Dumbbells, alongside Kettlebells, are easily the most versatile piece of equipment you can find at a gym. They can easily be manipulated to complete 100’s of different movements, at different tempos, intensities and volumes to get the desired results from the workout. Most people think of dumbbells being a body builders fun toy, however we are going to break down three dumbbell workouts focusing on Strength, Power and Conditioning!
Strength:
- Equipment Needed: Pair of Dumbbells
- Focus: Heavy Weights / Good Form
Workout:
1A: DB Floor Press (3 x 10 Reps)
1B: DB Bent Over Row (3 x 10 Reps)
2A: DB Deadlift (3x12 Reps)
2B: DB Overhead Press (3x6)
3A: DB Reverse Lunge (3 x 8 Each Leg)
4A: Standing DB Bicep Curl (3x15 Each Arm)
4B: Floor DB Skull Crushers (3x15 Each Arm)
In this workout we focus on strength, trying to move heavy weights under control for a low amount of reps with max effort. We have paired movements known as agonists and antagonists. This means we chose muscle groups where one is working, the other is resting (e.g. floor press into bent over row), this way we are able to complete as much strength work as possible in as short amount of time. Ideally you will more than one pair of dumbbells to complete the movements effectively, but if you have access to one pair then be creative with your rep ranges! We would recommend 90-120 seconds in between sets to allow the body to fully recover.
Power:
Equipment Needed: Pair of Dumbbells - Box
Focus On: Moving as quickly with as much power as possible
A1: DB Box Jump - Focus on height of box (3 sets of 4 reps)
B1: Heavy DB Snatch - Focus on weight of DB (3 sets of 3 reps)
C1: DB Box Jump From Seated - Focus on weight of DB (4 sets of 3 reps)
D1: Double DB Hang Snatch - Focus on speed of DB (2 sets of 6/8 Reps)
This workout is designed to focus on our power and force production, the idea is to move a heavy object(s) from point A to point B as quick as we can whilst maintaining form. We use two movements in two separate cycles to:
- not fatigue the muscle tissue
- allow appropriate rest time
- to give two completely separate stimuli from one movement to another
We gave a couple of points on what to focus on but at the end of the day it all depends on your own personal goals. Remember, when picking a weight it is focused on power, we want quick movements, we don’t want slow grinds here! Perfect for rugby/football/athletes trying to increase force production for performance. But be creative, if you think that higher reps or more sets would be better for your chosen sport, then complete accordingly!
Conditioning:
- Equipment Needed: A pair of Dumbbells
- Focus on: Moving quickly and safely, whilst producing as much work capacity as possible
DT/Heavy DT
DT
10 Rounds For Time of:
12 DB Deadlifts
9 DB Power Cleans
6 DB Push Press (Overhead)
Heavy DT:
5 Rounds For Time of:
12 DB Deadlifts
9 DB Power Cleans
6 DB Push Press
This is a classic variation of a crossfit hero workout! Traditionally completed with a barbell, this time we have twisted it with a pair of DBs! Depending on the weight of DBs you have relative to your strength depends on which DT you do! The heavier the DBs, then heavy DT and light DBs for a normal DT. We guarantee that this workout will help your conditioning - especially if you train at an intensity to improve. The combination of deads, cleans and overhead presses will burn out the shoulders, hamstrings and glutes, all whilst your grip and lungs are crying out for help! We recommend starting with a light DT before trying a heavy DT, this will give you a good appreciation of all the movements. If you show good work capacity here, not only will it make you a more conditioned athlete, but help you burn a heap of calories too!
And that concludes our article on 3 dumbbell workouts to build strength, power and conditioning! We hope you gave them a try and enjoyed them. If you did, feel free to post down what weights and times you did the workouts in. Alternatively if you want to sign up to become one of hundreds who receive our free newsletter, articles and workouts as soon as they are released then fill in our newsletter below. Even better, do you want to try NRG’s services? Do you want to move pain free or improve your training? Then follow the button below!