Try this simple workout to 'use all muscle groups in 30 minutes' and boost strength

Even in the heat, it's good to move our bodies and keep the blood pumping. If you can't get into your air-conditioned gym and don't fancy an outdoor workout in these temperatures, then this quick 30-minute workout with dumbbells at home could be for you.

Caroline Idiens is a women's fitness coach with over two million followers on social media, and the founder of Caroline's Circuits. Jenni Falconer is a friend and fellow fitness lover. Together, they demonstrate the strength training workout.

"Absolutely LOVED this one @jennifalconer ~ it's such a great circuit using all muscle groups in 30 mins, some of my favourite functional full body exercises," says Caroline.

The pair are using 3kg dumbbells, but you can choose whatever weight you can manage. Just remember you'll be doing nine exercises in quick succession, so use weights you can lift.

30-minute dumbbell workout

1. Squat and alt press

• Hold the dumbbells at shoulder height.
• Squat deeply.
• As you rise to stand, push one dumbbell above your head with a straight arm.
• Squat for 40 seconds, alternating each arm.

The squat and alternating press will give you a full-body workout that targets your quads, glutes, hamstrings, core, upper arms, and shoulders.

2. Romanian deadlift (RDL) to row

• Stand up straight and hold two dumbbells.
• Bend your knees and hinge forwards at the hips, imagining that you're closing a car door behind you with your buttocks.
• Lower until your dumbbells are just past your knees or you feel a real stretch behind your thighs.
• Pull the dumbbells up towards your hips.
• Straighten your arms and come back up to standing.
• Repeat the exercise for 40 seconds.

The Romanian deadlift (RDL) is a great glute exercise, but adding a row recruits muscles like the lats, triceps, and biceps in the upper body, turning it into a full-body exercise.

3. Reverse lunge and knee drive

• Keep the dumbbells at shoulder height.
• Stand with legs hip-width apart.
• Raise one knee in front of you before driving it backwards into a lunge position.
• Repeat on one leg for 40 seconds before switching sides.

You’ll really feel the burn in your glutes when you do this exercise, which is also great for improving balance and loosening tight hips. The dumbbells add intensity and help engage your core and upper body in the repetitions.

4. Sumo squat to front raise

• Stand with your feet wider than your mat.
• Squat deeply and as you rise to stand again, raise the dumbbells straight in front of you.
• Lower the weights between your legs while you squat.
• Repeat the squats and raises for 40 seconds.

Sumo squats will give you a deeper burn in your quads, inner thighs and glutes. Front raises improve upper-body strength. These kinds of strength moves improve your shoulder and anterior deltoid (front of the shoulders) strength, which will help functional movement and your ability to do daily activities such as bending and lifting.

5. Curtsy lunge to lateral raise

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Step back and across with one leg and bend both knees.
• At the same time as you bend, raise the dumbbells out to the sides at shoulder height.
• Bring the leg back to the front and gently touch the ground before repeating the curtsy lunges on that leg.
• Repeat with the other leg.

Curtsy lunges are a step up from a regular lunge and are a great hip, glute, and quadricep exercise. If you have any knee injuries or pain, take extra care when doing these or speak to a PT first.

Lateral raises improve posture and shoulder strength, reducing the chance of shoulder injury or pain.

6. Kneeling shoulder press

• Kneel with your knees hip-width apart.
• Hold the dumbbells to the side at shoulder height.
• Raise them above your head with straight arms before lowering back down to shoulder height.

This is a purely upper body move which will work your biceps, triceps, shoulders and upper back. You could do heavier weights for this if you’ve been strength training for a while, but Caroline and Jenni are using their 3kg weights in their workout.

7. Glute bridge with skull crusher

• Lie on the mat with your knees bent and heels close to your bottom.
• Lift your hips off the mat and lift the dumbbells straight above you.
• Hold your hips up while you bend your arms back towards your ears.
• Straighten your arms again and lower your hips.

Caroline’s exercise ups the ante on a move which is really effective for building muscle and strengthening your glutes. The skull crushers will give your triceps a good burn. Doing these moves together takes some concentration and coordination, but it's well worth it.

8. Crunch with extension

• Lie flat on the mat with just one dumbbell in both hands.
• Lengthen your legs and arms above your head.
• Raise your feet off the mat and lift your head and shoulders off to bring the weight as close as possible to your shins.
• Lie back down again, but keep your heels off the floor if you can.

Your core will really feel the benefit of this exercise because it works both the upper and lower abdominal muscles. The use of the weights again adds an extra burn for your shoulders and triceps.

9. Weighted deadbugs

• Lie on the mat with your legs in tabletop position and arms straight above your head.
• Extend one leg towards the floor and the opposite arm straight back behind you.
• Alternate arms and legs while keeping your back flat and hips stable.

Deadbugs are a favourite exercise for strengthening the core. Adding weights again gives a full-body workout. Make sure you don’t arch your lower back when doing these, and if you’re finding it hard to extend your legs fully, you can always switch to toe taps.