20-Minute Full-Body Workout
20-minute full-body workout routine is designed to target your legs, glutes, arms, shoulders, back and core. It combines strength-focused exercises with functional movements to help you build lean muscle, tone your body and improve overall stability. It’s ideal for women who want an efficient at-home workout that hits all major muscle groups.
As a mom, 20-minute workouts are a game-changer. I don’t have hours to spend in the gym, but I do have 20 focused minutes… and that’s enough to make a real impact.
Short, intentional strength workouts like this are surprisingly effective for functional fitness. In that time, I can hit all my major muscle groups while also activating the smaller stabilizers that support posture, balance and everyday movement (which, let’s be honest, moms rely on constantly). These total-body exercises build strength, coordination, mobility and muscle – so everything from carrying kids to getting through a long day just feels easier and safer.
Even on the busiest days, a 20-minute session can challenge my muscles, get my heart rate up, support weight loss and keep my fitness on track. But more than that, it helps me build a body that’s strong, efficient and capable of handling real-life demands (because motherhood is its own kind of workout!).
Read A 5-Star Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I LOVED this one! Would love more new ones in this format. Such a great workout when I was really short on time today. Thank you!!”
— Elizabeth M.
Workout Specifics
This 20-minute full-body strength workout combines strength and functional movements to target your legs, glutes, arms, shoulders, back and core. It’s fast, effective and designed to support lean muscle growth, improve stability and keep your body moving efficiently.
I usually fit workouts like this into my routine 2-3 times per week rather than as a weekly workout, depending on my schedule. You can use it as a standalone on busy days or add it to your routine alongside longer strength or cardio sessions. It’s great for beginners and for more advanced fitness levels alike, and it pairs well with other training styles like pilates or HIIT.
Anyone with recent injuries, balance issues or joint or back pain should check with a healthcare provider before trying this workout. Modifications are always an option to make the movement patterns safer and more comfortable while still getting results.
Workout Equipment
Medium-to-Heavy Set of Dumbbells. I’m using 20-30 lb dumbbells in today’s workout.
If you don’t have weights, this workout can be modified into a no-equipment routine using just your bodyweight.
Workout Instructions
Follow along with the guided Full-Body Workout on YouTube, led by me — your certified personal trainer(CPT), Lindsey Bomgren.
Your Workout Looks Like This:
- Guided Warm-Up and Cool-Down
- 6 Full Body Exercises
- Timed Intervals (Perform each exercise for 40 seconds of work, followed by 15 seconds of rest. Note: you’ll perform 10 reps of the push-ups.)
- Repeat All 6 Exercises x3 Sets
Note: I re-filmed this workout to improve the audio and video quality (and change up some of the exercises!). You can find the original workout video here. If you try both, I’d love to know your favorite!
Workout Outline
1. Squat
Targets: Quads, glutes, hamstrings, hips, core and lower back.
How to Do a Squat
- Start standing with your feet shoulder-width distance apart and knees slightly bent. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
- Lower into a squat, keeping your hips parallel to your knees. Drive your knees out toward your outer toes.
- Drive through your heels to stand tall, returning to a standing position.
Modification: If full-depth squats feel challenging, lower to a chair or bench for support, then stand back up. See my lunge and squat alternatives if you’re dealing with knee pain. I include low-impact exercises like glute bridges and step-ups that are gentler on the joints.
2. Deadlift
Targets: Hamstrings, glutes, hips, lower back and core.
How to Do a Deadlift
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold a set of dumbbells in front of your thighs, palms facing your body.
- Engage your core and keep your chest tall as you hinge at the hips, pushing your hips back while lowering the dumbbells down the front of your legs.
- Lower the weights until you feel a stretch in the backs of your legs, keeping your spine neutral and a slight bend in your knees.
- Drive through your heels to push your hips forward, pulling the dumbbells back up as you return to standing.
- Repeat the movement with control.
Modification: If your hamstring mobility is limited, reduce the range of motion and only lower the weights to mid-shin while maintaining a flat back.
3. Lateral Lunge
Targets: Glutes, quads, inner thighs (adductors), hip abductors and core.
How to Do Lateral Lunges
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent and core engaged. Hold one dumbbell just in front of your hips.
