Build strength in just 20 minutes with this full body strength workout. This no repeats, low impact workout includes 24 different exercises targeting the lower body, upper body and core. A complete dumbbell workout designed to build strength and challenge your endurance.
This full body strength workout is one of our most popular low impact workouts.
I often get requests for the “no repeats” format. In a “no repeats” workout, you don’t repeat moves like you typically do in circuit workouts.
While I usually prefer to repeat compound exercises to promote muscle growth, it’s also good to mix up your strength training routine. When I need extra motivation to workout, I opt for a no repeats workout or a single dumbbell workout.
Add these low impact strength exercises to your routine to build strength, increase athletic power and improve cardiovascular conditioning at home.
20-Minute Full Body Strength Workout (No Repeats)
Build total body strength at home with this effective 20-minute strength workout.
A complete dumbbell workout targeting every muscle group in the body: the lower body (quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, and thighs), upper body (biceps, triceps, back, shoulders, and chest) and core.
Add full body workouts like this one to your workout plan 1-2 times per week to build and maintain strength.
Workout Equipment:
Medium-to-heavy set of dumbbells. I recommend 8-20 lbs depending on your fitness level. I’m using 12-15 lbs in this workout video.
Reverse Grip Row Isometric Hold and Alternating Arm Lowers
Plank and Row
CIRCUIT FIVE
Lateral Lunge and Transverse Squat, L
Pivot Squat, L
CIRCUIT SIX
Wide Push Up to Narrow Push Up
Narrow Push Up
CIRCUIT SEVEN
Deadlift and Clean Squat
Clean Squat
CIRCUIT EIGHT
Wide Bicep Curl and Lateral Raise
Front Raise
CIRCUIT NINE
Curtsy Lunge and Reverse Lunge
Alternating Loaded Curtsy Lunges
CIRCUIT TEN
Skull Crushers
Leg Lowers and Triceps
CIRCUIT ELEVEN
Weighted Crunch
Dumbbell Push Through Circles
CIRCUIT TWELVE
Woman Maker (Push Up, Row, Squat, Curl, Thruster)
Bodyweight Plank Hold
10 Full Body Strength Training Exercises
Side-to-Side Squat Hold and Thruster
Targets: Legs, glutes, hamstrings, quads, hips, shoulders, abs and core.
How To Do A Side-to-Side Squat Hold and Thruster
Start standing, feet and ankles to touch, knees slightly bent. Hold one dumbbell in each hand at your shoulders (front-rack position, overhand grip, palms facing in).
Step your right leg out so that your feet are now shoulder-width distance apart. With your weight in your heels, sit your hips back as you lower into a squat, striving for a 90-degree angle between your hips and knees. Pulse up an inch and down an inch as you hold at the bottom of the squat for a moment.
Then, drive through your heels, squeezing your glutes to stand tall. As you stand, perform a squat thruster, pressing the dumbbells straight overhead. Bring the right foot back to meet the left foot.
Bring the weights back down to shoulder height as you step the left leg out this time.
Repeat the sequence, alternating the leg that steps out.
Isometric Bicep Curl Hold and 4 Bicep Curls
Targets: Biceps, abs and core.
How To Do An Isometric Bicep Curl Hold and 4 Bicep Curls
Start with feet under hips, core engaged. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing outward (underhand grip or supine curl).
Keeping your elbows locked by your sides, perform a half bicep curl on the right arm, holding the arm with elbow bent at a 90-degree angle.
Continue to hold the dumbbell in your right hand at 90 degrees while you perform four bicep curls on the left arm. Squeeze your bicep muscle to curl the weight up to shoulder-height. Then lower the dumbbell in the left hand down with control and repeat for four bicep curls.
At the top of the fourth curl, lower the dumbbell halfway down and hold. Then perform four bicep curls on the right arm.
Repeat this sequence, alternating the arm that holds the half curl.
Start standing, feet hip-width apart, slightly bent knees. Hold one dumbbell in each hand in front of you, palms facing in.
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. Dumbbells fall inside of the right foot with knees and toes pointing forward.
Then, drive off your right foot to reverse the movement, pushing back to center.
Step out into a transverse squat by stepping the right foot out and back, rotating out to a 45-degree angle. Sit your hips back as you lower down into a squat, dumbbells falling inside the knees.
Push through your heels to stand tall and pull the right foot back to center so you’re facing forward again.
Reverse Grip Row Isometric Hold and Alternating Arm Lowers
Targets: Lower back, upper back (specifically the lats and rhomboids) and the biceps.
How To Do A Reverse Grip Row Isometric Hold and Alternating Arm Lowers
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. Hold the weights by your hips at the top of the dumbbell row.
With control, lower only the right arm back down to the starting position. Left arm maintains the isometric hold.
Pull the right arm back towards the hip, then lower only the left arm back down to the starting position. Right arm maintains the isometric hold.
Pull the left arm back towards the hip. That’s one rep. Repeat the sequence.
Wide Push Up to Narrow Push Up
Targets: Chest, shoulders, triceps, back, abs and core muscles.
How To Do A Wide Push Up to Narrow Push Up
Start in a high plank position with your shoulders stacked over your wrists, weight evenly distributed amongst all 10 fingers. Pull your kneecaps up towards your belly, feet hip-width apart.
Hold this plank position, maintaining a straight line with your body, gaze slightly in front of you.
Walk each hand out so you’re in position to perform a wide push up.
Then 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 walk each hand back in so you’re in position to perform a narrow push up.
Slowly lower your chest down towards the ground as your elbows fall back towards your hips, then exhale as you push back up into high plank position.
