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- For a Major Muscle-Building Challenge, Try This 45-Minute Dumbbell HIIT Workout
For a Major Muscle-Building Challenge, Try This 45-Minute Dumbbell HIIT Workout
by
maggie ryan
Getty / gradyreese
You don’t need much to get a solid strength workout in, and this HIIT workout from NASM-certified trainer Andrew Samuels, who trains clients on the Bright App, proves it. Just grab two dumbbells, set aside 45 minutes, and get ready to work your test your strength and your cardio.
“This style of work will get the heart rate up, burn calories, build muscle, and leave you sweaty,” Samuels told POPSUGAR of the routine. The calorie-burning comes from the HIIT structure of the workout, which has you going all-out for 45 seconds, then resting for 15. (If you’re not as used to this style of training, it’s fine to slow down, take more time to rest, or set aside the weights and do the movements with just your bodyweight – more on that below.) Besides the calories you’ll burn during the workout, the HIIT style can also trigger the excess postexercise oxygen (EPOC) effect, which means you’ll continue to burn a modest amount of calories even after your workout is over. This dumbbell routine can also help you build muscle, when done consistently along with other healthy lifestyle habits like eating a balanced, protein-filled diet and getting adequate sleep.
Ready to get to work? Check out the full workout below.
Related: I Stopped Going to the Gym in 2020 and Did These 8 YouTube Workouts Instead
45-Minute Full-Body Dumbbell HIIT Workout
Equipment needed: Two medium dumbbells (here’s how to choose the right weight)
Directions: Warm up with the three exercises below and these dynamic bodyweight moves. Then, begin the first block of the workout. Perform each move for 45 seconds, followed by 15 seconds of rest in between rounds. Do four rounds of the block. Rest for two minutes after the fourth round, then repeat the same format for block two.
For the finisher, do 30 seconds of each move with no rest between moves. After the third exercise, go back to the first move and repeat the circuit with no rest. Repeat for three rounds.
Cool down after with full-body stretches.
Note: if you’re not used to this style of training, take a slower pace with your reps and rest for a longer period between moves.
| Warmup Stretch | Time |
|---|---|
| Cat-cow | 30 seconds |
| Low lunge twist | 30 seconds |
| Jumping jacks | 30 seconds |
| Block 1 Exercise | Time |
|---|---|
| Side squat to center squat | 45 seconds (two sets on each side) |
| Split squat pulse | 45 seconds (two sets on each side) |
| Extended Russian twist | 45 seconds |
| Block 2 Exercise | Time |
|---|---|
| Bent-over row | 45 seconds |
| Fly to overhead press | 45 seconds |
| Boat curl | 45 seconds |
| Finisher Exercise | Time |
|---|---|
| Kneel to squat | 45 seconds |
| Dumbbell squat | 45 seconds |
| Mountain climber | 45 seconds |
Love trying new workouts? Want a community to share your fitness goals with? Come join our Facebook group POPSUGAR Workout Club. There, you can find advice on making the best out of every sweat session and everything else you need to help you on your road to healthy living.
POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson
Warmup Exercise 1: Cat-Cow
- Begin on your hands and knees with your back flat and your core pulled in toward your spine.
- As you inhale, arch your back, slightly relax your belly, and lift your head and tailbone. This is the Cow portion of the pose.
- With an exhale, round your spine up to the ceiling, pull your abs toward your spine, and simultaneously tuck your tailbone in and draw your chin toward your chest. This is the Cat part of the pose.
- Slowly flow back and forth from Cat to Cow, breathing deeply so as not to rush each movement. Continue for 30 seconds.
POPSUGAR Photography / Kyle Hartman
Warmup Exercise 3: Jumping Jack
- Start standing with your feet hips-width apart and your arms at your sides.
- Jump your legs out as you simultaneously swing your hands out to the sides and overhead. Keep your core pulled in toward your spine and land softly as you jump.
- Jump back to the starting position.
- Continue for 30 seconds.
POPSUGAR Photography
Block 2, Exercise 1: Bent-Over Row
- Start standing with your feet hips-width apart. Lean forward and bend both knees, keeping your back flat and your core engaged by pulling it toward your spine. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing toward each other and arms extended with the dumbbells below your shoulders.
- Lift the dumbbells straight up to chest level, bending your elbows and squeezing your shoulder blades together as you do. Be sure to keep your elbows in and pointed upward. Don’t arch your back.
- Slowly lower the weights back to the starting position. This completes one rep.
- Do as many reps as you can in 45 seconds while maintaining proper form.
POPSUGAR Photography
Finisher, Exercise 3: Mountain Climber
- Start in plank with your shoulders over your hands. You can set the dumbbells to the side or place them under each shoulder and grip them with your hands.
- With your core pulled in toward your spine, bring your left knee forward toward your chest. Quickly switch legs, bringing the right knee forward while moving the left leg back. This completes one rep.
- Keep switching legs and begin to pick up the pace until it feels a little like running in place in a plank position.
- Do as many reps as you can in 45 seconds while maintaining proper form. You can modify the movement by slowing down the pace.