Max 20: Functional Training Program (PDF)
Max 20 is a functional strength training program designed to help you build muscle, improve movement and get stronger in just 20 minutes a day. It’s ideal for anyone who wants an efficient, structured plan that fits real life while delivering real results. Through focused strength training and repeated sets of foundational movement patterns, you’ll build total-body strength, confidence and consistency.
This is Max 20: Strength made simple.
Max 20 was built for real life. Your days are full, your time is limited and you don’t need longer workouts… You need better programming. This is a functional fitness program designed to help you build strength, improve functionality and feel more confident in your body in the time you actually have. It combines strength workout principles with cardiovascular and HIIT-style conditioning so you can improve both strength and conditioning without spending hours in the gym.
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Download Your FREE Workout Plan PDF Here
Download the PDF calendar with a daily workout tracker so you can measure your progress.
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Each workout is just 20 minutes, but it’s intentional. You’ll move through 4 exercises, repeated for 4 sets, creating the kind of training stimulus that actually leads to muscle growth and improved core strength. There’s no fluff and no wasted time; just compound movements that matter most, done with focus and purpose. Push, pull, hinge, squat, lunge and carry show up throughout the program, including bodyweight push-up variations, deadlift patterns, overhead press variations, step-ups, walking lunge progressions and single-leg work. These are movement patterns that reflect real-world strength and everyday movements, and this program trains them in a way that improves how you perform in daily activities inside and outside your workouts.
What makes Max 20 different is the structure. Instead of cramming in more exercises, you’ll do fewer movements with more intention and a greater range of motion focus. That repetition is what builds real strength and reduces risk of injury over time by improving control and technique. You warm up properly, learn the movement, refine your form and then push your effort – especially by the fourth set, your strong set, where the work really counts. You’re not just getting through a workout, you’re actually improving within it.
This is functional strength that translates to your daily life. You’re not just building muscle for the sake of it; you’re building strength that supports how you move, how you feel and your overall quality of life. Over time, you’ll notice better control, more stability, improved muscle group coordination and a deeper understanding of how your body moves in real-world settings.
The program is simple, but it’s grounded in proven training principles. Repeating movements for multiple sets increases the volume needed for muscle growth. Keeping the exercise selection focused allows you to train with better form and more intensity across key compound movements. And with a built-in tracking system, you can apply progressive overload by gradually increasing weights or reps, which is key to seeing continued results.
Max 20 runs for 2 weeks (3 if you’re a member of the NML app!), and you can choose to train 3, 4 or 5 days per week depending on your schedule. This makes it great for any fitness level, including beginners building their fitness routine for the first time or experienced lifters looking to simplify their training. Each session is designed to fit into your life without sacrificing effectiveness. For best results, you can repeat the program and continue building on your progress.
Unlock Week 3!
Build Serious Strength With Bonus Workouts
Max 20 is my first-ever 3-week program! Unlock the third week of programming, plus 5 bonus 10-minute burnout videos (that’s 10 additional workouts total!), inside the NML App!
Unlock Bonus Content
By the end, you’ll feel stronger and more capable. You’ll understand each movement more deeply because you’ve practiced it consistently. You’ll build confidence in both your form and your strength, and you’ll finish each workout feeling proud of what your body can do.
You don’t need more time. You need a program that works. This is functional strength training, done right.
And as a special bonus, my friends, The Real Food Dietitians, created this free, 4-week healthy eating meal plan to go with my Max 20 Program.
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A made-for-you meal plan with 4 weeks of family-friendly meals AND a grocery list!
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Who This Workout Plan Is For
This Functional Training Program is for anyone looking to:
- Build total-body strength (in the lower body, upper body and core) using functional movement patterns like push, pull, hinge, squat, lunge and carry.
- Get stronger and more defined with short, effective 20-minute workouts.
- Improve stability, mobility and control for better movement in everyday life.
- Follow a structured, repeatable program that makes it easy to track progress and apply progressive overload.
- Maximize results with minimal time by focusing on fewer exercises done with more intention.
- Feel more confident lifting weights and develop a consistent, sustainable strength training routine at home.
This free 2-week workout plan is modeled after my signature strength training programs. It’s specifically the sister program to Strong 20 and Overload 30. These programs are different from my other free workout challenges because they include 10 daily workout videos (a new workout video each day) that were cohesively filmed as one complete program.
You can find more information about which signature program is right for you (and the order I recommend progressing through my programs) in this free Nourish Move Love Program Guide.
Already completed this challenge? Leave a review!
Week 1
Day 1: 20-Minute Legs and Back Workout
- YouTube Link: 20-Minute Legs and Back Workout
- Equipment: Dumbbells. Optional pull-up bar (and pull-up assist bands if needed).
Day 2: 20-Minute Chest and Arm Workout
- YouTube Link: 20-Minute Chest and Arm Workout
- Equipment: Dumbbells. Optional bench.
Day 3: 20-Minute Glute and Leg Workout
- YouTube Link: 20-Minute Glute and Leg Workout
- Equipment: Dumbbells. Optional mini loop resistance band or glute band.
