​ ​
nourish move love main logo
searching icon

20-Minute Full Body Strength Workout (No Repeats)

By: Lindsey Bomgren, CPT | February 20, 2026

This 20-minute, all-standing full-body strength workout is designed to help you build muscle, increase overall strength and get an efficient session in without ever going to the floor. Ideal for anyone who wants a quick, low-impact routine at home, it targets the lower body, upper body and core through compound and isolation moves. The workout includes exercises like squats, lunges, deadlifts, rows, shoulder presses, chest flys, curls and tricep extensions, with no repeated moves to keep it engaging and balanced.

Jump To Workout

Strength-based workouts are the foundation of how I train because they build lean muscle, increase bone density, support joint health and boost overall metabolism. 

I’ve found that just 20 minutes of focused strength training can absolutely be enough (and yes, a 20-minute workout can be incredibly effective) when the movements are intentional, compound and challenging. Full-body workouts are especially good for building strength because they train multiple muscle groups in one session, reinforce functional movement patterns like squatting, hinging, pushing, pulling and lunging, and translate directly into everyday life – like lifting groceries, climbing stairs or picking up a kid.

I typically recommend full-body strength training about 1-2 days per week, depending on experience level and recovery. In a total-body workout, I like to use weights that feel heavy enough to challenge the last few reps with good form because progressive overload is what truly drives results. 

The benefits of a 20-minute weighted workout include efficiency, consistency, improved muscle tone and sustainable progress without spending hours training. Some of my favorite effective 20-minute formats include standing-only strength circuits, dumbbell compound supersets and unilateral training for balance and stability. At home, all that’s really needed is a pair of dumbbells and enough space to move with control and intention.

two women performing overhead tricep extensions with dumbbells in a 20 minute strength workout

Read A 5-Star Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“I don’t know how I’ve never done this one before, but it has quickly taken its place as one of my all-time favorites!!! Pure fire!!!”

— Briana S.

Full-Body Workout Details

Build total body strength with this 20-minute at-home workout. 3 big strength training circuits fatigue the upper body and lower body – all you need is a set of dumbbells.

Add at-home strength workouts like this to your home workout routine 1-2 times a week to reach your weight loss and fitness goals.

Workout Equipment

Medium to Heavy Dumbbells. I’m using 20-25 lbs.

If you’re a beginner, I recommend starting with 5-10% of your body weight per dumbbell. That’s about 8-15 lbs if you weigh 150 lbs. Increase gradually as your form and confidence improve. If you have no equipment available, you can easily perform these moves as bodyweight exercises.

Workout Instructions

Follow along with the guided Full Body Dumbbell Workout on YouTube, led by me — your certified personal trainer (CPT), Lindsey Bomgren.

Your Workout Looks Like This:

  • Guided Warm-Up and Cool-Down
  • 3 Strength Circuits
  • Timed Intervals (perform each strength exercise for 40 seconds of work, followed by 20 seconds of rest)
  • Repeat Each Exercise x1 Set (no repeats)

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

Circuit 1:

  1. Squat
  2. Split Lunge
  3. Single-Arm Shoulder Press

Circuit 2:

  1. Wide Squat
  2. Staggered Deadlift
  3. Single-Arm Back Row

Circuit 3:

  1. Lateral Squat
  2. Lateral Lunge
  3. Standing Chest Flys
  4. Bicep Curls
  5. Overhead Tricep Extensions

1. Squat

Targets: Legs, glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, hips and core.

two women performing a dumbbell squat in a 20 minute strength workout

How to Do a Squat

  1. Start standing feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold a dumbbell in each hand outside your thighs.
  2. Lower down into a squat position, lowering your hips down to be parallel with your knees. Drive your knees out toward your outer toes.
  3. Drive through your heels to stand tall, returning to a standing position.

