It’s the time of year when even walking through the doors of a gym seems like a feat, but if you’re looking for a quick workout to get your heart rate up, grab a set of dumbbells (at home or at the gym) and try this one.
“You don’t need an hour or a full gym or jumping around to get a great full-body workout. This one is advanced, but can be done in 30 minutes or less, with just a pair of dumbbells!” writes personal trainer Kelsey Wells. Wells is a trainer on the SWEAT app – an app that first appeared on our best workout apps listing. Read our full SWEAT app review here.
The exercise uses just three compound exercises to target all major muscle groups in your body. If you’re short on time, compound exercises, which work multiple muscle groups simultaneously, are a great way to get the most out of your workout. Read on to find out what happened when we tried this one.
And if you train at home, check out the best adjustable dumbbells to fit all your workouts.
What is Kelsey Wells Complete Dumbbell Workout?
The workout includes 3-4 sets of 10 repetitions of the following exercises:
Clean and press with one arm: To do a single arm clean and press, start with your feet hip-width apart, with a dumbbell in front of you. Squat down and take the dumbbell in one hand. Engage your core as you stand up, working from your feet up. Bend your elbow and press the dumbbell up and over your head, squeezing your glutes and abs to keep yourself straight. With control, lower the dumbbell to your starting position. He is a representative.
Romanian Dumbbell Deadlifts: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and toes pointing forward. Position the dumbbells so that they are above your shoelaces when you look down. In this position, the torso should be straight, arms straight and shoulder blades down. This will allow you to “lock” the back and minimize the strain on the neck.
Brace your core and thrust your hips back as if opening a door with your butt. Meanwhile, slide the dumbbells down your legs and keep your back flat. Ideally, your torso should become parallel to the ground, and the dumbbells or bars hang at shins level. When done correctly, you should feel tension building in your hamstrings and back (lower and middle, especially around the shoulder blades).
Once you’re in the bottom position, imagine someone gave you an electric shock to your buttocks and step back. When you reach full hip extension, be sure to keep your ribcage down and your glutes active. Learn more about how to do a roman deadlift and variations to try here.
Weighted burpee pushups with mountain climbers: This is another slightly complicated one. Start holding a dumbbell in each hand and lower them both to the floor, jumping your legs back, so that you’re in a high plank position with a dumbbell in each hand. Lower your chest to the floor to do a push-up (if that’s too difficult, drop your knees to the floor). As you return to a high plank position from the push-up, do 8 mountain climbers, before jumping your legs out of your hands, lifting the dumbbells to your chest, then back up, pressing the dumbbells overhead. above your head as you do.
I Tried This Dumbbell Workout – Here’s What Happened
This workout is great for getting your heart rate up without taking too much time or requiring too much equipment. I grabbed a set of 15 pound dumbbells and got to work – when it comes to choosing the right weight for you, go for a set that seems difficult by the last few reps, but not impossible – you should still be able to complete the workout with good form.
Speaking of form, Wells emphasizes “slow and steady” movements throughout this workout to really get the most out of every move. When you rush, you tend to move with sloppy form and without engaging your abs and glutes.
I found the workout difficult – I did 10 reps of the single arm clean and supported on each side, before moving on to the Romanian deadlifts. The last exercise was for me, by far, the most difficult, and I struggled to maintain my body weight on the metal handles of my dumbbells for 10 repetitions. This probably tells me I need to work on my grip strength, but I’ve found it a bit better to switch to dumbbells with a rubber grip.
Four rounds later, I felt like I had a great workout, without stepping foot in the gym or having to put in hours of weight training. It’s the season to eat, drink and have fun, but if you’re packing dumbbells in your suitcase, add this workout to your list.
Looking for more workout inspiration? Here’s what happened when our editor did ab exercises every day for a week, plus this shoulder workout that only takes 10 minutes to build muscle.
#Dumbbell #Workout #Hits #Body #Exercises