It's good to keep your strength training varied and set aside different days to focus on different things, such as breaking your sessions up by muscle group or programming your workouts around push, pull and lower-body movements.
The average Joe doesn't always have time for all of that, or maybe you're new to strength training and just need somewhere simple to start. A full-body workout is an easy solution.
This 20-minute routine from Britany Williams will have you working your legs, glutes, back, shoulders, arms and core with just four moves and a pair of dumbbells. Trigger warning: there are Bulgarian split squats in this routine. I know many of us have been personally victimized by this absolute killer of a lower-body move. Trust me, the payoff is worth it, and you’ll get a break from the burn when you switch to your upper body.
This is a great routine to use at the gym if it’s busy and you need something with minimal equipment, and which lets you stay in one spot. Or if you have a pair of the best adjustable dumbbells at home, you can hit this full-body circuit without leaving your living room.
What is the workout?
Some of the exercises are unilateral, meaning you’ll need to complete the assigned reps on both sides. Keep this in mind when doing the workout. The exercises and reps are listed below, and if you want to check Williams’ form, you can watch a video of her performing each move further down.
- Hack squat: 10 -12 reps
- Single arm row: 8-10 reps per side
- Bulgarian split squat: 8-10 reps per side
- Shoulder press: 10-12 reps (do on the floor if you don't have access to a bench)
- Complete three rounds of all the exercises with 30-60 seconds between each exercise.
What are the benefits of unilateral exercises?
Unilateral exercises, which require you to work one side of your body at a time, may feel a little tedious to some or tempt you to cut the reps in half. But they are a highly valuable addition to any workout.
For one, they help correct muscle imbalances that can develop naturally over time or from playing a sport where one side of your body dominates. Strengthening each side individually makes sure that both sides are pulling their weight and reduces the risk of overuse injuries.
They also challenge your stability and coordination. When one side is working alone, your core and smaller stabilizing muscles engage more to keep you balanced. This translates into better control over your movements, improves posture and strengthens the muscles that prevent wobbling or tipping during more complex exercises.
Finally, unilateral exercises are excellent for balance. When you train each side separately, you become more aware of your body’s alignment and weight distribution. Over time, this can level up your balance in daily tasks, exercise performance and keep your body more robust with age.
What about bilateral exercises?
This workout may be short and sweet, but it packs in a nice balance of unilateral and bilateral exercises. Bilateral moves have their own perks that pair perfectly with the full-body focus here. First, they hit multiple major muscle groups at once, so you are challenging your body and actually feeling like you are getting somewhere fast, which is perfect if you like results without spending half the day in the gym.
Second, they save time and keep the flow going. Working both sides together means fewer pauses and more time spent actually lifting and sweating.
Finally, this lets you lift heavier and push yourself more. With both sides sharing the load, your muscles can generate more force together, making challenging lifts feel more manageable, and it feels pretty satisfying when you hit that extra weight.
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