Six moves, 20 minutes, and finally steady on one leg

My favourite strength test is putting your socks on while standing up. Try it tomorrow morning. Twenty minutes and six moves is enough to get you steady and strong for it, and that's strength training for busy mums with 20 minutes a day, done at home with one dumbbell.

The whole thing, in one go

Go straight through all six moves. Rest for a minute. Then go again. Three rounds in total.

• Sumo deadlift: 10 reps
• Reverse lunge step-up press to balance: 8 each side
• Balance lateral raise: 8 each leg
• Single-arm row: 10 each side
• Step-up to front kick: 12 each leg
• Bridge chest press: 10 reps

Each move does more than one job, which is why it fits in 20 minutes. The deadlift is picking a heavy laundry basket up off the floor. The row is hauling a bag out of the boot. The step-up is every staircase in your house. The balance moves are the socks.

Here are the questions I get asked most about this kind of session.

Is 20 minutes really enough?

Yes. Honestly, yes. Six moves that use your whole body, three rounds, a proper push on the last few reps. That's a real session.

A short workout you actually do beats an hour-long one that lives in your head. Most of us have a pocket of time somewhere. Before the school run, while dinner is in the oven, or while the kids are building something in the other room.

The aim isn't to flatten yourself. It's to leave feeling a bit taller and a bit more capable than when you started.

How heavy should I go?

Pick a weight where the last few reps feel tough, but you still feel solid and in control. That's the sweet spot.

If you're not sure, start lighter than you think. Do round one as a practice lap. By round two you'll know whether to go up. If you've been wondering how to start lifting weights in your 40s, this is it. Start where you are, and nudge the weight up when it begins to feel easy.

Tough doesn't mean wobbly. If your form goes wonky, you've gone a touch too heavy. Swap down and carry on.

I haven't got a kettlebell, a box or a balance pad. Can I still do it?

You can. This is strength training for women at home with dumbbells, or with whatever you've got in the cupboard.

• No kettlebell? Grab a dumbbell.
• No box? A sturdy step or the bottom stair works.
• No balance pad? The floor is plenty.

A full water bottle or a bag of rice will do the job if you're really stuck. My own kitchen has hosted plenty of workouts with a bag of flour in one hand.

I'm in my 40s and I've never really lifted anything. Is this too much?

It's a great place to start. These are functional strength exercises for everyday life, so most of them will already feel familiar. You pick things up, step up, reach and stay upright. We're just doing it on purpose, with a bit of weight.

Take the balance moves slowly. Wobbling is part of it, and it means you're learning. Keep a hand near a wall or a worktop if you'd like a bit of backup, and let go of it when you feel ready.

Give yourself a few sessions before you judge it. The first one often feels odd. By the third, you'll feel the difference in how you carry things and how you get up from the floor.

The bit I'd love you to notice

After a couple of weeks, the shopping feels lighter. The stairs stop being a thing you think about. You'll catch yourself standing on one leg to pull on a sock, steady as anything, and feel quietly chuffed about it.

That's what we're building here. Not a number on a scale, just a body that handles your day with a bit more ease.

So which move are you starting with? Mine's the sumo deadlift. It's a good one to begin on, because it feels strong straight away.

If you'd like company, come and train with me at one of my live sessions. We'll go through it together, I'll talk you through each move, and there's plenty of laughing when someone wobbles. Usually me.