Pass the gym – build strength all over and boost your metabolism with this 20 minute dumbbell workout

Just because you don’t have time for the gym doesn’t mean you need to wave goodbye to doing your workout. With just a pair of dumbbells, you can still get a good quality workout ticked off at home. This full-body session may only be 20 minutes, but by prioritising compound exercises, target lots of muscle groups at the same time, and with the right intensity, it’ll help you get stronger and build muscle.

As well as increasing strength and muscle, full-body workouts, like this one, are also great for kickstarting your metabolism too. Again, this is because compound exercises elevate your heart rate more than isolation exercises, helping you to burn lots of calories. However, because it incorporates resistance (by using dumbbells) it also helps you to continue burning calories after your workout, so that you burn more body fat.

For this workout you’ve got six exercises to work through that will target your lower and upper body muscles, as well as your core, giving you a well-rounded workout. You’re going to work your way through the movements below, performing each one for 40 seconds, followed by a 20 second rest. Once you’ve completed an entire round, rest for two minutes, then repeat the workout two more times. Here’s your exercises:

• Squat
• Alternating lunges
• Kneeling shoulder press
• Push ups
• Tricep extension
• Jack knife

Remember, if your goal is to build muscle and get stronger, you need to ensure that you’re getting enough protein in your diet, whether through supplementation (with protein powder) or whole foods. Just make sure you’re getting enough. If you’re looking for similar workouts to this one, check out this 30-minute full-body workout or, if you can extend your time a little further, this 40-minute dumbbell workout.