Modification: Option to perform the push ups from an incline or drop down to your knees.
Deadlift and Clean Squat
Targets: Legs, glutes, hamstrings, hips, quads, core and low back muscles.
How To Do A Deadlift and Clean Squat
Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold one dumbbell in each hand at your hips, palms facing in towards your body.
Hinge at the hips, pushing your hips back towards the wall behind you as you glide the dumbbells down the front of your legs; core tight.
Then, drive through your heels to stand tall.
As you stand, bring the dumbbells up towards your chest (this is the “clean” portion of the clean squat).
Lower down into a squat position, lowering your hips down parallel to your knees. Driving your knees out toward your outer three toes. Keep the dumbbells up at chest level (front-racked).
Drive through your heels to stand tall again. That’s one rep.
Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position and repeat this sequence of one deadlift and one clean squat.
Modification: Option to omit the clean and instead perform a deadlift into a squat, holding the dumbbells at your sides for the squat.
Wide Bicep Curl and Lateral Raise
Targets: Targets the long (outer) head of the biceps, and the short (inner) head of the biceps and the shoulders.
How To Do A Wide Bicep Curl and Lateral Raise
Start with feet shoulder-width apart, core engaged. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing outward (underhand grip or supine curl).
Perform a wide bicep curl by extending the arms out wide as you curl the weights up to shoulder-height.
With control, slowly lower the dumbbells down to your sides.
Then, perform a dumbbell lateral raise by raising the dumbbells straight out to the side to shoulder height. Palms face out.
With control, lower the dumbbells back down in front of you.
Continue this pattern, alternating each wide curl with a lateral raise.
Modification: Option to alternate the bicep curl and lateral raise.
Curtsy Lunge and Reverse Lunge
Targets: Legs, hamstrings, quads and glutes.
How To Do A Curtsy Lunge and Reverse Lunge
Stand with feet hip-distance apart, holding a set of dumbbells at your side, palms facing in.
Step your right leg back into a curtsy lunge (right knee should meet left calf), right knee lowers towards the mat. Lower your hips until both knees reach a 90-degree angle, front thigh parallel to the floor.
Then squeeze your left glute, driving your back, right leg forward as you stand up.
Immediately step your right leg back into a reverse lunge, lowering your hips until both knees reach a 90-degree angle, front thigh parallel to the ground.
Then squeeze your left leg glute, driving your back, right leg forward as you stand up, returning to the starting position.
Repeat the curtsy lunge into reverse lunge sequence, alternating the leg that steps back.
Skull Crushers
Targets: Triceps (back of the arm).
How To Do Dumbbell Skull Crushers
Lie flat on the ground or on a bench or stability ball; legs bent at 90 degrees.
Hold one dumbbell in each hand and extend your arms so the dumbbells are directly overhead (palms facing one another).
Bending at the elbows, slowly lower the dumbbells towards your head (just bending at the elbows, lowering the dumbbells towards your temples).
Then press the dumbbells back overhead to return to the starting position.
Weighted Crunch
Targets: The upper abs and lower abs.
How To Do A Weighted Crunch
Start lying flat on your back, lower back pressing firmly into the mat. Bring your legs to a 90-degree bend, feet pressing firmly into the ground.
Hold a dumbbell horizontally between your hands, elbows bent at 90 degrees and dumbbell touching the floor.
Perform a crunch by lifting your head, neck and shoulders off the ground as you pull the dumbbell in towards your knees. Simultaneously lift the feet off the floor, pulling the knees in to meet the elbows if you can.
With control, lower the feet back toward the ground as you also lower the dumbbell back to the ground.
Modification: Option to omit the dumbbell, making this a bodyweight exercise. Note that the farther your feet are from your body, the harder this exercise will be. You can reduce the range of motion by bringing the feet closer to the body.
Free 2-Week Strength Program
Full Body Strength Workout FAQs
What Is The Best Full Body Strength Exercise?
Compound strength training exercises (or exercises that engage several muscle groups at once) are extremely effective for building muscle. Some of my favorites include: squats, deadlifts, chest presses and back rows.
Are Full Body Workouts Good For Building Strength?
Yes, full body workouts are effective for maximizing muscle build and calorie burn. Effective full body workouts will include a variety of compound exercises that will build muscle definition, increase strength and improve endurance. Full body workouts are particularly effective for beginners who need to build a solid strength base.
How Many Days A Week Should You Do A Full Body Workout?
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.
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8 comments
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! 🙂
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
Huge THANK YOY Lindsey for your awesome website and workout videos! Such a huge motivator and love your variety!
Shilo! So glad you’re loving the workouts and putting them to good use! Keep up the great work and keep coming back for more! -Lindsey
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.
Way to go Robin! So glad you liked this one! And YES, I love a good: Yes, you can! Keep up the great work! -Lindsey
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!
I’m so glad you liked this one! Yes, it’s filled with variety. So glad your friend shared my site with you and you are putting the workouts to good use! Keep up the great work! -Lindsey
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! 🙂
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
Huge THANK YOY Lindsey for your awesome website and workout videos! Such a huge motivator and love your variety!
Shilo! So glad you’re loving the workouts and putting them to good use! Keep up the great work and keep coming back for more! -Lindsey
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.
Way to go Robin! So glad you liked this one! And YES, I love a good: Yes, you can! Keep up the great work! -Lindsey
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!
I’m so glad you liked this one! Yes, it’s filled with variety. So glad your friend shared my site with you and you are putting the workouts to good use! Keep up the great work! -Lindsey