Strength training and HIIT cardio meet in this home workout: the best full body workout in 20 minutes. First, you’ll fire up the lower body, upper body and core with two sets of strength training exercises. Then you’ll raise your heart rate with two sets of bodyweight HIIT exercises.
Build total body strength and burn fat with the best full body workout in 20 minutes.
Combining strength training with HIIT cardio is a great way to make the most of your workout. This is one of my favorite ways to train because these workouts are efficient and effective.
Weight training maximizes muscle growth while HIIT (high-intensity interval training) challenges you to go all out during your work periods. The combination of strength and HIIT will build muscle, raise your heart rate and improve your metabolism.
If you’re looking for a full body workout that’s going to challenge both your cardiovascular and muscular endurance, this workout is for you.
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Best Full Body Workout FAQs
What Is The Best Full Body Workout Routine?
The best full body workout routine includes compound exercises that target multiple muscle groups with one movement. An effective full body workout will also challenge you to move in different planes of motion. I prefer a combination of strength training and HIIT cardio because you’ll build muscle and tone while you burn calories.
Should You Do A Full Body Workout Three Days A Week?
If you’re a fitness beginner, I recommend a full body workout three days a week. Full body workouts allow you to train every muscle group while giving your body plenty of time to recover between sessions. If you’re more advanced, I recommend a split training routine, targeting specific muscle groups each day (for example, you might target the lower body on Monday and the upper body on Tuesday).
Are Full Body Workouts Effective?
Yes. Effective full body workouts target all muscle groups through compound exercises. Choose heavy weights and focus on good form. Again, a combination of strength and HIIT will work your major muscle groups to fatigue while burning calories and fat. HIIT exercises also increase endurance and muscle definition (American Council on Exercise).
The Best Full Body Workout (HIIT Workout with Weights)
A 20-Minute Strength and HIIT Workout that will challenge your cardio and muscular endurance.
This total body workout starts with a strength-focused circuit and ends with a bodyweight HIIT circuit. The result is a 20-minute home workout that’s scalable for fitness beginners to advanced athletes.
I suggest adding a full body workout like this one to your weekly workout routine 1-2 times a week.
Workout Equipment:
Medium to Heavy Set of Dumbbells.
I recommend between 10-25 lbs depending on your fitness level. I’m using 12 lb dumbbells in today’s workout.
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How To Do A Dumbbell Clean and Alternating Squat Thruster
Start standing feet hip-distance apart and knees slightly bent. Hold a dumbbell in each hand in front of your body (palms face each other).
Hinge slightly forward at the hips, pushing your hips back as you lower the dumbbells down between your legs.
Drive through your heels to push your hips forward, squeezing your glutes. As you press your hips forward to stand up, “clean” the dumbbells up towards your shoulders.
Catch the dumbbells at your shoulders and hold the weights in a front rack position as you bend your knees to lower down into a squat, pushing your knees out as you drop your hips parallel to your knees.
Drive through the heels to stand up, returning to the starting position.
As you stand tall, perform a single arm overhead press on the right arm by sending the right arm long, locking out the right bicep near right ear.
Return the dumbbell in your right arm to shoulder height and perform another squat.
As you stand tall, perform a single arm overhead press on the left arm by sending the left arm long, locking out the left bicep near left ear. That’s one rep.
Reverse Grip Back Row and Bicep Curl and Overhead Press
Targets: Both the lower back and upper back, specifically the lats and rhomboids, as well as the biceps, shoulders and core.
How To Do A Reverse Grip Back Row and Bicep Curl and Overhead Press
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent.
Grip a set of dumbbells, palms facing out away from the body.
Hinge at the hips until your chest is parallel to the floor (neck in line with your spine, flat back, and belly button and rib cage pulled in).
Pull the weights back towards your hips. Feel your shoulder blades squeeze together.
Control the dumbbells back down to the starting position. Think up on a 1 count, down slow and controlled on a 2 count.
Drive through the heels to stand tall and curl the dumbbells up to shoulder height.
Then press the dumbbells overhead; palms toward your face.
Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position with control and repeat.
Staggered Squat and Reverse Lunge
Targets: Legs, glutes, quads, hips, hamstrings, calves and core.
How To Do A Staggered Squat and Reverse Lunge
Start standing feet hip-distance apart, slight bend in your knees and core engaged. Hold a set of dumbbells in your hands, palms facing in.
Find a staggered stance — 80% of your weight in your front left foot, 20% of your weight in your back right toe.
Maintain a staggered stance as you perform a narrow squat, lowering down into a squat position until hips are parallel with your knees.
Maintain this loaded stance as you step your right foot back into a reverse lunge, lowering until you find a 90-degree angle in both knees. Front left thigh is parallel to the floor.
Stay loaded in this position as you step forward into another staggered squat.
Then, drive through the front left heel to stand tall.
Push Up and Army Crawl and Dumbbell Pass
Targets: Chest, shoulders, triceps, back, abs and core muscles.
How To Do A Push Up and Army Crawl and Dumbbell Pass
Start in a high plank position, shoulders over wrists, core engaged. Place a dumbbell outside your right hand.
Slowly lower your chest down towards the ground as your elbows fall back towards your hips (not out to the sides).
Once at the bottom of your push up, exhale as you push back up into high plank position.
Then drop your left forearm to the mat. Followed by dropping your right forearm to the mat; so you are now in a low plank or forearm plank position with your shoulders stacked over your elbows.
Engage your core, then reach your left hand underneath your body to grab the dumbbell and pull it through to the left side. Place the dumbbell on the mat just outside where you’ll plant your left hand when you return to high plank.
Exhale as you push yourself back up to the starting high plank position; starting with your left arm and following with your right arm, while trying to maintain stable hips, square to the ground.
Modification: Option to take the push up from your knees.
Start in high plank position with your shoulders stacked over your wrists, weight evenly distributed amongst all ten fingers.
Hold this high plank position, maintaining a straight line with your body, gaze slightly in front of you.
Then perform four mountain climbers — pulling right knee in towards your chest, then left knee towards the chest.
Then jump your feet up to meet your hands and stand tall.
Perform four high knees by driving the right knee up to the chest and then the left knee. Repeat this motion at a rapid pace, as if “running” in place.
Jump back to high plank and repeat this sequence.
Lateral Lunge and Bound and Reverse Lunge and Bound
How To Do A Lateral Lunge and Bound and Reverse Lunge and Bound
Start standing, feet hip-width apart, slightly bent knees.
Step your right leg out to the side as you push your hips back, bending your right knee while leaving your left leg straight. Think of performing a single leg squat with your right leg while your left leg remains straight.
Then, drive off your right foot to reverse the movement, pushing back to center and bounding up on the left leg.
Land on the left leg with control, then step your right foot back into a reverse lunge, lowering until you find a 90-degree angle in both knees. Front left thigh is parallel to the floor.
Drive through the front left heel to stand tall and bound up on the left leg. That’s one rep.
Start standing feet shoulder-width distance apart, knees slightly bent, core engaged. Bring hands or knuckles up to “defend” your face in a guard position.
Perform two jabs by quickly punching the right arm directly out in front of you, then the left arm.
Bring both arms back to your defensive position, or starting position and perform a jack.
Jack the feet in and out as you perform a quarter turn, landing softly on the toes before repeating another two jabs.
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4 comments
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
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