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Two Dumbbell Workout

dumbbells
HOME WORKOUT

The two dumbbell workout, featuring just dumbbells, shows you don’t need a lot of kit to get a good workout.

HOW TO DO THE TWO DUMBBELL WORKOUT
The following exercises for the two dumbbell workout are to be done back to back, with no rest between each move. Perform 10 reps of each exercise and rest for 60-90 secs once the whole circuit is complete. Repeat 3-5 times.

1. Deadlift

MUSCLES WORKED

glutes, hamstrings, quads, calves, core, traps, rhomboids, lats
  • Stand tall with soft knees, shoulders back and a pair
    of dumbbells at your side.
  • Press your hips back, keep your chest up and slowly lower the dumbbells towards the ground.
  • Once the dumbbells are midway down your shin, pause, squeeze your glutes and return to the starting position.
dumbbell workout
dumbbell workout

2. Two Dumbbell Push-up

MUSCLES WORKED

pecs, triceps, delts, core
  • Assume the usual push-up position with your hands and feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. 
  • Keeping good form, lower your torso until your chest lightly
    touches the floor. 
  • Push back up to the start position, then drive your hips up in the air
    while simultaneously reaching one hand back towards the opposite foot. 
  • Return to the push-up position. That’s one rep. 
  • Now repeat the process using the other hand.
dumbbell workout
dumbbell workout pushup

3. Windscreen Wipers

MUSCLES WORKED

abs, obliques, pecs, triceps, delts, lats 
  • Lie on your back with your arms extended, a dumbbell in each hand and your feet together.
  • Keeping your arms straight throughout, lift your legs up then move them towards your right hand. 
  • Return your feet to the ground and immediately lift them back up to
    your left hand.
  • That’s one rep.
The two dumbbell workout
The two dumbbell workout
The two dumbbell workout

4. Thruster

MUSCLES WORKED

quads, hamstrings, glutes, core, delts, traps, triceps 
  • Hold a pair of dumbbells on your shoulders, with your hands in a neutral position.
  • Do a deep squat, keeping your back
    in good alignment.
  • Drive up through your heels and punch the weights straight up
    in the air.
  • Drop down into the next squat and repeat the process.

5 Alternating Reverse Lunge

MUSCLES WORKED

quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, core 
  • With a pair of dumbbells at your side, take a big step backwards until your knee lightly grazes the floor.
  • Keeping your shoulders back, return to the starting position and go again on the other leg. That’s one rep. 
The two dumbbell workout
The two dumbbell workout
left leg
Right leg

6. Bent-over Row

MUSCLES WORKED

core, lats, rhomboids, posterior delts, erectors, biceps 
  • Begin by doing a deep push-up.
  • Holding the weights in front of you, bend your knees, press your hips back, keep your chest up and your shoulders down. This is your starting position. 
  • Row the weights up to your side, turning your hands as you go and keeping your elbows tucking in. 
  • Pause at the top, then return to the start. 

7. Dumbbell Swing

MUSCLES WORKED

glutes, quads, hamstrings, core 
  • Holding the dumbbells close together, hinge
    your hips backwards,
    then snap them forwards.
  • Allow the weights to swing up to about shoulder level and then
    fall back down into the next swing. 
  • Keep your posture in check throughout the move and make sure you’re not lifting the weights with your arms. All the momentum should come from your hips. 

8 Power High Pull

MUSCLES WORKED

pecs, triceps, traps, delts, core, lats, rhombids
  • Begin with your hips back and chest up, holding a pair of dumbbells just above your knees.
  • Drive your hips forward, come up onto your toes and drag the weights up in the air, pausing briefly at the top of the move with elbows wide. 
  • Return to the start position and go again. 
Power High Pull
Power high Pull