistent with my workouts, especially during busy or unpredictable seasons, has been keeping them simple and flexible. Here are some things that have helped me build an (almost) daily workout routine:
Keep a simple rotation
During busier seasons, I like to have 3–5 workouts I rotate through each week until I get bored. My usual mix includes one leg workout, one for arms, one quick full-body, a yoga flow, and a Pilates session. The other days, I walk or jog. With a workout rotation, I always know what I’m doing and can just start—no decision fatigue.
Save your go-tos (and a few to try)
I save my favorite YouTube videos to playlists so they’re quick and easy to pull up. I even have a separate playlist for workouts I want to try when I feel like switching things up. Playlists save me so much time (and scrolling!) throughout the week.
Find time that aligns with your current season
In our current routine, my husband handles breakfast with the kids while I get in a quick workout before school drop-off. It’s not a rigid schedule, but most mornings it works. When you find a rhythm that fits your current season of life, it just becomes a part of your day and is so much easier to stick with.
Remind yourself that even 10 minutes counts
Some days, 10 or 15 minutes is all I have—but when life is full, I’ve learned to count that as a win. If you’re in a season with limited time, even a quick 10-minute walk or burst of movement can still make a big difference.