2. Split Lunge

Targets: Quads, glutes, hamstrings, core and calf muscles.

two women performing a dumbbell split lunge in a 20 minute strength workout

How to Do a Split Lunge

  1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
  2. Step your right leg back into a reverse lunge, dropping your right knee down towards the ground as you lower your hips until both knees reach a 90-degree angle. The front thigh is parallel to the floor.
  3. Squeeze your left glute, keeping the weight in your front (left) heel as you straighten your left knee, pushing back up to a standing position. For an added balance challenge, perform a knee drive on the right leg.

Modification: If lunges hurt your knees, substitute one of these lunge/squat alternatives.

3. Single-Arm Shoulder Press

Targets: The rear deltoids and front deltoids (shoulders) and core.

two women performing a dumbbell single arm press in a 20 minute strength workout

How to Do a Single-Arm Shoulder Press

  1. Start in a kneeling position with your left knee on the ground and your right knee bent at 90 degrees, knee in line with hip. Your shoulders are stacked over your hips. Hold 1 dumbbell in your left hand, front racked at shoulder height.
  2. Perform a single-arm dumbbell shoulder press. Press the dumbbell in the left hand straight overhead, locking out the elbow, left bicep near the left ear.
  3. Slowly lower the dumbbell back down to the left shoulder, returning to the starting position.

Modification: Perform this movement from a standing position.

4. Staggered Deadlift

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

two women performing a dumbbell staggered deadlift in a 20 minute strength workout

How to Do a Staggered Deadlift

  1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold dumbbells in each hand in front of your thighs, palms 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. Push your hips back towards the wall behind you as you glide the dumbbells down the front of your legs. The range of motion will look different for everyone.
  4. Drive through your front right heel to push your hips forward, pulling the dumbbells back up towards your hip as you stand tall.

5. Single-Arm Back Row

Targets: Latissimus dorsi (lats), trapezius, rhomboids and posterior deltoids.

two women performing a dumbbell single arm row in a 20 minute strength workout

How to Do a Single-Arm Back Row

  1. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent.
  2. Hold a dumbbell in your left hand, palm facing in (narrow grip).
  3. Bend forward at the hips, maintaining a flat back, belly button pulled back towards your spine.
  4. Pull the dumbbell back towards your left hip (think of pulling from your elbow joint versus your wrist), as if you were starting a pull-start lawnmower. Stop once your elbow is in line with your rib cage, making a straight line from shoulder to elbow. Hold the row at the top for a moment, squeezing your shoulder blade in.
  5. Lower the dumbbell back to the starting position and repeat.

6. Lateral Lunge

Targets: Gluteus medius (the outer part of your butt used for side-to-side movements), quads, hamstrings, hip adductors and abductors, hip flexors and calves.

two women performing a dumbbell lateral lunge in a 20 minute strength workout

How to Do a Lateral Lunge

  1. Stand with your feet under your hips, holding a dumbbell in your right hand.
  2. Step your left leg out to the side as you push your hips back, bending your left knee while leaving your right leg straight. Think of performing a single-leg squat with your left leg. Knees and toes are pointing forward.
  3. Drive off your right foot to reverse the movement, stepping back to the center.

7. Standing Chest Flys

Targets: Upper arms, chest, shoulders, abs and core.

two women performing a dumbbell standing chest fly in a 20 minute strength workout

How to Do a Standing Chest Fly

  1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold 1 dumbbell in each hand at your sides; palms face out away from the body (underhand grip). Shoulder blades pulled down towards your hips.
  2. Squeeze your chest as you lift your right hand across your body, bringing the dumbbell in your right hand parallel to your left shoulder. Think “right pinky finger to left shoulder.” Palm faces up towards the ceiling.
  3. Keep a soft bend in your elbow as you lower the dumbbell back to the starting position with control.
  4. Repeat on the left arm, alternating arms with each rep.

