If you have two light dumbbells and space to stand then you have all it takes to improve your fitness and strength with this simple but effective full-body workout. The session has been put together by fitness trainer Mikala of FitByMik, and it’s a workout that people of all fitness levels can do.
Even if you don’t have any dumbbells you can still benefit from the workout. If you do want to use weights, then for reference Mikala is using 8lb weights, while her fellow trainer Sydney is using 10lb weights. If you have a set of the best adjustable dumbbells then you pick your weight as required for each move.
Along with strengthening muscles all over the body, this workout will boost your cardio fitness thanks to the HIIT sections where you move in time to the beat of music. It’s a great all-round session for boosting your functional fitness in just 20 minutes.
Watch FitByMik’s 20-minute standing workout
The standing full-body workout involves doing a mix of strength and cardio moves, and with each exercise you work for 45 seconds and then rest for 15 seconds. During the cardio HIIT sections you work the beat of the music playing, to help keep you motivated.
Throughout the workout Mikala demonstrates easier variations of some exercises, so you can follow along with either her or Sydney, depending on your own fitness level. You can always start a set by doing Sydney’s version of the move, then swap to Mikala’s if you’re struggling towards the end of the 45-second work period.
This is an accessible session that will work for people of all fitness levels, and if you are already quite experienced with workouts you can always increase the difficulty by using heavier weights, or pushing to do reps faster than the beat during the cardio HIIT sections.
However you tackle the workout, the key is always to ensure that you’re doing each exercise with proper form, engaging the right muscles and limiting any risk of injury. It’s far better to slow down and get your technique right than rush and lose your form.
In general, the workout is low-impact, helped by the fact you’re not having to hit the floor and get up again for any moves, but there are some jumping moves that Sydney does during the session. If you’re worried about the impact of those, then follow Mikala’s standing version of the move instead.
Once you get comfortable with this workout, it’s worth trying other standing sessions or using heavier weights if you can, just to ensure you keep building your fitness and strength. This 30-minute dumbbell workout is great for building functional fitness, and could be a great way to progress from FitByMik’s standing session.
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