- Step your right leg out to the side as you push your hips back, bending your right knee while keeping your left leg straight.
- Think of performing a single-leg squat in your right leg, keeping your chest lifted and knees and toes pointing forward.
- Lower into the lunge as far as your mobility allows, feeling the stretch through your inner thigh on the straight leg.
- Drive through your right heel to push back to center, returning to a standing position.
Modification: Reduce the depth of your lunge or limit the step-out distance if mobility or balance feels challenging.
4. Alternating Shoulder Press
Targets: Shoulders, triceps, rear delts and upper back muscles.
How to Do an Alternating Shoulder Press
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold a set of dumbbells at shoulder height, palms facing in (neutral grip).
- Engage your core and keep your chest tall as you press the dumbbell in your right hand directly overhead, fully extending your right arm.
- Lower the dumbbell back down to shoulder height with control.
- Alternate the movement, performing a single-arm shoulder press on the left arm.
Modification: Use lighter weights to maintain control and proper form.
5. Alternating Back Row
Targets: Lats, upper back, biceps and core.
How to Do Alternating Back Rows
- Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder‑width apart, knees slightly bent. Grip a set of dumbbells with palms facing in toward each other.
- Hinge forward at the hips until your body forms a straight line from head to tailbone, neck in line with your spine and belly button pulled back toward your spine.
- Pull the weight in your left hand back toward your left hip in a rowing motion, squeezing your shoulder blade. Stop when your elbow is in line with your hip.
- Slowly lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position with control.
- Alternate sides by pulling the weight in your right hand back toward your right hip.
Modification: Shorten your range of motion or use lighter weights if maintaining a hinge feels challenging.
6. Push-Up
Targets: Chest, shoulders (deltoids), triceps and core.
How to Do a Push-Up
- Start in a high plank position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, shoulders stacked over wrists. Keep your body in a straight line from your head to your heels, engaging your core and glutes.
- Slowly bend your elbows to lower your chest toward the floor, keeping your elbows at about a 45-degree angle from your body.
- Lower until your chest is just above the floor, maintaining a straight spine and tight core.
- Push through your hands to straighten your arms and return to the starting position.
Modification: Drop your knees to the floor for a modified push-up, or try one of my push-up variations. You can also try my push-up progression guide to build strength and get to proper form in 12 weeks!
FAQs
How can you create an effective full-body workout plan for women?
An effective full-body dumbbell workout for women hits every major muscle group with compound moves that work multiple muscles at once. Pairing strength training with short bursts of movement keeps your heart rate up while building muscle and toning your body. Make sure you challenge yourself in different planes of motion to get the most balanced results.
What exercises should be included in a full-body workout for women?
For a full-body workout program, focus on moves that target your legs, glutes, arms, shoulders, back and core. In this guide, I include squats, deadlifts and lateral lunges for your lower body and shoulder presses for your shoulders and triceps. Alternating back rows target your back and biceps, while push-ups work your chest, shoulders and core. Together, these exercises hit all your major muscle groups and engage stabilizing muscles to improve strength and balance. You can also add isolation exercises, such as crunches, bicep curls or tricep extensions, to target specific muscle groups.
Can full-body workouts help build muscle and burn fat at the same time?
Yes! A full-body session works multiple muscle groups while keeping your heart rate up to burn calories and support fat loss. Using weights or bodyweight with proper form pushes your muscles to fatigue and boosts metabolism. You can tone, strengthen and burn body fat all in one session. Because you’re training multiple muscle groups at once, your body uses more energy during and after the workout. This helps increase overall calorie burn while supporting lean muscle mass growth for better strength, endurance and long-term results.
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Leave a Comment
6 comments
Love this workout and the new Max20 plan, would like to see more of these programs
Hi Jen – We’re so glad you love this workout and Max 20. Keep up the great work!
Your workouts are amazing! I especially love your workout videos. Thanks for such great content and attitude!
Rae! I’m so glad you’re loving the workouts + putting them to good use! Nice work getting this done and I hope you come back and do it again!
-Lindsey
For 20 minutes, this was amazing! Loving your live workouts Lindsey! Thank you so much!
Alisha! Thanks for giving this workout a try, so glad you liked it! It’s a solid sweat session in 20 minutes! I hope you come back and do it again! -Lindsey