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35-Minute Full Body Cardio and Strength Training Workout

If you want an effective full body workout that builds muscle and burns fat; do this 35-minute cardio and strength training workout at home! Pairing dumbbell strength circuits with cardio Tabata intervals for a total body burn.

It’s no secret that when we ask you about the hardest workouts on our site, we’re commonly told: “anything with the MN Beef folks!”

If you’re new around here, our friends from the Minnesota Beef Council have joined me for some of the most infamous full body dumbbell workouts on NML:

It goes without saying, but I’m excited to partner with the Minnesota Beef Council to bring you ANOTHER challenging, cardio and strength workout at home.

*This is a sponsored post in partnership with the Minnesota Beef Council.

Grab your dumbbells and get all the benefits of combining cardio and strength training in one effective, full body workout!

Plus I’m including some of my favorite high-protein, beef recipes below.

Single arm back row | dumbbell strength training at home

Cardio and Strength Training FAQs:

What is strength training?

Strength training or resistance training builds muscle mass because you are moving against resistance (think dumbbells, barbells, free weights, resistance bands or kettlebells).

Strength training is great for fat loss because muscle has a higher metabolic rate than fat. In other words, the more muscle you have the more calories you burn daily.

What is cardio?

Cardio raises your heart rate and keeps it elevated for the duration of your workout. Keep in mind that cardio can be low impact, high impact (think HIIT workouts or high intensity interval training), or somewhere in between.

Cardio can also be great for weight loss, but the calorie burn stops when you stop exercising (unlike strength training where you continue to burn calories for hours after your workout).

How many days a week should you do cardio and strength training?

This all depends on your fitness goals, but on average I would suggest 3 strength training workouts per week and 2 cardio training sessions per week (30 minutes per session).

Should You Do Cardio First Or Strength Training?

Again this depends on your personal fitness routine and goals. If you want strength gains, prioritize lifting weights first.

If you’re a marathon runner training for a race, cycling or cardio endurance event, prioritize cardiovascular exercise first.

Alternatively, you can do strength training and cardio in the same day.

Ultimately this is why I created my free home workout plans, to take the guesswork out for you.

4-Week Challenge free home workout plan and downloadable calendar pdf

I prefer to strength train specific muscle groups (split training) to build strength and gain muscle definition while providing appropriate rest and muscle recovery.

And because most people only have time for a 30-minute home workout, I build cardio intervals into these strength workouts.

Pairing cardio with strength training is an efficient way to:

  • Build Muscle
  • Decrease Body Fat
  • Lose Weight at Home
  • Improve Bone Density

35-Minute Full Body Cardio and Strength Workout

The best combination of cardio and weight training in one effective, full body workout!

Start with 2-3 dumbbell strength exercises to build muscle. Then test your cardio endurance with quick bursts of Tabata HIIT training (intense cardio training for short periods of time).

Lift heavy for the strength exercises, then push your heart rate into the fat burning zone during the cardio Tabata intervals.

I suggest adding full body workouts like this to your weekly workout routine 1-2 times a week.

Lateral Squat with Weights | Cardio and Strength Workout At Home

Workout Equipment:

A medium-to-heavy set of dumbbells (8-20lbs).

I’m using 15 lb and 20 lb dumbbells in this video, but use whatever you have in your home gym.

Workout Instructions:

I’ll be your personal trainer and coach you through the entire full body workout, keeping track of the timed intervals, providing exercise form cues and modifications.

Alternatively, work through the list of full body cardio and strength exercises below at your own pace.

The workout format:

  • 3 Circuits
  • 2-3 Strength Exercises Per Circuit
  • 2 Cardio Tabata Exercises Per Circuit
  • Timed Intervals of Work (perform each STRENGTH exercise for 40 seconds of work, followed by 20 seconds of rest. Then perform each CARDIO exercise for 20 seconds of work, followed by 10 seconds of rest).
  • Repeat Strength Circuits x2 Sets and Cardio Tabata Circuits x3 Sets
30 Minute Cardio and Strength Training Workout At Home With Weights

Full Body Cardio and Strength Training Workout At Home

CIRCUIT ONE: LOWER BODY

Strength (40 seconds work, 20 seconds rest)

  1. 2-Pulse Goblet Squat + Calf Raise
  2. Staggered Deadlift + Reverse Lunge, R/L
  3. Hand Switch Lateral Squats

X2

Cardio Tabata (20 seconds work, 10 seconds rest)

  1. Dumbbell Burpee Deadlift
  2. Squat Jacks

X3

CIRCUIT TWO: UPPER BODY

Strength (40 seconds work, 20 seconds rest)

