The 12-Move Dumbbell Workout You Can Do Anywhere | Men's Health Magazine Australia

The 12-Move Dumbbell Workout You Can Do Anywhere

This workout features a 12-move whole body circuit using a pair of 12.5 dumbbells (or whatever pair of dumbbells you have access to). You do each move for as many quality reps as you can in a minute with no more than 15 to 30 seconds of rest between moves. After completing each move in […]

This workout features a 12-move whole body circuit using a pair of 12.5 dumbbells (or whatever pair of dumbbells you have access to). You do each move for as many quality reps as you can in a minute with no more than 15 to 30 seconds of rest between moves. After completing each move in the circuit, rest 1 to 2 minutes. That’s 1 round. Do 3 to 5 rounds.

 

What I love about this routine is you only need a pair of dumbbells and you can ensure steady gains all over your body by gradually progressing to a heavier pair of dumbbells over time. Plus, if you only have access to a single pair of dumbbells, you can progressively complete more reps within each minute and/or more total reps each session to stimulate more lean muscle mass.

How do you know if you’re picking the right weight for the full circuit? If you’re able execute moves 1 to 6 for a minute without needing to rest/pause too much (you want to a hit a minimum of 6 to 8 reps), then you will be able to complete moves 7 to 12 without a problem.

  1. Dumbbell twisting biceps curl
  2. Dumbbell twisting overhead triceps extension
  3. Dumbbell modified upright row
  4. Dumbbell Bulgarian hip hinge, left side
  5. Dumbbell Bulgarian hip hinge, right side
  6. Dumbbell overhead press
  7. Double dumbbell front squat
  8. Dumbbell bent-over row
  9. Dumbbell pushup
  10. Dumbbell Bulgarian split squat, left side
  11. Dumbbell Bulgarian split squat, right side
  12. Dumbbell overhead skier swing

Progress Tracking

There are 3 unique ways that you can track progress with this workout:

Option A- The weight of the pair of dumbbells you use

Progressing from a 12.5kg to 15kg pair of dumbbells will stimulate more muscle and strength gains, even though initially you’ll get less total reps for each move than you did with the lighter pair of dumbbells. Please note that sometimes 5 kilo jumps can be too aggressive. Consider purchasing a pair that’s only 2 to 2.5 kilos heavier, especially with lighter weights. 

Option B- The average reps/minute you complete for each move

Option C- The total number of reps each workout

You can track your overall progress by adding the number of reps you complete for each move in each circuit. It’s a lot of counting, but if your total number of reps per session goes up using the same weight, you will build muscle, burn fat, and get stronger.

This article was originally published on MensHealth.com

More From

dave Hughes
Why I Run: Dave Hughes

Why I Run: Dave Hughes

The comedian has been a dedicated runner since he was a teenager. It’s not something he overthinks – that would defeat the purpose – but Hughes is clear on one thing: his days are better when he runs