The Two Dumbbell At-Home Workout

By Thomas King, MSc, CSCS, CEP

It’s only Day 2 off work from the COVID-19 related measures and I’m already starting to go a bit stir-crazy. Food is flying off supermarket shelves and your children may be driving you nuts at this point. If you would like a 30-minute distraction from the chaos that has become everyday life this last week, give the following workout a try.

To minimize the amount of equipment you’ll need, it will be a five-exercise “complex” workout. This means you do all five exercises with the same two dumbbells without putting them down. For the workout, try starting with 8 reps per exercise. Do 8 reps per exercise and transition to the next one. When you get to the end, rest about 2 minutes and repeat again for 3 to 5 rounds.

For added benefit, add our “5 At-Home Stretches for Total Body Flexibility” in your warm prior to doing this workout.

1. Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift

Hold one dumbbell in each hand.
Stand tall and soften the knees.
Push the hips directly backwards while reaching towards the floor with your hands stopping just below the knee.
Contract the hamstrings to pull yourself back up while squeezing the glutes hard. Repeat for 8 repetitions.

Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift Start Position

Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift Stretched Position

2. Dumbbell Bent Over Row

Stand tall, soften the knees and bend down to a position similar to the bottom of your Romanian deadlift.
Hold this position and row the weights up until you feel a good squeeze in the shoulder blades. Be mindful that you are not shrugging your shoulders while doing this.
Lower the weights to the starting position and repeat for 8 repetitions.

Dumbbell Bent Over Row Contracted Position

3. Dumbbell Squat to Press

Hold the dumbbells in the front rack position.
Squat down to your full squat depth.
Explode upwards pushing the weights overhead as you do.
Seamlessly begin the next rep. Repeat for 8 repetitions.

Dumbbell Squat to Press Starting Position

4. Dumbbell Push-Up

Place the dumbbells on the floor about 1.5 times shoulder width apart.
Perform full range push-ups touching your chest to the floor each time.
Repeat for 8 repetitions.

5. Dumbbell Plank Row

Place dumbbells about two inches apart.
Assume a push-up position on the dumbbells with your hands narrow and your feet about 2 times hip width wide.
Row one dumbbell up, return to the ground and row the other one up. Ensure your hips do not rotate while doing this to properly engage the core.
Repeat for 8 repetitions per arm.

There you have it. Complex workouts are a great way to squeeze a high quality workout into a short amount of time. If your dumbbells are heavier, try for 4-6 reps/exercise. If they are lighter, aim for 10-12 reps/exercise.

Only have a resistance band? Check out our “One Band Full Body At-Home Workout“

~Thomas 🏋️‍♀️

Do you have weights at home, but not sure what to do? We offer Online Strength Coaching. Receive a custom workout based on what equipment you have, your goals, needs, and current ability. Only 1-week commitment required.

Find out more HERE.

Lisa Dobbin

Personal Strength Training by Jon-Erik Kawamoto

JKC was recommended to me by a fellow runner. I was experiencing injuries, and feeling weak and fragile. When I started with JKC, Jon asked me about my goals and my focus. I wanted to concentrate specifically on running, and preventing injury. Jon developed a program for me that has enabled me to focus on my form and strength and has been flexible enough to enable me to train for many different races. I have been training with JKC for six years, and during that time I have enjoyed Jon and Thomas’s expertise in a very warm and supportive atmosphere.

Jon Howard

I’m 36 Years Old and started with JKC in 2013. In the past I’d often have motivated spurts of a gym routine but they would usually only last a month or so. It’s pretty easy to press the snooze button at 530 am when there’s no one waiting for you. The fact that the guys are always on time/prepared and motivated for your session adds a level of accountability to your shoulders to “get out of bed” and bring your best effort each time. From the pressure free trainers to the camaraderie that you create over time with the individuals you’re working out with, JKC is able to offer an experience many other gyms cannot.

Krista Harding

Personal Strength Training by Thomas King

I joined JKC because I wanted to better care for my physical health, but didn’t really know how, or where, to begin. Seeking help from a trainer seemed like a wise choice, and I had heard great things about the staff at JKC. Anyone who knows me knows that I hate exercising. So, I’ve only ever tried sticking with a gym routine twice in my life. Each experience consisted of me wandering around, not knowing what to do, and settling for an elliptical machine or something else that seemed comfortable and non-threatening. Each session was the same, and I felt like I was wasting my time.

Each session at JKC, however, is specifically crafted for me. I don’t have to think about what to do, because I’m told what to do. I don’t have to worry about how to do things properly, because I’m shown (sometimes multiple times!) how to accomplish each task. I don’t have to be concerned about slipping into a comfortable routine, because Jon and Thomas won’t let that happen.

Darrin Goulding

Astrid Billfalk-Kelly

I wanted to add strength training to my cardio, but have always felt gyms to be a bit intimidating, and was worried I would hurt myself without some supervision and help. JKC was highly recommended by several work colleagues. Thomas and Jon are both fantastic, making sure that everyone gets a highly personalized work out in a very supportive environment. The attention to detail and professionalism are second to none. The groups are very small, but very supportive and make the workouts even more fun. Since getting pregnant (36 weeks as I write this) I’m so happy that they continue to help me get stronger while always being safe.

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