Amplify full-body muscle with this six minute dumbbell workout

This hard hitting circuit will put your muscles through their paces, but gets the job done fast

Man doing dumbbell renegade row
(Image credit: Getty Images)

We love a simple, effective workout, but simple doesn’t always mean easy. Take this six minute full-body workout for example, it may not be long and only require a pair of dumbbells, but it will leave your arms, legs and core fired up and get your heart rate pumping, burning lots of calories in the process.

Full-body workouts should be your go-to if you don't have time to do split workouts (such as separate upper and lower body sessions) as they'll ensure you build a balanced physique. This one contains lots of compound exercises and is in the style of a circuit. Compound movements elevate your heart rate as they recruit multiple muscles which requires more energy. While circuits can not only increase muscle gains, as performing exercises back to back increases time under tension, but they can also improve muscle endurance too.

This workout comes from celebrity trainer Faisal Abdalla, who's trained the likes of Ellie Goulding to Jorja Smith. It's super straightforward; you’ve got six exercises and you’ll do each one for 20 seconds. But, here’s the catch, you’re doing all the exercises back to back without any rest (we told you simple definitely didn’t mean easy). With that in mind, make sure you have your gym water bottle to hand because things are guaranteed to get sweaty! However, if you really do need to rest, do so, we don’t want any injuries. Here’s your workout:

Do each exercise for 20 seconds and repeat three times

  • Deadlifts
  • Bicep curls
  • Shoulder press
  • Alternating lunges
  • Thrusters
  • Devil press

We've got plenty of other short, speedy workouts for you to try if you enjoyed that, like this five minute lower body workout using just your bodyweight from CrossFit athlete Lucy Campbell. Don't forget to make time for your upper body too! Again, if you're pushed for time, give this two-move bodyweight workout a whirl, which will give your triceps a lot of love.

Bryony Firth-Bernard
Staff Writer, Active

Bryony’s T3’s official ‘gym-bunny’ and Active Staff Writer, covering all things fitness. In her spare time, you will find her in her natural habitat - the gym - where her style of training is a hybrid of bodybuilding and powerlifting. Bryony loves writing about accessible workouts, nutrition and testing innovative fitness products that help you reach your fitness goals and take your training to the next level.