Time can be a huge barrier when it comes to building a well-rounded fitness regimen. Fortunately, you don’t have to spend hours at the gym to get stronger. If you’ve got one of the best adjustable dumbbells and 30 minutes, you can strengthen your arms, legs, and core at home with this full body workout.
I’ve been a certified personal trainer for over a decade, and I always give my clients these five exercises to practice outside of our sessions. Not only is this routine quick and basic, but it targets a lot of major muscle groups and can be easily modified or progressed depending on your fitness level.
I always recommend at least one meeting with a trainer to ensure proper form, especially for beginners. If you’re no stranger to a dumbbell and a good sweat, give this five-move full body workout a try.
How to do this 5-move full body workout
You’ll need one moderately heavy dumbbell (or one of the best adjustable dumbbells) and a yoga mat for this routine which consists of goblet squats, reverse lunges, weighted heel taps, bent-over rows, and overhead presses.
If you’ve just started exercising regularly or if you’re working with a heavier weight, aim for 10-12 repetitions of each exercise. If you’re more experienced or working with a lighter weight, try each exercise for 45-60 seconds and do as many reps as possible.
Rest briefly between each exercise and at the end of each set. Complete 2-3 sets of the entire circuit.
1. Goblet squats
- Stand tall with your feet about hip width apart.
- Pick up a dumbbell and hold it at your chest, a few inches away from your sternum.
- Engage your core and maintain a neutral spine.
- Set your hips back behind you, as if you were about to sit down into a chair.
- Bend your knees and lower your tailbone towards the floor, keeping your spine straight and your torso upright.
- Once you’ve reached the end of your range, stand tall.
- Continue for the desired reps or time.
2. Reverse lunges
- Stand tall with your feet about hip width apart.
- Hold a dumbbell in your right hand.
- Engage your core and maintain a neutral spine.
- Step your right foot behind you.
- Bend both knees and aim your right knee towards the floor, keeping your back straight and your torso upright.
- Once you’ve reached the end of your range, stand tall.
- Step your right foot back to the starting position.
- Continue for the desired number of reps or time.
- Once you’ve completed the exercise on the right side, repeat on the left.
3. Weighted heel taps
- Lie on your back on a mat.
- Bend both knees and place your feet flat on the mat.
- Pick up a dumbbell and hold it above you, aligned with your chest.
- Lift both feet off of the mat and align your knees above your hips, with your shins parallel to the floor.
- Engage your core and maintain a neutral spine.
- Slowly lower your right heel towards the mat, keeping your lower back neutral.
- Bring the right knee back to the starting position.
- Slowly lower your left heel towards the mat, keeping your lower back neutral.
- Bring the left knee back to the starting position.
- Continue for the desired reps or time.
4. Bent over rows
- Stand tall with your feet about hip width apart.
- Step your right foot behind you, keeping your leg straight.
- Engage your core and maintain a neutral spine.
- Pitch your torso forward and rest your left forearm on your left thigh, keeping your back straight.
- Pick up a dumbbell with your right hand.
- Squeeze your right shoulder blade, bend your right elbow, and pull the dumbbell up towards your right hip.
- Slowly lower the weight to its starting position.
- Continue for the desired reps or time.
5. Overhead press
- Stand tall with your feet about hip width apart.
- Pick up a dumbbell and hold it in your right hand.
- Engage your core and maintain a neutral spine.
- Bring the weight to your right shoulder, with your knuckles facing the wall behind you.
- Elongate your right arm and press the dumbbell towards the ceiling, keeping your right shoulder, elbow, and wrist aligned.
- Slowly lower the weight to its starting position.
- Continue for the desired number of reps or time.
- Once you’ve completed the exercise on the right side, repeat on the left.
Benefits of this 5-move full body workout
The exercises in this routine work many major muscle groups, including the quadraceps, hamstrings, glutes, deep core, middle and lower trapezoids, lats, deltoids, and pectorals. These muscles are responsible for a host of important functions, from walking and climbing stairs to opening doors and maintaining our posture.
If you spend your work days at a desk, exercises like the squat, reverse lunge, weighted heel tap, bent over row and overhead press can counteract some of the negative effects of prolonged sitting. These movements train muscles that become weak and underactive, potentially preventing future issues or injuries.
More from Tom's Guide
- 3 moves, no sit-ups — try this 15-minute dumbbell workout to build a strong core and hips
- No, not sit-ups — these are the two abs exercises you need to sculpt a six-pack, according to a personal trainer
- Look no further — yes you can build strength and muscle in your core without sit-ups, and here's the move to try
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
