The biggest obstacle between you and the body you want might come from an unexpected source: your gym. That s because crowds can slow your workout and your results. After all, every second you spend waiting for the chinup bar, cable station, or squat rack is less time you have for working your muscles or boosting your calorie burn. And isn t there too much downtime built into your day already? Don t waste another minute in the gym. This fat-burning, muscle-building workout requires only a single set of dumbbells and an adjustable bench. The order in which you perform the exercises along with the number of reps for each allows the same pair of dumbbells to challenge each muscle equally. The upshot: There s never been a simpler way to chisel a better body. Perform each workout (A, B, and C) once a week, resting at least a day between sessions. Within each workout, alternate sets between exercises of the same number (1A and 1B, for example) until you complete all sets in that pairing. (In other words, follow a set of the first exercise with a set of the second exercise.) Rest 1 minute between 1A and 1B, but perform exercises 2A and 2B back-to-back, with no rest. After you ve done a set of each exercise pair, rest for 1 minute and then repeat the cycle until you ve completed all the prescribed sets. Exercise 1A. Dumbbell 3 8 0 s N/A Bench Press 1B. Single-Leg 3 12 60 s N/A Neutral-Grip Dumbbell Row 2A. Incline 2 5 0 s N/A Dumbbell Bench Press 2B. Dumbbell 2 15 0 s N/A Squat 3A. Dumbbell Split Squat 3 8 0 s N/A
3B. Single-Arm Dumbbell Shoulder Press 4A. Dumbbell Straight-Leg Deadlift 4B. Single-Arm Dumbbell Swing 5A. Dumbbell Stepup 5B. Chest-Supported Incline Row 6A. Standing Dumbbell Curl 6B. Alternating Dumbbell Lying Triceps Extension 3 12 60 s N/A 2 10 0 s N/A 2 20 0 s N/A 3 8 0 s N/A 3 12 60 s N/A 2 10 0 s N/A 2 12 0 s N/A
1. Dumbbell Bench Press 2. Single-Leg Neutral-Grip Dumbbell Row 3 8 0 s N/A 3 12 60 s N/A 3. Incline Dumbbell Bench Press 4. Dumbbell Squat 2 5 0 s N/A 2 15 0 s N/A 5. Dumbbell Split Squat 6. Single-Arm Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 8 0 s N/A
3 12 60 s N/A 7. Dumbbell Straight-Leg Deadlift 8. Single-Arm Dumbbell Swing 2 10 0 s N/A 2 20 0 s N/A 9. Dumbbell Stepup 10. Chest-Supported Incline Row 3 8 0 s N/A 3 12 60 s N/A 11. Standing Dumbbell Curl 12. Alternating Dumbbell Lying Triceps Extension 2 10 0 s N/A 2 12 0 s N/A
Dumbbell Bench Press Grab a pair of dumbbells and lie on your back on a flat bench, holding the dumbbells over your chest so that they're nearly touching. Your palms should be facing out, but turned slightly inward. Before you begin, pull your shoulder blades down and together, and hold them as tight as you can throughout the entire exercise. Keeping your shoulder blades tight stabilizes your shoulder joints, reducing your risk of injury and helping you lift heavier weights. Without changing the angle of your hands, lower the dumbbells to the sides of your chest. Pause, then press the weights back up to the starting position as quickly as you can. Straighten your arms completely at the top of each repetition.
Single-Leg Neutral-Grip Dumbbell Row Grab a pair of dumbbells, bend at your hips and knees, and lower your torso until it's almost parallel to the floor. Let the dumbbells hang at arm's length from your shoulders, your palms facing each other. Set your feet shoulder-width apart. Keep your lower back naturally arched, slightly bend your knees, and raise one leg. Hold it in the air. Without moving your torso and keeping your leg elevated, row the dumbbells to the sides of your torso by raising your upper arms, bending your elbows, and squeezing your shoulder blades together. Pause, then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position. Each set, switch the leg you balance on.
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press Set an adjustable bench to its lowest incline, about 15 to 30 degrees. Lie faceup on the bench and hold the dumbbells above your shoulders, with your arms straight. Lower the dumbbells to the sides of your upper chest. Pause, then press the weights back up to the starting position.
