Caroline Idiens and Jenni Falconer’s time-efficient 9-exercise workout builds full-body strength in 30 minutes

Think you need to spend hours in the gym for a workout to be effective? Think again! There are an infinite number of bodyweight and minimal-equipment workouts that are just as efficient as working out in a gym, including this 30-minute, 9-move workout from former Women’s Health cover star and founder of virtual fitness platform Caroline’s Circuits, Caroline Idiens.

Idiens recently performed the workout – which only uses two dumbbells – with radio and TV presenter and keen runner Jenni Falconer, who recently told WH she has been upping her strength sessions.

Sarcopenia – age-related muscle loss – can start to take effect as early as 30. After that, research suggests muscle mass decreases by approximately 3-8% per decade, with the rate of decline speeding up after 60. But the good news is that there is a lot that we can do to significantly slow, manage and in some cases even reverse sarcopenia – starting with short, full-body workouts such as this one.

‘It’s such a great circuit using all muscle groups in 30 mins, some of my favourite functional full body exercises,’ writes Idiens.

Warm up, then perform each exercise for 40 secs followed by 20 secs rest. Complete 3 rounds of the circuit.

For reference, Idiens and Jenni are using 4kg + 3kg dumbbells, but choose your weight based on what you feel comfortable with.

1. Squat alternate press
2. RDL with row
3. Reverse lunge knee drive (repeat other side)
4. Sumo squat front raise
5. Curtsy lunge lateral raise (repeat other side)
6. Shoulder press
7. Glute bridge with skull crusher
8. Crunch with extension
9. Weighted dead bugs

1. Squat alternate press

• Hold a dumbbell in each hand, keeping your feet a bit wider than shoulder-width apart.
• As you stand up from the squat, press one dumbbell overhead.
• Lower it back to shoulder height as you return to the squat, then repeat on the opposite side.

2. RDL + row

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and knees slightly bent. Hold one dumbbell in each hand, and place them in front of hips with palms facing thighs.
• Keeping your spine neutral and your shoulder blades squeezed together, hinge at your hips and send them back.
• Keeping the dumbbells close to your body, lower them down so they are in front of your shins.
• With your back flat and torso at a 45-degree angle, keep your core engaged.
• Row the dumbbells towards your hips, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top, then lower them back down with control.
• Drive through your heels to fully extend your hips and knees to drive back to the starting position, squeezing your glutes at the top, but not thrusting so far that your back overextends.

3. Reverse lunge knee drive

• Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding your dumbbells on your shoulders.
• With your right foot, step back about one and a half times your normal stride length, landing with the ball of that foot on the ground and your heel up
• Lower your back knee until it gently grazes the floor, creating a 90-degree angle in your front leg.
• Push through the heel and mid-foot of the front leg to return to standing and drive your knee up.

4. Sumo squat front raise

• Hold both dumbbells in front of you with your palms facing down. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, your weight evenly distributed and your toes turned out.
• Keep your core tight and chest tall as you inhale, bend your knees, and sink your hips down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. At the same time, bring your arms down so they are parallel with your torso.
• As you stand up, raise the dumbbells back to eye level without using momentum.

5. Curtsy lunge lateral raise

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, with a dumbbell in each hand, arms by your sides, palms facing inwards.
• Take a big step back with your right leg, crossing it behind your left. Bend your knees and lower your hips until your left thigh is nearly parallel to the floor.
• As you take that big step, lift the dumbbells out to the sides with straight arms, going no higher than shoulder height.
• Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position with control as you return to standing from the curtsy lunge.

6. Shoulder press

• Kneel with a dumbbell in each hand. Bend your elbows at 90 degrees with the dumbbells at ear level and your palms facing forward.
• Now straighten your arms and press the dumbbells towards the ceiling, then slowly return to the start and stop once your elbows and arms are at 90 degrees.
  

7. Glute bridge with skull crusher

• Lie flat on your back, with your knees bent, and feet flat on the floor. Your feet should be hip-width apart. Hold your dumbbells directly above you with palms facing inwards.
• On an exhale, squeeze your glutes and push your heels into the floor to lift your hips up towards the ceiling. As you pause for a moment at the top, bring your arms down so that your dumbbells come down just behind your shoulders.
• Bend your elbows to lower the dumbbells towards either side of your head.
• Slowly lower back down (first shoulders, then lower back, then bum) to the mat.

8. Crunch with extension

• Lie flat on your back holding one dumbbell with both hands above your chest. Brace your core and raise your legs off the floor.
• As you lower your legs towards the floor, simultaneously take the dumbbell back behind your head.
• Bring the dumbbell back over your chest towards your shins as you lift your legs and crunch upwards.

9. Weighted dead bugs

• Lie flat on your back on the floor or a mat and try to get as much of your spine in contact with the ground surface as you can. Think about making a double chin, and lifting up your belt buckle.
• Holding both your dumbbells, raise your arms straight up towards the ceiling, and bend your hips and knees to 90 degrees to create a ‘table top’ with your shins.
• Without any part of your spine losing contact with the floor, reach your left arm up above your head and extend your right leg.
• Push through your heel and pull your toes back towards you as you extend, imagining you’re standing on that leg.
• Exhale fully as you reach the end of the movement.
• Without allowing your heel to touch the floor, slowly return to the setup position.

One of our most frequently asked questions here at Women’s Health? How to build muscle and burn fat at the same time. So, we asked superstar trainer Oyinda Okunowo exactly how to do it. In this 4-week plan – created exclusively for Women’s Health COLLECTIVE members – you’ll get the workouts and nutrition guidance needed to help you on your way to better body composition. Tap the link below to unlock 14 days of free access to Oyinda’s plan and start training today.

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Hannah Bradfield is a Senior Health and Fitness Writer for Women’s Health UK. An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Hannah graduated from Loughborough University with a BA in English and Sport Science and an MA in Media and Cultural Analysis.  She has been covering sports, health and fitness for the last five years and has created content for outlets including BBC Sport, BBC Sounds, Runner’s World and Stylist. She especially enjoys interviewing those working within the community to improve access to sport, exercise and wellness. Hannah is a 2024 John Schofield Trust Fellow and was also named a 2022 Rising Star in Journalism by The Printing Charity.  A keen runner, Hannah was firmly a sprinter growing up (also dabbling in long jump) but has since transitioned to longer-distance running. While 10K is her favoured race distance, she loves running or volunteering at parkrun every Saturday, followed, of course, by pastries. She’s always looking for fun new runs and races to do and brunch spots to try.