Build strength, burn calories and get fit at home with this efficient 15-minute workout: full body strength training. This effective workout combines the best full body compound exercises, or exercises that target multiple muscles at once. All you need is a single dumbbell for this quick workout routine at home.
Build strength, burn calories, and improve overall health and fitness with this 15 minute workout: full body strength.
15-minute workouts are a great solution for anyone struggling with a lack of time, energy or motivation. Short, effective workouts like this one allow you to keep your fitness goals on track without spending hours in the gym.
Today’s workout is made up of six compound exercises. Compound exercises allow you to get the most out of a short workout by engaging multiple muscle groups at once.
These complex, full body movements also will naturally raise your heart rate and burn more calories.
Bonus: this workout only requires one single dumbbell. One dumbbell workouts are an accessible, effective way to train with limited equipment.
Free 20-Minute Strength Program
15 Minute Workout FAQs
Can A 15-Minute Workout Be Effective?
Yes, 15-minute workouts can be extremely effective for increasing general fitness, getting daily steps in, weight management and improving cardiovascular health. The most effective short workouts are ones that prioritize full body strength exercises and HIIT exercises (High Intensity Interval Training).
Is 15 Minutes of Working Out Enough to Lose Weight?
The key to an effective short workout is to focus on compound movements that engage multiple muscle groups and elevate your heart rate. Efficient 15-minute workouts remove many of the common barriers people have to working out, such as a lack of time, energy or motivation. This can support overall fitness and weight loss goals.
How Long Should Beginners Work Out For?
For total beginners, starting with 10-minute workouts or 15-minute workouts is an achievable way to build a regular fitness routine. Start where you are, and do what you can. I highly recommend following a well-rounded Beginner Workout Plan for accountability and motivation.
15-Minute Workout (Full Body Strength)
Build strength, burn calories and improve general fitness with this 15-minute workout at home: full body strength.
I suggest incorporating full body workouts like this one to your home workout plan 1-2 times per week to build muscle and increase endurance.
Workout Equipment:
One Medium/Heavy Dumbbell. I suggest 10-25 lbs. We’re using a 15 lb dumbbell and 20 lb dumbbell here.
Shop My Yoga Mat
I get so many questions about this mat! I have the EXTRA LARGE Mat (8′ x 4′ x 1/4″).
Targets: The glutes (outer gluteus medius), quads (including the VMO, the small teardrop-shaped muscle group that helps move the knee joint and stabilizes the kneecap) and core.
A functional lower body exercise for training in multiple planes of motion.
How To Do Goblet Squats and Pivot Squats
Start standing, feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a single dumbbell at chest level, elbows tucked in (goblet hold).
Keeping your chest up, lower down into a squat, pushing your hips back and down until your hips align with your knees (knees bent at 90 degrees). Driving knees out toward your pinky toes.
Then drive through your heels, squeezing your glutes as you stand tall to return to the starting position.
Once standing, lift your right foot off the mat and step your right foot 45 degrees behind you, “pivoting” through your left foot.
Lower down into a squat, then drive through your heels to return to standing.
Once standing with full hip extension, step your right foot back to meet your left foot, returning to the starting position.
Push Up and Down Dog Dumbbell Transfer
Targets: Upper body — chest, shoulders, triceps, back (lats), abs, obliques and core.
How To Do Push Ups and Down Dog Dumbbell Transfers
Start in a high plank position with your shoulders stacked over your wrists, core engaged. Place a dumbbell behind your left hand.
Lower your chest towards the ground, elbows falling back towards your body. Maintain a straight line with your body — head, chest and legs in one straight line.
Exhale as you push back up, returning to high plank position. Grab the dumbbell with your left hand.
Pull the dumbbell back towards your right toes as you lift your hips up towards the ceiling, bringing your body into an upside-down “V” shape (down dog pose). Set the dumbbell on the ground in front of your right toes.
Inhale, returning to high plank. Perform another push up.
Then, perform another down dog, lifting your hips towards the ceiling as you reach back and grab the dumbbell with your left hand.
