Dumbbell Workout

If you’re looking to firebomb fat, pack on muscle and sweat your way to a six-pack, we have your call to duty: this cutting-edge boot camp workout, designed by certified strength and conditioning specialists of Iron Manblog. By moving you through a series of intense exercises at a fast pace, it’ll help you torch more kilojoules per minute than a typical weight-training or aerobic workout. Plus, it works every one of your muscles, from head to toe. Whether you want bigger muscles or faster fat loss, Iron Man shows you how to tweak this workout to achieve your most pressing goal. Now get to work – that’s an order, soldier!

01. DUMBBELL SKIER SWING

Holding a pair of dumbbells at arm’s length by your side, stand with your feet hip-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Without rounding your lower back, bend at your hips as you simultaneously swing your arms backward. Now explosively thrust your hips forward and raise your torso until you’re standing upright, while allowing your momentum to swing the weights up to chest level (don’t actively lift the weight). Swing back and forth for the duration of your set.

02. DUMBBELL 1/2 PUSH-UP

Grasp the handle of a dumbbell in each hand and assume a push-up position with your arms straight. Your hands should be about shoulder-width apart and your body should form a straight line from head to ankles. Bend your elbows and lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor. Pause, then push yourself halfway back up. Pause again, then lower your body back to the floor. Push all the way back up to the starting position, then repeat.

03. DUMBBELL HOT POTATO SQUAT

Grab a dumbbell with your left hand and hold it against the front of your shoulder, your elbow bent. Keeping your back naturally arched, push your hips back, bend your knees and lower your hips until the top of your thighs are at least parallel to the floor. Stand back up as you smoothly pass the dumbbell from your left hand to your right. Now immediately repeat the squat while holding the dumbbell in your right hand. Continue to alternate back and forth.

04. DUMBBELL LAWNMOWER PULL

Hold a dumbbell in your left hand and stand in a split stance, your right foot in front of your left. Bend your right knee and your hips until your torso is about 45° to the floor. Let the dumbbell hang at arm’s length. In one move, explosively straighten your right leg and thrust your hips forward as you rotate your torso (pivot your feet) and row the weight to your shoulder. Reverse the move and repeat. Once you’ve worked for half of your allotted time, switch hands and legs.

05. DUMBBELL OVERHEAD SHOULDERING

Use both hands to grasp a dumbbell by its ends and hold it against your chest. Standing tall with your feet shoulder-width apart, shift the dumbbell to your left shoulder, then press it directly overhead until your arms are straight, then lower it to your right shoulder. That’s one rep. Continue to move the weight in this manner until you’ve worked for half of your allotted time. Now switch directions (that is, push the dumbbell up from your right shoulder) and do the rest of your reps.

06. DUMBBELL ROTATIONAL DEADLIFT

Stand tall and use both hands to grasp a dumbbell by its ends, letting it hang at arm’s length in front of your waist. Now rotate your hips to the left so your left foot is forward and the weight is hanging next to your left thigh. Next, keeping your back naturally arched, bend your knees and hips, and lower the weight to the front of your left shin. Push your hips forward, raise your torso and stand, then rotate your torso all the way to the right to repeat the move on that side.

07. DUMBBELL BOTTOM-HALF GET-UP

Grab a dumbbell in your right hand and lie on the floor with your right leg bent and your left leg straight. Hold the dumbbell overhead with your arm completely straight. Without taking your eyes off the dumbbell or letting your right arm bend, roll onto your left side and prop yourself up on your left elbow. Now straighten your left arm. Reverse the move to return to the starting position and repeat until the time is up. On your next set of this exercise, do the move with the weight in your left hand.

08. DUMBBELL THREADED LUNGE

Hold a dumbbell in your left hand and stand tall with your feet hip-width apart. This is the starting position. Keeping your torso upright, take a big step backward with your right foot and lower your body until your left knee is bent at least 90° and your right knee almost touches the floor. While in this “down” position, pass the dumbbell under your left leg to your right hand. Push yourself back to the starting position and repeat, this time Lunging backward with your left leg.

09. DUMBBELL HIGH-LOW FARMER’S WALK

Grab two dumbbells: a heavy one in your right hand and a light one in your Left. (The heavy dumbbell should be about twice the weight of the light one.) Press the light dumbbell over your head, keeping your arm straight and your biceps in Line with your ear. Let the heavy dumbbell hang at arm’s length next to your side. With your core braced and glutes tight, walk forward, then backward – and then every which way. Once you’ve worked for half of your allotted time, switch arms and legs.

10. DUMBBELL SHOVELING

Stand in a split stance, your right foot in front of your left. Use both hands to grasp a dumbbell by its ends and hold it at arm’s Length in front of your right thigh. Explosively loop the dumbbell across your body, up to chest level, then over to your left thigh as you pivot your feet and rotate your hips to the left. Now reverse the move back to the starting position. Continue to move the dumbbell back and forth, as if you’re constantly “shoveling”from one side of your body to the other.