Forget the gym — you only need 20 minutes to build full-body muscle with this low-impact dumbbell workout
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For most of us, doing full-body workouts that target a wide range of muscles is going to be the most time-efficient way to train. If you’re experienced in the gym and have time then using workouts to target specific body areas can be more effective, but there’s something very satisfying about blasting muscles all over the body in one quick session.
This 20-minute workout from fitness trainer Maddie Lymburner, who goes by MadFit on YouTube, is designed to do just that. It can be done in a small space — you just need room to roll out a yoga mat — and there’s no jumping exercises in the workout so it’s low-impact and won’t disturb your neighbors if you live in an apartment block.
You will need a set of dumbbells for the workout — Lymburner is using 10-pound weights in the video and a medium weight would be best if you can only use one set. However, having access to multiple weights or one of the best adjustable dumbbells would be useful because you can then use a heavier weight for the leg exercises and a lighter one for the arm moves, which may help you to challenge all parts of the body more effectively.
Watch MadFit's 20-minute dumbbell workout
During the session you’ll be working for 45 seconds with each exercise, and then resting for 15 seconds. It’s a no-repeat workout, so you won’t be doing several sets of an individual move, but instead moving on to something new every minute (or doing the move on the other side of your body, in some cases).
This no-repeat style means the time will fly by and makes it easier to target muscle groups all over the body, but it also means you need to stay on your toes and watch Lymburner during the rest periods and at the start of each set so you know how to do the move properly. Lymburner also continues to give form tips throughout each exercise, so make sure you can see and hear her to get the most from each move.
As you won’t be doing several sets of a move, it’s worth pushing hard and doing as many reps as you can during each workout period to strengthen the target muscles. The caveat to this is that good technique comes above all, so don’t rush to the point where your form suffers, just try and move quickly but with control.
The workout has a mix of compound and isolation exercises, and with most of the compound moves that target multiple joints and muscle groups you can do them without any weight at all if you’re starting to struggle with the dumbbells. If you do get tired during a set try putting the dumbbells down and carrying on to complete the 45 seconds.
If you would like to be more specific with your training, then this 20-minute dumbbell workout for the arms and shoulders is great for the upper body, while this 5-move leg workout will take care of your lower body. With any of the workouts make sure that you continue to challenge yourself and increase the weight you use as you become more comfortable with the session. This is a key part of progressive overload training, and it’s a great way to keep getting fitter and stronger.