With control, pick up the dumbbell and transfer it to the front of your mat as you return to high plank position.
Modification: Take push ups from your knees and perform toe taps with just your bodyweight rather than dumbbell transfers.
Single Arm Snatch, Rack and Split Lunge
Targets: Legs, hamstrings, hips, glutes, back, shoulders and deep transverse abdomen (core muscles).
The single arm dumbbell snatch is a compound exercise that works the full body and improves coordination, explosiveness and strength.
How To Do Single Arm Snatches, Racks and Split Lunges
Start standing, feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Place a dumbbell on the floor between your feet.
Hinge forward at the hips, pushing your hips back towards the wall behind you as you lower down, reaching for the dumbbell with your right hand.
Then, drive your hips forward as you ‘snatch’ the weight overhead with your right arm. Use the power and momentum created by your legs and hips to drive the weight overhead. You should finish standing tall with your right arm straight overhead, right bicep near your right ear.
Slowly lower the dumbbell to your right shoulder, finding a front rack position.
Then, step your right leg back, bending both knees at 90 degree angles to lower into a reverse lunge. Repeat twice, performing two split lunges.
Press through your front left heel to step your right leg forward to meet your left foot, standing tall and returning to starting position.
Modification: Omit the snatch, performing dumbbell cleans instead.
Single Arm Row, Clean and Shoulder Press
Targets: Shoulders, biceps, mid-back, upper back and core.
This single arm upper body exercise also engages your deep core stabilizer muscles.
How To Do Single Arm Rows, Cleans and Shoulder Presses
Start standing with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold one dumbbell in your right hand.
Squeeze your back to pull your right elbow towards your rib cage, performing a single arm bent over row. Lower the dumbbell with control. Repeat, performing two single arm rows.
Then, return to a standing position. As you stand, curl the dumbbell in your right hand to your right shoulder, performing a single arm hammer curl.
Then, press your right arm overhead, performing a single arm shoulder press. Repeat, performing two shoulder presses.
Lower the dumbbell back to the starting position and repeat.
Pulsing Glute Squat and Bicep Curl
Targets: Glutes, quads, hamstrings and biceps.
How To Do Pulsing Glute Squats and Bicep Curls
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Hold one dumbbell vertically with both hands, dumbbell hanging slightly in front of you.
With a slight bend in your knees, hinge forward at the hips until your torso is nearly parallel to the ground. Core is engaged and the spine is neutral (back flat). You should feel a stretch in your hamstrings (back of the legs).
Maintain this forward hinge as you lower down into a squat, pushing your hips down until your hips align with your knees (making a 90-degree angle with your hips and knees). Knees push out towards your outer three toes.
Hold this low glute-biased squat as you curl the dumbbell up to shoulder height, performing a bicep curl. Repeat, performing two bicep curls.
Then, drive through your heels to lift your hips slightly, performing two squat pulses. To make this exercise harder, keep constant tension on the glutes by never standing straight up, keeping a slight bend in the knees.
Dumbbell Sit Up and Side-To-Side Chop
Targets: Lower abs, upper abs, obliques, shoulders and back.
How To Do Dumbbell Sit Ups and Side-To-Side Chops
Start lying flat on your back, knees bent and feet planted on the floor. Hold one dumbbell between both hands straight above your chest, wrists stacked over shoulders.
Pull your belly button towards your spine to engage your abdominal muscles.
Exhale as you lift your upper body off the ground, sitting up to bring your torso towards your knees. As you sit up, bring the dumbbell to the outside of your left hip, performing a dumbbell “chop”.
Inhale as you slowly lower your upper body to the mat, resetting.
Exhale as you perform another sit up, this time bringing the dumbbell to the outside of your right hip, performing a dumbbell chop to the right.
Modification: Omit the sit up, performing alternating Russian Twists with a dumbbell press out.
Pin This Workout: 15-Minute Workout (One Dumbbell)
This post includes affiliate links. I do earn a commission for products purchased using these links (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for supporting Nourish Move Love, making the content you see on this blog possible.
Buy Now → 
Strength Workout
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → 
