Exercise Snacks: 5 Efficient Workouts in 15 Minutes or Less

By Molly Lauridsen  

Molly Lauridsen has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor for over 10 years and was a 2023 Concept2 Ambassador. She works with private clients and is also the Wellness Coordinator at the world-famous Alchemist Brewery in Stowe, Vermont. She loves working directly with individuals of all abilities to reach their fitness goals. When not helping others get fit, you can usually find Molly skiing, running, or cycling the roads, paths, and trails in Stowe, Vermont. Molly is also a wife, mother, and jewelry artist. Here she offers five quick and effective “exercise snacks” that anyone can do with minimal time, an Erg, and body weight exercises.

We have all been there: we had grand plans to workout but somehow your available window of time has dwindled quickly. Next time this happens, try an "Exercise Snack" before throwing the possibilities of a workout out the window. Full workouts are amazing, but sometimes they need to come in small, bite-sized pieces that fit your schedule or current fitness appetite. Exercise Snacking is a quick, easily digestible effort that you can fit in during your busy schedule, or as a quick mindset reset during the day. All you need is a Concept2® cardio Erg—RowErg®, SkiErg® or BikeErg®—and your body!

Snack #1: “Power of Three”  

15 minutes total (not including rest, rest as needed)

Perform the following:  

0-3 Minute: Cardio Erg of your choice (Note your RPMs or S/M and aim to hold a pace within this range for your 2nd and 3rd Erg rounds) 

3-6 Minute: 1 minute of each:

• Body weight squats
• Push Ups
• V-Sit with torso twist AKA “Russian Twist”  

6-9 Minute: Erg (Hold pace of previous Erg round)

9-12 Minute: 1 minute of each:

• Alternating Rear Lunge
• Plank  
• Standing Cross Punches

12-15 Minute: Erg (Hold pace of previous Erg round)

*Level up by adding dumbbells to squats/lunges/torso twist/cross punches if you like

Snack #2 “Erg Buster”  

10-15 minutes total: 5-minute blocks. Repeat two to three times.  

Set a timer for five minutes: (Warmup into a pace that will be a challenge to hold for more than 2+ minutes on your RowErg, SkiErg or BikeErg.)

Start and HOLD your goal pace for as long as possible!  

Once you drop below your goal pace, hop off the Erg and do the following as many times as you can for the remainder of the five minutes: 

• 5 burpees
• 10 squats

*Modify burpees as needed or do an inch worm instead. To do the inch worm exercise, start by standing with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Take a deep breath in. Then, slowly walk your hands forward until they are directly under your shoulders in a plank position. Hold this position for a moment. Next, reverse the movement by walking your hands back toward your feet. Repeat this back-and-forth motion to complete the inch worm exercise.

Snack #3 “Double Your Fun!”  

For as long as you have time for! Up to 15 minutes. Simple yet effective.  

Choose any cardio Erg and do the following:  

• Work for one minute. Note your calories!  
• Multiply your calories at the end of the minute by two.  
• Do that number in squats and pushups, alternating between each after every Erg round (reset the PM each time). So: one minute Erg x squats x one minute Erg x pushups, repeat. See how many rounds you can get through in your allotted time!  

Snack #4 “Dirty Thirty”  

5-15 minutes total: Use a RowErg, SkiErg or BikeErg.  

Set a timer for five minutes.  

Switch between your Erg and the second exercise every thirty seconds without rest (if possible) for four minutes. Take the last minute to rest! Repeat 3x or as many as you have time for!

0-4 Minute:  

• 30 seconds Erg  
• 30 seconds Mountain Climbers  

4-5 Minute: REST! And then repeat up to 3 times.

*Mountain Climbers are performed from a plank position. You will alternate bringing one knee to your chest, then kick back out, increasing speed each time until you are "running" against the floor.

Snack #5 “Every MUSCLE on The Minute EMOM”

10-15 Minutes: Repeat twice (three times to reach 15 minutes). This hits al the spots!  

Choose any cardio Erg and set a timer for 10 minutes. WITHIN each minute perform the following, using the remainder of the minute to rest and get ready for your next exercise.  

0-1 Minute: 50 Second Erg  

1-2 Minute: 40 Plank Shoulder Taps (Singles: each tap counts as one. Level up with doubles: tapping each shoulder counts as one)  

2-3 Minute: 50 Second Erg  

3-4 Minute: 40 Touch Down/Reach up Squat Hops: Touch floor and reach hands all the way up!  

4-5 Minute: 40 Bicycles: Lie on back and bring opposite knee to opposite elbow. (Singles: each time a knee comes in counts as one. Level up with doubles!) *REPEAT