All you need to burn off fat is a set of dumbbells and half an hour! You don’t need fancy equipment to build muscle strength—sculpt a better body right now with just a pair of these everyday weights. Do you have 30 minutes to spare to fry fat and shred your entire body?
Half an hour might not sound like much, but it’s not too shabby a time period if you use it right. Think about it: get your head in the game. Keep it simple and you can absolutely smash a 30-minute dumbbell workout in the time it takes to cook up a quick Nigel Slater dinner.
First, be realistic about your timing – and your motivation levels. You can only work with what you’ve got. Next, maximise every session you do squeeze in by focusing on strength to dial up the gains. Increasing your lean muscle mass ups metabolic rate, which in turn encourages your body to burn more calories throughout the day, and far beyond just the workout in the gym itself.
Dumbbell Hip Thrust:
Targets: Glutes, legs. Do: 20 reps
How to:
- Sit on the floor, knees bent, feet flat on the ground, and lean your upper back against a bench.
- Hold a pair of dumbbells across your hips, palms facing down.
- Pushing through your heels, raise your hips until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
- Hold for a breath, then slowly lower back to the start.
Loaded Deadbug:
Targets: Abs, upper back, obliques. Do: 20 reps
How to:
- Lie with your knees and hips bent 90°, arms straight up over your shoulders, with a dumbbell in each hand.
- With core and glutes tight, slowly extend and lower your right leg, bringing your right arm overhead.
- Return to the start; that’s one rep.
- Now, repeat on the other side.
Two-Way Lunge:
Targets: Glutes, legs, core. Do: 10 reps on each side
How to:
- Holding a dumbbell in each hand, step your right foot forward and bend your knees until your right thigh is nearly parallel with the floor.
- Hold for 3 secs, then press through your right heel to return to standing.
- Immediately step your right foot back and bend your knees to lower into a reverse lunge.
- Return to the start.
- That’s one rep; do 10, then switch legs and repeat.
Renegade Row:
Targets: Core, upper back, shoulders, arms. Do: 10 reps
How to:
- Get into a press-up position with your hands placed slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
- Engaging your core to prevent your torso from rotating, bend your right elbow to row the dumbbell up to the right side of your chest, keeping your elbow close to the side of your body.
- Pause, then lower the weight back down and repeat on the other side.
Kneeling Dumbbell Shoulder Press:
Targets: Full body. Do: 10 reps on each side
How to:
- Kneel on your left knee, holding a pair of dumbbells up by your shoulders, palms facing in.
- Brace your core and push the weights directly overhead, turning your palms forward.
- Lower the dumbbells to return to the start.
- That’s one rep.
- Do 10, then switch legs and repeat.
Dumbbell Floor Press:
Targets: Chest, triceps, shoulders. Do: 10 reps
How to:
- Lie on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
- With your upper arms on the floor and elbows bent at 90°, hold a dumbbell in each hand either side of your chest.
- Brace your core and press the weights straight over your shoulders until your arms are fully extended.
- Pause, then slowly return to the start.
Single-Leg Deadlift:
Targets: Glutes, legs, core. Do: 10 reps on each side
How to:
- Stand on your left leg with your right knee slightly bent and right heel raised, holding a dumbbell in your right hand with your arm fully extended.
- Keeping a soft bend in the knee, hinge forward to lower your torso nearly parallel to the floor, raising your right leg straight behind you.
- Pause, then slowly reverse the movement to return to the start.
- That’s one rep.
- Do 10, then, you guessed it, switch legs and repeat.
Dumbbell Goblet Squat:
Targets: Glutes, legs, core. Do: 20 reps
How to:
- Hold two dumbbells vertically at your chest, with your elbows pointed towards the floor and your feet wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower into a squat, with your elbows brushing the insides of your knees.
- Press through your heels to return to the start.