Dumbbell Squat Grab a pair of dumbbells and hold them at arm's length next to your sides, your palms facing each other. Set your feet shoulder width apart and keep your weight on your heels, not on your toes, for the entire movement. Brace your abs, and lower your body as far as you can by pushing your hips back and bending your knees. At the bottom of the movement, the tops of your thighs should be parallel to the floor or lower. Pause, then slowly push yourself back to the starting position. Keep your torso as upright as you can for the entire movement, with your lower back naturally arched.
Dumbbell Split Squat Grab a pair of dumbbells and hold them at arm's length next to your sides, your palms facing each other. Stand in a staggered stance, your left foot in front of your right. Set your feet 2 to 3 feet apart. Stand on the ball of your back foot so your heel is raised. Your front knee should be slightly bent. Brace your core. Slowly lower your body as far as you can. Your rear knee should nearly touch the floor. Keep your torso as upright as possible and your lower back naturally arched. Pause, then push yourself back up to the starting position as quickly as you can. Complete the prescribed number of reps with your left leg forward, then do the same number with your right foot in front of your left.
Single-Arm Dumbbell Shoulder Press Stand holding a dumbbell just outside your shoulder, with your arm bent and palm facing inward. Let your free hand hang to your side or place it on your hip. Set your feet shoulder-width apart, and slightly bend your knees. Brace your core. Press the weight upward until your arm is completely straight. Make sure to push the dumbbell in a straight line. Because using just one dumbbell causes uneven weight distribution across your body, this exercise increases the challenge to your core, making those muscles work harder to keep you balanced. Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position. Complete the prescribed number of reps with your right arm, then immediately do the same number with your left arm.
Dumbbell Straight-Leg Deadlift Grab a pair of dumbbells with an overhand grip, and hold them at arm's length in front your thighs. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Brace your core try to make it stiff and hold it that way throughout the entire movement. Without changing the bend in your knees, bend at your hips and lower your torso until it's almost parallel to the floor. Don't round your lower back. It should stay naturally arched as you lower your body. Pause, then squeeze your glutes tightly and raise your torso back to the starting position.
Single-Arm Dumbbell Swing Grab a dumbbell with an overhand grip and hold it in front of your waist at arm's length. (You can also do the exercise two handed, holding the dumbbell with both hands.) Your knees should be slightly bent, and should remain that way from start to finish. Keeping your lower back naturally arched, bend at your hips and swing the dumbbell between your legs. Keeping your arm straight, squeeze your glutes tightly, thrust your hips forward and swing the dumbbell up to chest level as you rise to standing position. Now reverse the movement and swing the dumbbell between your legs again. Swing the weight back and forth forcefully.
Dumbbell Stepup Grab a pair of dumbbells and hold them at arm's length at your sides. Stand in front of a bench or step, and place your left foot firmly on the step. The step should be high enough that your knee is bent 90 degrees. Press your left heel into the step and push your body up until your left leg is straight. (Keep your right foot elevated.) Lower your body back down until your right foot touches the floor, and repeat. Complete the prescribed number of repetitions with your left leg, then do the same number with your right leg.
Chest-Supported Incline Row Grab a pair of dumbbells and lie chest-down on a 45-degree incline bench. Let your arms hang straight down, palms facing each other. Row the dumbbells to the side of your chest by bending your elbows and squeezing your shoulder blades. Pause and lower the weights.
Standing Dumbbell Curl Grab a pair of dumbbells and let them hang at arm's length next to your sides. Turn your arms so that your palms face forward. Stand as tall as you can and set your feet shoulder-width apart. Without moving your upper arms, bend your elbows and curl the dumbbells as close to your shoulders as you can. Pause, then slowly lower the weights back to the starting position. Each time you return to the starting position, completely straighten your arms.
Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org) Alternating Dumbbell Lying Triceps Extension Grab a pair of dumbbells and lie faceup on a flat bench. Hold the dumbbells over your head with straight arms, angled back slightly, your palms facing each other. Without moving your upper arms and keeping your feet flat on the floor, bend one elbow to lower the dumbbell until your forearm is beyond parallel to the floor. Pause, then lift the weight back to the starting position by straightening your arm. Lower each dumbbell one at a time, in an alternating fashion, raising one as you lower the other. For more workouts, go to http://www.menshealth.com/workout-center