Four moves, two dumbbells and 20 minutes are all you need to build full-body strength at home

Harry Bullmore
·2 min read
4
A woman performing a renegade row with dumbbells.
A woman performing a renegade row with dumbbells.

While it's definitely helpful to have access to gym equipment to create a fun, varied workout, you don't need a gym membership to build muscle. You can still make plenty of progress at home with minimal equipment .

This routine from fitness trainer Rhiannon Bailey is designed to strengthen your whole body in 20 minutes using just a pair of dumbbells. It features four different compound exercises, which target multiple muscle groups at once, so that you can build strength all over in a short space of time.

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Watch Rhiannon Bailey's four-move dumbbell strength workout

There are four exercises in this circuit. Perform each exercise for 40 seconds, rest for 20 seconds, then move on to the next one. Repeat the sequence five times to complete the workout.

Need some guidance on what dumbbell weight to choose for this routine? Pick something that will challenge you for the 40 seconds of work, but don't pick something that's so heavy it negatively affects your form.

What is a HIRT workout?

Bailey's workout falls under the high-intensity resistance training (HIRT) umbrella. This training style is characterized by short bursts of effort broken up with minimal rest periods. It also weaves strength training exercises into the mix, which means that you're challenging your muscles and your cardio fitness in one go.

Full-body workouts like this one are a top option for people with busy schedules as they allow you to train a wide range of muscles in a short space of time.

So, if you want to give strength training a go but don't have several hours to spare, try sprinkling full-body workouts like Bailey's session into your week to reap the physical rewards.

Need help choosing your weights? Our guide to the best adjustable dumbbells can help