I like my training to be efficient. Between work, long runs, and social events, I prefer my strength routines to offer the most in the shortest amount of time. That's why I wanted to give this eight-move dumbbell workout a try.
To take part, you only need a pair of dumbbells, or if you fancy swapping out the weights for each movements, a pair of the best adjustable dumbbells is ideal. The last few movements are done on the ground, so a yoga mat may also be beneficial.
This routine is exactly what I look for when I want a workout with a core strengthening element; short and easy to follow. The video was also perfect for what I am looking to target after my standard Tuesday leg workout; my arms and abs, two areas that I often miss out on in my strength training.
The routine was developed by Roxanne Russell, a personal trainer who's online videos are clear, informative, and easy to follow. I did this at my gym so I had access to several different dumbbell weights.
I started with medium weights and moved to lighter ones for exercises where I felt my form was suffering (special shout out to those standing overhead marches and dumbbell punches).
As a guide, you should use a dumbbell that is going to challenge you to get through a set but won't effect your form.
Watch Roxanne Russell's eight-move dumbbell workout
The workout consists of eight supersets. For each movement you do 45 seconds of work (90 seconds per superset) and have 30 seconds of rest after each superset.
One of my favorite parts of this workout is that there are no repeats; you do every movement just once. It also has no jumping, so your sore knees and downstairs neighbors will thank you.
What are supersets?
As we mentioned earlier, this workout follows a superset pattern, but what are they? It's a training technique where you do two exercises back-to-back without resting between.
Some supersets target the same muscles in both exercises, while others (like this one) focus on several areas in a single superset. It's a time-efficient way to exercise, as you hit more muscles in less time, but it also builds strength and increases endurance.
Would I do this workout again?
A resounding yes. This workout pushed me towards my limits, but in the best possible way. My favorite routines are ones you can feel for hours after, and I definitely found that here.
The dumbbells make the moves challenging, but by changing the weight to something a little lighter got me through this routine. I may even make it a regular thing, so I can use the progressive overload technique to gradually increase the weight.