Day 4: 20-Minute Calves and Core Workout
- YouTube Link: 20-Minute Calves and Core Workout
- Equipment: Single Dumbbell
Day 5: 20-Minute Full Body Workout
- YouTube Link: 20-Minute Full Body Workout
- Equipment: Dumbbells
Week 2
Day 6: 20-Minute Chest and Leg Workout
- YouTube Link: 20-Minute Chest and Leg Workout
- Equipment: Dumbbells. Optional bench.
Day 7: 20-Minute Back and Arm Workout
- YouTube Link: 20-Minute Back and Arm Workout
- Equipment: Dumbbells. Optional pull-up bar (and pull-up assist bands if needed).
Day 8: 20-Minute Lower Body Workout
- YouTube Link: 20-Minute Lower Body Workout
- Equipment: Dumbbells. Optional mini loop resistance band or glute band and bench/box.
Day 9: 20-Minute Core Workout
- YouTube Link: 20-Minute Core Workout
- Equipment: Dumbbells. Optional bench and Pilates ball.
Day 10: 20-Minute Full Body Workout Routine
- YouTube Link: 20-Minute Full Body Workout
- Equipment: Dumbbells
Bonus: Unlock Week 3!
Max 20 is my first-ever 3-week program! Unlock the third week of programming, plus 5 bonus 10-minute burnout videos (that’s 10 additional workouts total!), inside the NML App!
Find This Workout Plan On YouTube
YouTube Playlist
Functional Training Plan Details
1. Gym Equipment Needed:
A Set of Dumbbells (Discount Code: NML5). Most of the daily workouts require a set of free weights. Each weight-training workout will have a recommended dumbbell weight, usually between 15-30 pounds. You want a weight heavy enough that your last few reps are a struggle, but you are still able to complete the workout with good form.
Optional Exercise Equipment: Mini Loop Resistance Band (Discount Code: NML), Pull-Up Bar, Pilates Ball and Bench/Box/Chair.
2. Time Requirement:
Workouts are 20-25 minutes per day, 5 days per week.
This plan includes 2 rest days a week. You get to choose which days are your rest days. I suggest resting after day 2 or 3 (Wednesday or Thursday) and then again after day 5 (Sunday). OR completing days 1-5 and then resting on days 6-7 over the weekend. The goal is to make this plan work for YOU!
If you can complete 3 workouts per week, choose the following: Day 1, Day 2, Day 5, Day 6, Day 8, Day 10.
If you can complete 4 workouts per week, choose the following: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 10.
3. Fitness Level:
Intermediate to advanced, with modifications offered for all fitness levels in the daily workout videos.
4. Cost:
FREE! No sign-up needed.
FAQs
Is functional training better than traditional cardio?
It depends on your goals, but functional training offers more carryover to everyday life. While traditional cardio improves endurance, functional training builds strength, stability and coordination while still elevating your heart rate. That means you’re not only burning calories, but also getting stronger in ways that support how you move day to day.
How often should you do functional training workouts?
Most people see great results with 3-5 functional training workouts per week. This gives you enough frequency to build strength and improve movement patterns, while still allowing time for recovery. Programs like Max 20 are designed with this flexibility in mind, so you can choose a schedule that fits your routine.
How can functional training improve everyday activities?
Functional training focuses on movement patterns you use in real life, like squatting, hinging, pushing, pulling and carrying. By strengthening these patterns, you improve balance, coordination and overall body control. This makes everyday tasks (like lifting, reaching or even getting up off the floor) feel easier and more efficient.
How to Download and Use This Functional Training Program
- Download and print the Max 20 PDF calendar and tracking sheets by clicking here, or bookmark this webpage for reference as workouts are outlined.
- Save the workout calendar to your mobile device’s home screen for easy access.
- Open this workout calendar PDF in the Safari browser on your phone.
- Tap the bottom arrow in the center of your screen.
- Select ‘Add to Home Screen’.
- Hover over and then click on the bold text each day to access the full-length, real-time workout video on nourishmovelove.com. Or scroll down to find the daily workouts on YouTube.
- You can also access all of the home workout videos on this workout challenge calendar on YouTube via this YouTube Playlist: Max 20: 2-Week Functional Strength Training Program.
- Share your daily workouts with me by tagging @nourishmovelove on social and ‘Pin’ the daily workouts on Pinterest so you can do them again.
Get My Full Program Guide!
New to Nourish Move Love and wondering which workout plan is best for you? Check out more of my free workout plans, and find the program that’s best for you!
Start Here!
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Note: before beginning any new exercise program you should consult with your physician or midwife. The information provided with this workout challenge is intended for general information and use; it does not include specific, individualized recommendations and is not intended as medical advice. Before you begin any new exercise program Nourish Move Love recommends that you consult with your physician. Nourish Move Love primarily educates clients to assume more personal responsibility for their health by adopting a healthy and active lifestyle.
This post does include affiliate links and I earn a small commission on products purchased using these links. All words and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting Nourish Move Love.
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