8. Bicep Curls

Targets: The bicep muscles (upper arms), the brachialis (mid-arm) and the brachioradialis (forearm).

two women performing dumbbell bicep curls in a 20 minute strength workout

How to Do a Bicep Curl

  1. Start standing with feet hip-width apart and core engaged. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing outward (underhand grip or supine curl).
  2. Keeping your elbows locked by your sides, squeeze your bicep muscle to curl the weights up to shoulder height.
  3. At the top of the movement, rotate your hands so palms face in towards each other (hammer curl). With control, slowly lower the dumbbells down to your sides.
  4. At the bottom of your movement, flip your grip so palms face out again and repeat.

9. Overhead Tricep Extensions

Targets: The long head of the triceps and all the stabilizing muscles in the shoulders, core, glutes and lower back muscles.

two women performing dumbbell overhead tricep extensions in a 20 minute strength workout

How to Do an Overhead Tricep Extension

  1. Stand with your feet hip-distance apart, core engaged and a soft bend in your knees. Option to stagger your feet for more stability and support.
  2. Hold 1 dumbbell vertically overhead. Activate your core by squeezing your glutes and abs to protect your lower back.
  3. Bend your elbows to a 90-degree angle, bringing the dumbbell behind your head. Think “hide the dumbbell, show the dumbbell” if you were watching yourself in a mirror. Keep your elbows close to your ears throughout the entire movement (don’t let your elbows flare out as you fatigue).
  4. Then, squeeze through the back of your upper arm to straighten the elbows, extending the arms and pressing the dumbbell overhead.

FAQs

Can you build muscle with 20-minute workouts?

Yes, you can build muscle with 20-minute workouts, as long as the training is focused and challenging. I prioritize compound movements, controlled tempo and weights that push me close to fatigue in that short window. When intensity and consistency are there, 20 minutes is more than enough to stimulate muscle growth.

Do home strength workouts really work?

Home strength workouts absolutely work when they’re structured with intention. I focus on progressive overload, solid form and minimizing distractions. With a few dumbbells and a plan, building strength at home can be just as effective as training in a gym.

Is doing 25 minutes of cardio and 20 minutes of strength training four times per week effective?

Yes, that combination can be very effective. Pairing 25 minutes of cardio with 20 minutes of strength training 4 times per week creates a balanced routine that supports heart health, endurance, muscle growth and overall fitness. I like this approach because it builds strength while also improving stamina and recovery capacity, leading to well-rounded, sustainable progress. That said, you don’t need to spend 25 minutes doing HIIT workouts. If you’re able, get outside for a quick walk or aim to get your steps in at home.

More Workouts

Full-Body

Pin This: 20-Minute Total-Body Strength Workout

Three exercises from full body strength training workout

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


10 comments

  1. As always, great workout! So thankful for the quick 20 minutes especially when I just need to sleep in a smidge more or coming back from being sick.

    Reply

  2. I’m new to your workouts but am loving the motivation you bring! As a 50 year old who has been working out (mostly running) my entire adulthood, I’m learning now more than ever to “use it or lose it” in the strength department. I had been using 3 and 5 pound weights to cross train, but recently upgraded to 10 pounds thanks to your inspiration to lift heavy! Can’t wait until I can lift 15s! My overall balance and coordination is improving. Loving these workouts to improve my functional fitness! 🙂

    Reply

    • Holly! So glad you’re here and loving the workouts! And I LOVE that you’re increasing your weights — keep striving for those heavy weights. Keep up the great work and keep building that strength! -Lindsey

      Reply

  4. Yours are the best workouts on the internet. I appreciate the intensity & motivation you bring to each workout. I’ve even start chanting to my self while climbing on my mtn bike, “yes you can-yes you can,” or “you can do anything for 30 sec!” Those are a real mental booster when your muscles are getting ready to tell you to stop.

    Reply

  5. FANTASTIC workout-a friend referred me to your site and I have been loving these workouts. I get bored easily when working out, so these keep me on my toes and keep me in tune with cross fit style moves that I enjoy (but often forget). Thanks for keeping it real-I even send these to my teen and tween!

    Reply
More from Strength Training Workouts