  1. Push Ups + Kneeling Overhead Tricep Extensions
  2. Single Arm Reverse Grip Back Row, R/L
  3. Single Arm Overhead Press + Single Arm Bicep Curl and Press, R/L

X2

Cardio Tabata (20 seconds work, 10 seconds rest)

  1. Lateral High Knees (Single, Single, Double)
  2. Launcher Plank + Shoulder Taps

X3

CIRCUIT THREE: FULL BODY + CORE

Strength (40 seconds work, 20 seconds rest)

  1. Lateral Lunge + Curl + Press, R/L
  2. Plank Hold + Squat Hold + Dumbbell Press Out

X2

Cardio Tabata (20 seconds work, 10 seconds rest)

  1. Opposite Toe Tap Squat Jump
  2. Modified Side Plank Crunch + Kick, R/L

X2

10 Best Cardio and Strength Training Exercises

1. 2-Pulse Goblet Squat + Calf Raise

Targets: Legs, glutes, quads, hamstrings, hips, calves and core.

goblet squat with calf raise | dumbbell strength and cardio workout

How to do a 2-Pulse Goblet Squat with Calf Raise:

  1. Start standing feet shoulder-width distance apart knees slightly bent, holding a single dumbbell at your chest (vertically so dumbbell is touching your collarbone and sternum).
  2. Lower down into a squat position, lowering your hips down parallel with your knees. Drive your knees out toward your outer three toes.
  3. At the bottom of the squat, pulse for a 2-count by raising up just an inch, then lowering back down an inch.
  4. Drive through your heels to stand tall and return to a standing position.
  5. When standing, perform a calf raise by raising onto your toes. Hold for a second, then lower back down to your heels with control.
  6. Repeat this movement for 40 seconds.

2. Staggered Deadlift + Reverse Lunge

Targets: Legs, glutes, hamstrings, quads, lower back and core.

staggered deadlift and reverse lunge with weights

How to do a Staggered Romanian Deadlift (B-Stance Deadlift of B-Stance RDL) + Reverse Lunge:

  1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold one dumbbell in your left hand, in front of your hip (palm is facing in towards your body).
  2. Stagger your feet, so your right leg is slightly in front of your left foot. Kickstand your back left foot, left heel floating off the ground. Keep 80% of your weight in your front foot, 20% in your back left toe.
  3. Maintain a staggered stance as you hinge at the hips. Pushing your hips back towards the wall behind you as you glide the dumbbell down the front of your leg; core tight.
  4. Drive through your front right heel to push your hips forward, pulling the dumbbell back up towards your hip as you stand tall.
  5. Then, step your left leg back into a reverse lunge, lowering your hips until both knees reach a 90-degree angle, front thigh parallel to the ground.
  6. Then squeeze your right leg glute, driving your back, left leg forward as you stand up back to the starting position.
  7. Repeat for 40 seconds, switching sides on the second set.

3. Hand Switch Lateral Squat

Targets: Legs, quads, hips, hamstrings, glutes, outer glutes (gluteus medius), inner thighs and core.

lateral lunge or lateral squat with dumbbells

How to do a Hand Switch Lateral Squat:

  1. Start standing, feet wider than shoulder-width (lateral squat stance), with toes facing forward or slightly turned out.
  2. Hold one dumbbell in your left hand.
  3. Sit 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. Dumbbell comes to the inside of the right foot; knees and toes are pointing forward.
  4. Then, drive off your right foot to reverse the movement, pushing back to center. As you hit center switch the dumbbell to your right hand.
  5. Immediately push to the left side, bending your left knee while leaving your right leg straight. This time, think of performing a single leg squat with your left leg while your right leg remains straight.
  6. Repeat alternating the hand switch lateral squat for 40 seconds.

4. Dumbbell Burpee Deadlift

Targets: Legs, glutes, hamstrings, hips, calves, low back, shoulders, abs and core.

dumbbell burpee | cardio and strength workout at home

How to do a Dumbbell Burpee Deadlift:

  1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a set of dumbbells in your hands with palms facing in towards each other.
  2. With a soft bend in the knees, hinge at your hips to lower your torso as you slide the dumbbells down in front of your legs. Think about pushing your hips back behind you. Hinge until you feel a stretch in the back of your front legs (hamstrings).
  3. Set the dumbbells on the ground between your feet and perform a burpee by jumping your feet back to high plank position. Hands remain on the dumbbells.
  4. Then jump your feet back in and immediately stand tall, driving through the heels as you pull the weights up towards your hips.
  5. Return to the starting position; keeping the dumbbells close to your body throughout the entire movement.
  6. Repeat this deadlift and burpee sequence for 20 seconds.

