Whether you’re in a packed gym and could only find one lonely dumbbell or if you’re working with a sparsely-stocked home gym, there’s a lot you can accomplish with this one-dumbbell workout.
Using just one piece of equipment doesn’t mean you can’t get a good workout. In fact, when you’re short on time, stuck at home, or navigating a packed gym, scaling back can make you more efficient. Added to that, using one weight allows for unilateral moves that challenge your balance, firing up your core and stabiliser muscles in your legs and elsewhere. Simplify your routine without sacrificing results with this one-dumbbell workout from trainer Craig Ballantyne.
How to do this one-dumbbell workout
Using the heaviest weight you can handle (while maintaining proper form), perform the prescribed number of reps for each exercise in order, resting 30 seconds between moves. (If needed, you can rest up to a minute, or make it tougher by dropping that break altogether.) That’s one circuit.
Rest for two minutes, then finish as many circuits as you can in 15 minutes. Beginner? Start with two circuits and build from there.
You’ll need: a bench; one heavy dumbbell
1. Narrow-stance goblet squat
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell vertically in front of your chest, both hands cupping the dumbbell head (A). Keeping your chest up and your core tight, sit your hips back and squat as low as you can (B). Press through your heels to return to start. That’s one rep. Do 15.
READ MORE: 30 Plank Variations That Will Transform Your Core From A Trainer
2. Single-arm bent-over row
Place your left knee and hand on a bench and hold a weight in your right hand at arm’s length (A). Pull the dumbbell up to your ribcage (B), then lower back to start. That’s one rep. Do 10, then repeat on the other side.
READ MORE: Get A Full-Body Workout In Just 15 Minutes With Only 2 Household Items
3. Single-arm chest press
Lie face-up on a bench, holding a dumbbell in your left hand at your chest (A). Press the weight directly upward (B). Slowly lower back to start. That’s one rep. Do 10, then switch arms and repeat.
READ MORE: 8 Ways To Build Stronger Thighs
4. Dumbbell swing
Hold a dumbbell with both hands using an overhand grip and stand with feet hip-width apart. Push your hips back, knees slightly bent, and lower your chest to bring the dumbbell between your legs (A). Keeping your core tight, push your hips forward and swing the dumbbell up to shoulder height (B). Reverse the movement, swinging the weight back between your legs. That’s one rep. Do 15.