Work every muscle group in just 40 minutes with this full-body workout
You can do a warm-up, work out and cool-down in well under an hour
Having done our fair share of home workouts, we know all too well how they can grow a bit stale. Endless set of burpees, push-ups, squats and sit-ups will surely get you sweating, but they can become a bit boring after a while.
That's why we wanted to share this 40-minute full-body workout, which contains a variety of nonrepetitive exercises to keep things fresh and interesting. You only need a pair of dumbbells to give it a go too (we recommend some of the best adjustable dumbbells for maximum versatility, but a fixed weight pair will also work).
The session has been masterminded by certified fitness trainer Anna Engelschall, who you might know from her popular YouTube account: GrowingAnnanas. It's designed to work your whole body, hitting every major muscle group to build strength while burning calories.
To try it for yourself, follow along with Engelschall's video below and mirror her technique to ensure you're getting the most out of each movement.
Watch Growing Annanas' full-body dumbbell workout
This workout is comprehensive in every sense of the word, including a warm-up, cool-down, cardio-focused portion sandwiched between two strength-building sections, and a fiery Tabata workout finisher.
The warm-up uses low-impact movements and dynamic stretches to prime your body for exercise while the cool-down incorporates static stretches to improve range of motion in the targeted joints.
Engelschall differentiates between the strength and cardio sections by changing the timeframes, intensity and resistance.
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During the strength sections, you grab one (or both) of your dumbbells and spend 50 seconds working on each exercise, followed by ten seconds of rest. She moves at a slower pace, focusing on creating tension in the muscle rather than working quickly. This is key to increasing the strength and size of your muscles.
All the cardio activities are bodyweight movements performed for 30 seconds followed by a ten second rest (much like a HIIT workout for fat loss). She maintains a higher intensity throughout — a sure-fire way to spike your heart rate and burn calories, fast.
If you want to try this workout, we advise using it as a daily session. You'll also want to give your muscles at least 24 hours to recover, as the resistance training elements target your legs, glutes, arms, chest, back, core and more. So, the next day, why not try using one of the best foam rollers to release muscle knots or improve your flexibility by giving these anti-aging yoga moves a go.
Harry Bullmore is a Fitness Writer for Fit&Well and its sister site Coach, covering accessible home workouts, strength training session, and yoga routines. He joined the team from Hearst, where he reviewed products for Men's Health, Women's Health, and Runner's World. He is passionate about the physical and mental benefits of exercise, and splits his time between weightlifting, CrossFit, and gymnastics, which he does to build strength, boost his wellbeing, and have fun.
Harry is a NCTJ-qualified journalist, and has written for Vice, Learning Disability Today, and The Argus, where he was a crime, politics, and sports reporter for several UK regional and national newspapers.
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