Modification: Option to perform walking burpees by stepping in and out of plank. Alternatively, you could perform burpees from an incline by placing your hands on a chair or bench.

5. Squat Jacks

Targets: Legs, glutes, quads, hamstrings, outer glutes (side butt), inner thighs (adductors), calves and core.

squat jacks | cardio and strength workout

How to do Squat Jacks:

  1. Start in an athletic stance or loaded squat position, with your feet shoulder-width distance apart and a slight bend in your knees.
  2. With your chest upright and your core engaged, “jack” your feet out into a wide squat (feet are wider than your shoulders).
  3. Land softly in a low squat, touching the ground with your fingertips if you can.
  4. Then “jack” your feet into a narrow stance, feet hip-width distance apart as you stand 3/4 the way up.
  5. Repeat for 20 seconds.

Modification: Make this a low impact exercise by performing side-to-side air squats.

6. Push Ups + Kneeling Overhead Tricep Extensions

Targets: Arms, chest, shoulders, triceps, back, abs and core muscles.

push up and kneeling overhead triceps

How to do Push Ups and Kneeling Overhead Tricep Extensions:

  1. Start in a high plank position with your shoulders stacked over your wrists. Option to place your hands on weights if you have wrist pain.
  2. Hold this plank position, maintaining a straight line with your body, gaze slightly in front of you.
  3. Slowly lower your chest down towards the ground as your elbows fall back towards your hips (not out to the sides).
  4. Once at the bottom of your push up, exhale as you push back up into high plank position. Repeat for 20 seconds.
  5. Then, perform kneeling overhead tricep extensions by finding a kneeling position, knees stacked under hips.
  6. Hold one dumbbell or two dumbbells straight overhead and activate your core by squeezing your glutes and abs to protect your lower back.
  7. Bend your elbows to a 90-degree angle, bringing the dumbbell(s) behind your head. Keep your elbows close to your ears throughout the entire movement (don’t let your elbows flare out as you fatigue).
  8. Repeat overhead tricep extensions for the remaining 20 seconds.

Modification: Substitute incline push-ups by placing your hands on a chair or bench; or drop to your knees for modified push ups. And you can always take the overhead tricep extensions from a seated or standing position.

7. Single Arm Reverse Grip Back Row

Targets: Both the lower back and upper back (specifically the lats and rhomboids), biceps and core.

single arm back row reverse grip

How to do a Single Arm Reverse Grip Back Row:

  1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent.
  2. Grip one dumbbell in your right hand, palm facing out away from the body.
  3. Hinge at the hips until your torso is parallel to the floor (neck in line with your spine, flat back, and belly button and rib cage pulled in).
  4. Pull the weight back towards your right hip (simultaneously pulling your right shoulder blade down).
  5. Lower the dumbbell back to the starting position with control.
  6. Repeat on the right arm for 40 seconds, switching sides on the next set.

8. Single Arm Overhead Press + Single Arm Bicep Curl and Press

Targets: Upper arms — shoulders, biceps, low back, spine, abs and core.

dumbbell curl and press

How to do a Single Arm Bicep Curl and Overhead Press:

  1. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, knees bent, holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing in towards one another.
  2. Extend your right arm overhead, locking out the elbow and keeping your bicep by your right ear.
  3. Hold the right arm overhead as you perform a hammer curl to overhead dumbbell shoulder press on the left arm. Curl the dumbbell up to shoulder height, then press overhead; palm stays facing in.
  4. Lower the dumbbell in the left hand back to the starting position with control.
  5. Repeat, curling on the left arm for 3 reps.
  6. Then switch arms, extending the left arm overhead and curling on the right arm. Perform three curls to overhead dumbbell shoulder presses on the right arm, then switch arms again.
  7. Repeat this sequence for 40 seconds.

9. Lateral High Knees

Targets: The muscles in your legs, calves, hamstrings, hip flexors and glutes (specifically your outer glutes that assist with side-to-side movements).

lateral high knees | bodyweight cardio exercise at home

How to do Lateral High Knees:

  1. Start standing on the right side of your mat with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. Lower down into an athletic stance, knees bent, ready to move.
  3. Then drive off your right leg to bound laterally to the left.
  4. Perform two single high knees as you move laterally to the left, driving your right knee up to hip-height, then your left knee. Core is engaged.
  5. On the third high knee, drive your right knee up and bounce on a two count. Think single, single, double as your perform the high knees.
  6. After the double high knee, switch your direction and move laterally to the right, driving your left knee up on a one count, followed by your right knee on a one count, followed by the left knee on a two count.
  7. Repeat the high knees in a single, single, double format as you alternate lateral movement for 20 seconds.

