This six-move dumbbell workout builds muscle and burns fat in just 30 minutes

Grab a set of weights and do five rounds for an effective fat-burning, muscle-building workout

Woman performing a dumbbell press
(Image credit: Getty Images)

For many years, the standard advice was that you needed to do cardio to lose weight and spend hours lifting weights to build muscle. But with this high-intensity dumbbell routine, you can burn fat and build muscle in just 30 minutes.

You'll need a set of the best adjustable dumbbells to get started, but these customizable weights are an ideal companion for many at-home workouts. You can quickly change the load between moves, and they're a space-saving alternative to a full weights rack.

With these weights by your side, you can use fitness trainer Rhiannon Bailey's 30-minute dumbbell workout to develop strength, work your core, and boost your metabolism for all-day fat burning.

There are just six moves in the routine, and the aim is to do each for 60 seconds without a break. You'll repeat the six-move round five times for an intense 30-minute full-body training session without leaving the house.

Thirty minutes of continuous exercise is a lot, especially when you're training intensely with weights, so taking short rests is okay if you need them. Just be sure to focus on your form to get the most from each move and avoid injuring yourself.

Watch Rhiannon Bailey's 30-minute dumbbell AMRAP workout

The goal of this training style is to do As Many Rounds As Possible (AMRAP) in the time. By focusing on the time, rather than a particular repetition target for each move, you can take things at your own pace.

This makes AMRAP workouts ideal for everyone, from newcomers to experienced exercisers. It also makes it easy to track your progress over time, as you'll be able to do more reps in the 60 seconds as you get stronger.

Bailey's routine uses multi-muscle compound moves to make your training as efficient as possible. These exercises work several muscles simultaneously, making them an excellent option when you're tight on time.

Compound activities also require more energy, which helps increase the workout's fat-burning potential. And, by keeping the intensity high throughout, you'll raise your heart rate and boost your metabolism.

While Bailey's routine is an efficient way to exercise, if you're short on time, you can pick up one of the best kettlebells and learn how to do kettlebell swings for an effective full-body workout that'll build muscle, develop your core, and burn fat.

James Frew
Fitness Editor

James is a London-based journalist and Fitness Editor at Fit&Well. He has over five years experience in fitness tech, including time spent as the Buyer’s Guide Editor and Staff Writer at technology publication MakeUseOf. In 2014 he was diagnosed with a chronic health condition, which spurred his interest in health, fitness, and lifestyle management.


In the years since, he has become a devoted meditator, experimented with workout styles and exercises, and used various gadgets to monitor his health. In recent times, James has been absorbed by the intersection between mental health, fitness, sustainability, and environmentalism. When not concerning himself with health and technology, James can be found excitedly checking out each week’s New Music Friday releases.