Whether you’re starting a new fitness kick in 2025 or have been training regularly for years, standing dumbbell workouts are a great addition to your routine. Low-impact sessions like this 15-minute workout from fitness trainer FitByMik will help you build strength without putting too much pressure on the joints, and you just need two medium dumbbells to do it.
For reference, FitByMik is using 10lb weights in the workout, but you can use whatever dumbbells you have to hand that suit your fitness level. If you have a pair of the best adjustable dumbbells then that’s ideal because you can quickly change the weight you’re using depending on the exercise you’re doing.
You can also substitute in other weights like kettlebells for the workout, or even use a couple of cans of food if you’re a beginner. If you have a yoga mat then that could be worth using as well to protect your floor and give you better traction during the session.
Along with the workout itself, FitByMik’s video also includes a short warm up and cool down, which are well worth doing to help your body get ready for the session and recover afterwards. There are 15 exercises in the workout itself, and you do each move for 45 seconds and then rest for 15 seconds.
During the rest periods FitByMik will talk you through the technique for the next move coming up, so keep your eyes and ears tuned to the screen while you catch a breather. She also does the whole workout with you, so you can check your form for any move while doing it.
Watch FitByMik’s 15-minute standing workout
Most of the workout is made up of combination moves and compound exercises that target multiple muscle groups at once, so you can work the whole body in just 15 minutes.
Moves like squats and lunges are great for building stretch and boosting your metabolism, and they also get your heart pumping for some cardiovascular benefits.
There are also some more targeted arm and shoulder exercises like the overhead press and biceps curls. These might be difficult to do with the same weight you’re using for compound leg exercises, so if you have a lighter dumbbell available then it’s worth keeping it close by.
If you are struggling to push through the full 45 seconds with any move while using weights then try putting the dumbbell down and carrying on without it. And as with any workout, this session is not going to be very effective if you do it once and never again.
Training consistently is the key to hitting any fitness goal, so try doing this standing dumbbell workout two to three times a week for a couple of months and you’ll undoubtedly see results in terms of getting stronger and fitter, as long as you’re backing up your exercise efforts with a healthy diet.
You can also include the session in a more varied routine with other sessions, like this 15-minute dumbbell workout that focuses on the arms, and this five-move dumbbell leg workout.
A little variety will keep your training more engaging, and this trio of sessions compliment each other well for a week of workouts that targets the whole body.
More from Tom's Guide
- Forget weights — you just need 6 minutes to reduce stiffness and boost your mobility with this equipment-free workout
- You don’t need the gym to build strength, try this 10-minute kettlebell workout instead
- No, not sit-ups — here's the one abs exercise you should do to strengthen your core without weights
