- Sticking closely to your everyday workout routine helps keep you fit, healthy, and mentally in-check.
- One of the best ways to add variety to your at-home workout is to incorporate a series of dumbbell exercises that don’t just work your arms but your entire body.
- We consulted Don Saladino, fitness expert and owner of Drive 495 in New York City, to provide a series of exercises you can do from home with nothing more than a pair of dumbbells.
Part of staying healthy and fit while spending more time indoors is to stick closely to your daily routine. For many, that includes keeping up with their daily fitness. While you may not always have access to your favorite box gym or your daily sweat, you can get an equally effective workout from home, according to fitness expert and owner of Drive 495, Don Saladino.
Even if you only own a pair of dumbbells, you’re still able to log a beneficial workout, fatigue your muscles, and make some noticeable progress toward your fitness goals. As Saladino puts it, it all comes down to how you approach the training.
His preferred approach to working out at home is to perform what are called complexes; that is, a series of moves performed back-to-back with little to no rest.
"With complexes, your time under tension becomes extraordinary," says Saladino. "You're accumulating 50 reps in one round. So, this creates plenty of change despite not having much weight."
To help you incorporate complexes into your routine, Saladino shared with us his five favorite dumbbell moves - and all you'll need is a pair of dumbbells and a little bit of space in your home.
The workout
Equipment: One pair of dumbbells
Reps per exercise: 10
Rest between exercises: 1-2 minutes
Rounds: 3-5, depending on your fitness level
If you own more than one pair, stick with a lighter weight as you'll want to use the same dumbbells for the entire complex. For each move, complete 10 consecutive reps before taking a one- to two-minute rest. After resting, move onto the next exercise on the list. Once you complete all five, that's considered one round.
If you're newer to training, or this style of workout, it's easier to do just three rounds of each exercise and aim to work up to five. Once that becomes manageable, Saladino says to either add reps or more rounds.
Feel free to perform any of these moves as one-offs or add them into your current routine if you have one, too.
The Moves
Front-rack Dumbbell Squat
Rest both dumbbells on your shoulders, with your elbows pointed forward and up. Set your feet shoulder-width apart and squat down by bending at your knees.
As you descend, keep your torso straight and abs tight. Once the bottom of your thighs are parallel to the floor, drive yourself back up.
Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
Remain in the same stance as you were for squats but hold the dumbbells at your waist, with your arms fully extended. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and then hinge at your hips, pushing your butt back, to lower the weights to the middle of your shins.
Your back should remain straight and you should feel a stretch in your hamstrings.
Dumbbell Alternating Bentover Row
Get into the down position of the Romanian deadlift and let your arms extend while holding both dumbbells. Squeeze your abs and row one dumbbell to your side until your elbow passes your torso.
Lower the dumbbell back to the starting position and row the other. That's one rep.
Alternating Shoulder Press
Stand tall, feet shoulder-width apart, and hold a dumbbell in each hand resting on your shoulders. Keep your body straight and press one dumbbell up overhead until your elbow is locked out.
Then, lower it and repeat the movement on the other side.
Renegade Row
Set two dumbbells on the floor and get into a pushup position with each of your hands on a dumbbell. Keep your head, back, and butt in one straight line. Squeeze every muscle in your body and row one dumbbell to your side and lower it back down to the ground. Then, row the other dumbbell. That's one rep.
Our dumbbell picks
Bowflex SelectTech 560 Dumbbells
These may require more of an upfront investment than you'd like to spend but this pair of dumbbells adjust in small increments from 5 to 60 pounds, so you're getting 16 pairs of dumbbells in one set. This is about all you'd need to continuously up the intensity of your workouts and gain strength.
Changing the weight, which you do by turning the handle of the dumbbell, is smooth and quick. The dumbbells are also square, which is helpful for when you're performing moves like the renegade row as they won't roll around. These dumbbells are also sleek, so they won't stick out in a bad way in your home or apartment.
My favorite feature is the 3DT (three-dimensional trainer) technology. After connecting both weights via Bluetooth to your smartphone, you're able to track your workouts through the companion Bowflex app. The app tracks your sets and reps and even calculates how much total weight you lifted. This helps keep you honest, as you'll immediately know if you're doing more or less than your last workout. It's also motivating when you see yourself achieve a new personal best.
The CAP Barbell 150-pound Dumbbell Set (with rack)
While these don't offer as many weight options as the Bowflex dumbbells, many lifters may be attracted to the familiar feel these provide. Also, the rack is a nice touch that helps save space and keeps the dumbbells off the floor.
You'll also appreciate their hexagonal shape, which keeps them from rolling around during use. One downside is that the set only goes up to 25 pounds. That said, if you're more of a beginner, this is a solid investment to start out with. You can always increase your sets and reps to make up for the lack of weight, too.