Full Body Dumbbell Workout With Cardio Blasts

I hope you all had a great Memorial Day Weekend! I was hanging out in northern Minnesota at the cabin with my family having an awesome time.

We did all the typical cabin-y things: grill, sit on the pontoon, have a bonfire, fish, drink coffee/wine/beer, watch movies, read, go for walks/runs, and relax.

Just the best.

Following a great weekend, let’s have a great workout.

This is a full body dumbbell workout that has two cardio blasts built in. The only thing you’ll need to do this workout is one set of dumbbells. I recommend using 8- or 10-pounds, but if you have access to more you can increase or decrease the weight depending on the exercise and muscle group. For example, I usually need to use a lighter set of dumbbells when I do shoulder exercises compared to when I do biceps or chest exercises. However, if you do only have one set of dumbbells (which is totally fine!!) you could adjust the amount of repetitions (do 20 chest presses and 8 lateral raises instead of 15 reps for both). You’ll want to challenge yourself, but make sure to keep proper form.

Mixed in between the 7 different strength exercises are 2 30-second cardio bursts. The first is a set of mountain climbers and the second is a set of burpees – you can totally do these for 30 seconds!

Here’s what the full workout looks like:

Here are the exercise cues:

• Plank Hammer Curls: Assume plank (pushup) position with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other. Keeping upper arm stationary and body in plank position, raise the right dumbbell toward right shoulder. Lower to starting position. Repeat with left arm.
• Standing Triceps Extensions: Stand holding dumbbells in each hand. Raise them to be directly above your head (starting position). Keeping your elbows still at either side of your temples, slowly lower your forearms and flex your elbows until the dumbbell is at the back of your head. Raise dumbbell back to starting position
• Lateral Raises: Stand holding dumbbells in each hand with palms facing the sides of thighs. Raise both arms up and out to the side until hands reach approximately shoulder level. Lower arms back to starting position.
• Mountain Climbers: Start in a plank position. Bring your right knee forward towards your right elbow. Explosively draw your left knee forward as your right leg moves back, like you are running. Continue this motion.
• Russian Twists: Sit on a mat with your knees bent, your torso at a 45-degree angle to the mat, and your fists in front of you holding a dumbbell in each hand. Twist your torso to one side, then twist to the other. This is one rep. Continue and make sure to keep from twisting your legs.
• Bent-Over Rows: With a dumbbell in your left hand, kneel over the side of a bench with your right arm and right knee on the bench and a straight back. Raise the dumbbell up to your side until it reaches your ribs. Lower back down until arm is fully extended. Complete all reps then switch to the opposite side.
• Dumbbell Bench Press: Lie on a bench holding a dumbbell in each hand positioned at each side of your chest with your elbows bent under the dumbbells (starting position). While contracting your chest, press the dumbbells up until they are fully extended. Lower back to starting position.
• Lunge with bicep curl: Stand with your feet hip distance apart holding dumbbells in each hand. Step your left foot forward. As you lower down into a lunge, also curl the dumbbells up. At the bottom up the lunge both knees should be at a 90-degree angle and the dumbbells should be at about shoulder height with your elbows at your side. Raise back up to standing while lowering the dumbbells. Complete all reps then switch to the opposite side.
• Burpees: Lower down into a squat position and place your hands on the ground in front of you. Kick your feet back into the push up position and lower your body to the floor. Raise your body back up and return your feet back to the squat position as quickly as possible. Immediately jump up as high as you can.

This full body dumbbell workout is great on its own, especially if you cycle through it 2 or 3 times. It would also be great to tack 1 or 2 rounds on at the end of a cardio session. Reach out in the comments if you have any questions about it. Also, let me know if you try it out. I would love to hear about it!

Let’s have a fun and fit summer!

PS – what did you do over Memorial Day? Did you fit in any good workouts?