This home workout combines HIIT and strength training – burn fat and build muscle in 20 minutes

What's the best way to lose fat and tone up in the shortest time possible? The answer is HIIT workouts. High-intensity interval training ramps your heart rate up quickly, making you sweat and burn tons of calories in the process. Almost every type of exercise can be turned into HIIT, but this 20-minute workout uses dumbbells only to achieve the best results.

There are many reasons to try HIIT today. As well as burning calories, HIIT can boost metabolism and is also one of the most time-efficient ways to cram exercise into your daily routine. HIIT is not for everyone, but those who are happy to traverse the highest heart rate peaks will be rewarded with fast weight loss results and that unbeatable high of finishing an intense workout.

Adding a dumbbell to the mix makes this workout all the more efficient. HIIT workouts are great for burning fat, and resistance training is absolutely essential in keeping the extra pounds off as it builds muscle and increases BMR. You'll burn more calories even when you aren't exercising by having more muscle mass. You can use dumbbells to train your whole body (more workout links below).

Let's get going!

Lindsey's 20-minute dumbbell HIIT workout: Exercises

You'll perform each exercise for 45 seconds, followed by 15 seconds of rest. Then, you have a minute rest and do the whole thing over again. The workout should last for 20 minutes on the dot. Feel free to follow along with the above video if you're unsure about timings.

Lindsey recommends using medium-to-heavy dumbbells for this workout. If you don't know what medium feels like for you, we recommend investing some money in a pair of adjustable dumbbells. These space-saving home weights can replace a whole set of dumbbells and enable you to switch between weight settings easily. 

Alternatively, you can also use kettlebells for this workout. Kettlebells are especially well-suited for dynamic movements such as the snatch but make sure you practice the movement before starting the workout. It's paramount to control the movement of the kettlebell, so it doesn't slam against your wrist.

Here is how to split up the workout:

• Lunge-Thrusters
• Push Up + Single Arm Row
• Burpee + Alternating Single Arm Snatch
• Single Leg Deadlift + Press
• Wood Chop Swing {option to add jack}
• Leg Lowers + Tricep Extension
• Front Back Squat Hop + Bicep Curl
• Squat + Curl + Press
• Lateral Shuffles
• Repeat x2

As promised, here are some more dumbbell workouts for those who need more inspiration.

We'd recommend giving the best full-body dumbbell workout a try first; it's only five moves and builds overall strength and definition. If you're here to burn fat, try the ultimate home workout for fat loss that also only uses dumbbells.

You can give your legs a run for their money using dumbbells with this dumbbell leg day workout – DOMS are guaranteed the day after! For more of an upper-body burn, try the best tricep exercises with dumbbells and this 3-exercise, one dumbbell chest and arm muscle workout.

Do you need more? Alright, alright, alright! How about this easy dumbbell full-body workout or this 10-minute, 10-move dumbbell-only workout that helps you build muscle at home?

What can we say? Dumbbells are indeed the most versatile home gym equipment...

This feature is part of T3's Get Fit 2022 campaign. We’ll be bringing you a wealth of guides, features, deals and news to help you get healthy, fit and ready for anything the new year can throw at you. Whether you’re a newcomer to fitness or someone with a passion for it, we’ll bring you all the best workouts, diet advice and gear to set you on the right track.