You don't need a gym filled with equipment to build serious muscle, strength, and conditioning. All you need is two dumbbells and a plan! I put together four complexes, each using nothing more than a pair of dumbbells and your body. Each complex will challenge you in a unique way.
Complexes are great because they force you to complete a high-volume workout in a short amount of time. The key is to hang on to the weight until you've completed all the movements. No rest until you've finished a round!
Try this workout, and if you like this style of training as much as I know you will, try the full 8-week program Total Fitness with Andy Speer in BodyFit!
Total Fitness is unlike any program you've ever tried, and perfect for training at home as well as in the gym. The first two-week phase, titled GPP + Total Fitness, includes only workouts that combine body weight with simple, strategic dumbbell work like loaded carries. And that's just 2 of the 8 weeks!
Andy Speer's Dumbbell Strength Conditioning Workout
Watch the video - 7:12
The Ultimate Full-Body Workout
Before you get going on the workout, grab a 10-12-pound dumbbell and warm up by doing the following:
Once you've completed the warm-up, grab a set of dumbbells and get your mind ready. The first time you do the routine, just work through each complex as best as you can, and don't worry if it feels a bit awkward or the weights you have aren't ideal.
If you have more than one pair of dumbbells available, you'll probably want to increase or decrease the weight depending on the complex. In general, use as much weight as you can, but don't go so heavy you can't move well. Rest 2-3 minutes between complexes, and be ready to work.
Complex 1: Power and Strength Complex
When doing the cleans, use powerful hip extension to explode the dumbbells up, much like you would in the barbell clean.
When you're done with your second, clean them one more time and then start the push-presses. Use your legs! These aren't military presses. And definitely make sure to get a solid lockout at the top with your core tight.
After the third press, bring the dumbbells down to a rack position with the dumbbells at your chest, either in a somewhat neutral grip or facing you, whichever is most comfortable. Keep your core tight, and sit back to perform the front squats.
Complex 2: Hypertrophy
Now that you've done some explosive work, it's time to up the rep range for muscle growth.
For the first movement, lie on the floor and squeeze the dumbbells together as you press up, which will bring more chest into the otherwise triceps-heavy floor press. During the row, hold a safe spinal position, and really try to get a good squeeze at the top between your shoulder blades.
Don't alternate your legs on the reverse lunge. Perform 10 lunges on one leg before you switch to the next to maximize the stimulus each one gets. If your grip is feeling shot at this point, it's fine to hold the dumbbells in the rack position. The rack's going to give you a little more core work, but both exercises work the legs the same.
Complex 3: Core
You may not see anything in the exercises listed below that screams "core" like, say, the hollow-body rock from my "Quick Total-Body Workout," but trust me, you'll feel these where you should.
To make this work as a complex, perform all of the exercises with your right arm, rest for 60 seconds, then go through the exercises with your left arm. Keep your core tight the whole time!
During the snatch, keep your core tight and posture solid, even when you start breathing heavily. When performing the farmer's carry, your body will naturally want to lean away from the weight, but try to lean into the weight to keep your torso nice and straight.
The get-up sit-up, or half get-up, is a great exercise for your core and far less complex than the full get-up. Keep your eyes on the dumbbell and your shoulder locked into the socket. Push through your heel on the bent-leg side.
When doing plank rows, I like to elevate my nonworking arm on a dumbbell so I get a full range of motion. Widening your legs will help your hips square to the floor.
Complex 4: Conditioning
The final complex in this workout will test your conditioning. It may not look like much, but if you spend a little time in a split stance, you'll see why I use this as a finisher. When you're in a split stance, keep that back glute really tucked and tight and your torso vertical while you do the hammer curl. Switch legs before moving to the shoulder press.
During the split switch, try to keep your hips as low as possible. You'll get off the ground a little bit, but you don't want to be jumping around a lot. The key is to move your feet quickly and keep your torso nice and vertical.
Implementing This Workout
Perform this workout twice per week for 2-3 weeks, resting at least two days between the workouts. If you like the results, keep going with it! Once the workouts start to feel static, add weight or reps, or decrease the reps. Do whatever you can to challenge yourself every time!
