Two Dumbbell Workout

HOME WORKOUT

Think an effective workout requires a gym full of kit? This workout, featuring just one pair of dumbbells, shows you otherwise.

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.

2. 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.

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.

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.

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.