10. Launcher Plank + Shoulder Taps

Targets: Full body with an emphasis on the hips, glutes, quads, calves, back, shoulders, abs and core.

launcher plank shoulder taps | full body cardio and strength training

How to do a Launcher Plank with Shoulder Taps:

  1. Start in a high plank position with your shoulders stacked over your wrists.
  2. From this plank position, engage your core as you push your hips back towards your heels. Bending both knees to a 90 degree angle.
  3. Then explosively drive your body back into plank position, shooting your nose towards your fingertips.
  4. Hold plank as you perform a shoulder tap, tapping the left shoulder with the right hand and then the right shoulder with the left hand. While keep hips square and stable to the mat.
  5. Repeat this launcher plank to shoulder tap pattern for 20 seconds.

Modification: Perform this exercise from an incline by placing your hands on a chair or bench; or drop to your knees for a modified plank.

Beef: High-Quality Protein For Muscle Recovery

After intense exercise or weight training, high-quality protein supports muscle recovery and repair.

A 3-ounce serving of lean beef provides between 25 grams of high-quality protein, which is the optimal amount to help active individuals recover from exercise (Beef Council Strength Guide).

Not to mention, per the below infographic, beef is also lower in calories than most other protein sources like quinoa and peanut butter.

And if you’re fearful of the fat marbling in beef, know that it’s a healthy fat. Similar to healthy fats found in olive oil or avocados.

What does 25 grams of protein look like?

what does 25 grams of protein look like?

Beef is loaded with quality protein, as well as essential vitamins and minerals, like:

  • Zinc
  • Iron
  • Vitamin B12
  • Riboflavin
  • Niacin
  • Vitamin B6
  • Selenium

And you can reap all the benefits beef has to offer with these heart-healthy recipes

heart healthy recipes using beef

My Favorite Weeknight Dinner Recipes with Beef

Here are some quick links to my personal favorite weeknight dinner recipes with beef: 

Minnesota Beef Council

The Minnesota Beef Council is dedicated to strengthening beef demand by responsibly providing a safe, wholesome, healthy and delicious eating experience. 

This is a sponsored post in partnership with the Minnesota Beef Council. All words and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting Nourish Move Love, making the content you see on this blog possible.

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6 comments
  1. Strength training is the best kind of exercise if you want to gain more muscles. I like to do strength training workouts in the morning as it helps me release my stress and gives me an energetic vibe to kick start my day.
    Thank you for sharing this informative blog with us. It seems helpful. I would like to read more such blogs in the future.

  2. Hi! I recently discovered your workouts and felt so beyond blessed to find that you hit both my workout faves, barre and kickboxing ~ together! Thank you, thank you, thank you for these amazing (and FREE!) workouts! I belong to a fitness group and shared your website so they can enjoy them as well. Also, you mentioned that filet was your beef of choice; we LOVE it too, and I wanted to share my hubby’s recipe that takes it to the next level. We marinate it in a bit of Italian dressing (if you have a Good Seasonings cruet, follow the directions for the oil, vinegar and water but instead of the seasonings packet, he adds 2 pkgs of sweet & low and 1/2 tsp. each of onion powd., garlic powd., and minced onion). Put a thin layer of mustard on top and let marinade for a few hours up to overnight. It’s a fabulously low sodium way to make it taste like you spent mucho bucks, but didn’t! Keep up the amazing work!

    • Hi Stacey! I’m so glad you’re loving the workouts and thank you so much for sharing with friends as well! What an interesting filet recipe; thank you for sharing I’ll have to give it a try! Keep up the awesome work and keep coming back for more! -Lindsey

  3. Hi! I recently discovered your workouts and felt so beyond blessed to find that you hit both my workout faves, barre and kickboxing ~ together! Thank you, thank you, thank you for these amazing (and FREE!) workouts! I belong to a fitness group on Facebook and shared your website so they can enjoy them as well. Also, you mentioned that filet was your beef of choice; we LOVE it too, and I wanted to share my hubby’s recipe that takes it to the next level. We marinate it in a bit of Italian dressing (if you have a Good Seasonings cruet, follow the directions for the oil, vinegar and water but instead of the seasonings packet, he adds 2 pkgs of sweet & low and 1/2 tsp. each of onion powd., garlic powd., and minced onion). Put a thin layer of mustard on top and let marinade for a few hours up to overnight. It’s a fabulously low sodium way to make it taste like you spent mucho bucks, but didn’t! Keep up the amazing work!

    • Hi Stacey! I’m so glad you’re loving the workouts and thank you so much for sharing with friends as well! What an interesting filet recipe; thank you for sharing I’ll have to give it a try! Keep up the awesome work and keep coming back for more! -Lindsey