I am going to share with you a quick 20 minute workout, and all you need is a set of dumbbells.
I know how important it is for you to be able to workout at home, or really anywhere, on your own time.
Not everyone has an hour to workout, and that time frame isn’t necessary anyways.
20 minutes of intentional movement 3-5 times per week is plenty to see results and create a consistent routine.
So let’s dive into this 20 minute full body at home workout.
Table of Contents
All you need for this workout is a set of dumbbells.
You could use a kettlebell for one movement, but it is not necessary.
The best part about these workouts is that minimal equipment is needed, and they can be done in a small space.
So you don’t need an entire gym, or even an entire room.
A space the size of a yoga mat is plenty to complete this at home workout.
This full body workout is only 20 minutes in duration.
It is an EMOM (every minute on the minute).
At the top of the minute you will complete the designated exercise and reps.
Then you will rest until the top of the next minute and perform that exercise.
There are 5 different exercises in the workout, which brings us right up to a timed 20 minute workout.
Any fitness level is going to be capable of doing this workout.
Whether you are a beginner or someone who has done them in the past, this workout is going to make you work either way.
I always offer modifications for each workout so you don’t have to worry about it being too easy or too hard, you modify for your needs.
If you look further down the blog you will see an explanation of each exercise as well as a modification to make it both easier and harder.
These are also shown in the full workout video link.
The Workout:
EMOM x4 Rounds
Minute 1: 12 thrusters
Minute 2: 20 dumbbell swings (or kettlebell)
Minute 3: 10 dumbbell cleans
Minute 4: 5 (each) forward/backward lunge
Minute 5: 5 pushup walkouts (from toes or knees)
Let’s breakdown each movement you will see in the workout, so you have a better understanding of what to expect.
Everything is shown and explained in the video, but sometimes seeing it written is also a helpful tool.
Form: Start with one dumbbell in each hand and feet shoulder width apart. Dumbbells are starting at the shoulders with triceps parallel to the floor.
Keeping elbows up, squat down driving knees out with weight in heels, and as you stand, the dumbbells are going to press overhead. As the dumbbells come down, you start to squat down.
So it is one continuous movement squatting and pressing overhead. Making sure as you press overhead that the core/glutes/quads are engaged and there is no arch in the back. Ribs are pulled down and you are in a straight line.
Modifications: To make this movement easier you can decrease the weight of your dumbbells, or you can perform a sit to stand and press rather than a squat. Which means you perform the same movement =, only sitting down on a surface and standing instead of squatting.
To make this movement harder, increase the load (weight of the dumbbells).
Form: Holding one dumbbell by the end (or a kettlebell) start with feet shoulder width apart.
The weight swings back between your legs (keeping it close the body) as your hips shift back almost like closing a car door with your butt. Then snap the hips forward squeezing the glutes, and that momentum from the hips will move the weight up to about navel level.
Then repeat. It is a continuous motion focused on power through the hips.
Modifications: To make the exercise easier you can decrease the load, and to make it harder you can increase the load.
Form: Start with a dumbbell in each hand and feet shoulder width apart. Keeping a straight line from the top of the head to the tailbone, squeeze your armpits and shift the hips back so the dumbbells hang at knee height.
Then you are going to stand up, squeeze the glutes, shrug the shoulders and bring the dumbbells up to shoulder height front rack (with triceps parallel to the floor). You want to use the power from the hips to create momentum to get the dumbbells up to shoulder height.
Then being them back down and repeat.
Modifications: To make this movement easier you can decrease the load of the dumbbells, but also stand with your back to the wall and about12 inches away.
This will allow you to get your starting position by just reaching the hips back to touch the wall, and then snapping the hips, shrugging and pulling.
You can make the movement harder by increasing the weight of the dumbbells or using a barbell.
Form: Start in a standing, neutral position (with dumbbell in each hand) or just bodyweight.
You are going to step out with one foot, drop the back knee to the floor, stand up driving the front heel into the floor to push back to the standing/starting position.
Then you are going to take the same foot and step back, dropping the knee to the floor and driving off the front heel back to standing position.
The key here is full range of motion to the floor, and also pushing the weight off the front heel as to decrease pressure/tension in the knee.
Modifications: To make this exercise easier you can perform it without weights. You can also grab a broomstick and place that on the floor as a crutch to help get full range of motion.
To make the movement harder you can increase the weight of the dumbbells.
Form: Start in a pushup position with your wrists stacked under the shoulders and up on the toes.
Making sure the back is flat, glutes/core/quads are tight and you are pushing up and active through the shoulder blades.
One at a time, starting walking the hands out up over your head. Maintaining the flat back and engaged core.
Walk out as far as possible, and then walk the hands back into the starting position.
Modifications: To make this movement easier you can drop down to the knees and walk out from there.
To make it harder you can put a plate on your back to weight the movement, or you can walk out until the nose is almost touching the floor before walking back in.
Warming up and priming the body is key to performing the best during your workout.
You do no want to do anything cold to risk injury, but also when you are warm you will be able to move better and smoother.
A warmup can be, and usually should be, the same every workout.
This can be as simple as walkouts, down dog transitions, T spine rotations and bear crawls.
After a warmup, you want to do some priming of the movements you are going to do in the workout.
So light weights doing squats and pressing (for the thruster here), RDL and shrug for the clean and so on.
It doesn’t have to be long, but just making sure the muscles are warm and the blood is pumping.
For the cool down you want to do some stretching and mobility to bring the heart rate down and again, decrease soreness and risk of injury.
If we never stretch, we just get tighter and tighter and our range of motion starts to decrease (we do not want that).
So any stretches that feel good for you focusing on glutes, hamstrings, hip flexors, shoulders, lats etc.
I hope you enjoy this sweaty 20 minute dumbbell workout from home.
And if you do, please do me a favor and share the blog on social to spread the movement love!
