If you struggle to find time to work out regularly but can spare 30 minutes and own a pair of the best adjustable dumbbells, or any standard pair of dumbbells, then it's time you tried out this five move full-body strength building workout.
The workout comes from qualified run coach and PT James Stirling and combines five dumbbell exercises into a high-intensity resistance training format. Stirling's routine targets major muscle groups all over the body, will help to build and tone muscle, get the heart rate up and give your metabolism a healthy little boost.
You'll do each exercise for 40 seconds, take a 20-second rest, then start the next move. Aim for five sets with a minute to catch your breath between each set. If you're new to weight training, be sure to practice your form before you start, either with advice from a fitness professional, or you can perfect your form using Stirling's demonstrations.
- Hang clean
- Lunge
- Skater
- Renegade push-up
- Kneeling press
The medley of upper and lower body exercises in the routine will have you working all the major muscle groups across your body including the shoulders, chest, back, glutes, quads, and hamstrings. Not forgetting the important core muscles, which will be engaged during every exercise to help with your stability and balance throughout the routine.
This workout has a HIIT format where you work intensely on one exercise before taking a short break and moving straight on to the next. But, dumbbells are brought into the mix making this a high-intensity resistance training (HIRT) session. There are lots of benefits tied to a HIRT workout including the fact that it's a quick and effective way to workout, it can help stimulate muscle growth and boost your cardio health.
The breaks in this routine are short to keep your heart rate elevated which keeps the body burning calories even after your workout. Although you only get twenty seconds of rest between each exercise, be sure to take the breaks and grab a mouthful of water from one of the best water bottles. This style of training can bring out a sweat so it's good to keep your hydration levels throughout and after the workout.
As you will be working intensely during the active periods and incorporating weights into the routine, it's in your best interest to execute each exercise with good form or else you will make yourself more susceptible to injury. You also don't need to be lifting super heavy, the heavier the weight the less likely you are to keep up with the routine and perform each move with proper form.
The more comfortable and confident you become with the routine, the more you can consider upping the weight and implementing some progressive overload into your training. This will also help you avoid hitting a plateau in your fitness gains.
More from Tom's Guide
- You only need 10 minutes and these 4 standing abs exercises to strengthen your core and boost your metabolism
- You only need 2 dumbbells and 6 moves to build full-body muscle and boost your metabolism
- Metabolic Resistance Training: what is it, and how can it help you burn fat and build muscle?
