Train Like an Athlete by ATHLEAN-X (Video Podcast)

If you have a pair of dumbbells then you can do this total body dumbbell workout. From beginner to advanced, it doesn’t matter what level of fitness you have you will have a home workout option to help you build muscle and get in shape quickly. The key to this dumbbell workout is that it trades in workout length for intensity. You won’t have to work out for more than 20 minutes to get good results from this circuit.

To start, pick a single set of dumbbells that you will use for the duration of this workout. Beginners should use somewhere around 10 pound dumbbells. Intermediate lifters can use dumbbells that weigh close to 30 pounds (give or take a few pounds in either direction). The most advanced will likely use a set of dumbbells that weigh around 50 pounds.

The entire workout is broken down into 4 rounds. Each round consists of two home dumbbell exercises with the first always being a variation of the renegade row. The goal is to complete 5 reps on each arm of the row, either staying in one place if you are a beginner or limited on home workout space or by traveling as you perform them as shown.

Once you complete those you then have to stand up and perform your exercise for 40 seconds. If you need to rest at all, do so in rest pause fashion keeping it as brief as possible. Once the 40 seconds are done you walk back to the starting spot and rest 20 seconds before proceeding into the next exercise in the circuit workout. No rest is taken between rounds in this circuit. After the entire circuit is performed, take a 2 minute rest and aim to complete the entire full body dumbbell workout a total of 3 times.

The workout is broken down round by round as follows.

Round 1:
Renegade Row March x 5 each arm
Dumbbell Thrusters x 40 seconds / Rest 20 seconds

Round 2:
Renegade Row March x 5 each arm
DB Sprinter Lunges x 40 seconds / Rest 20 seconds

Round 3:
Renegade Row March x 5 each arm
Close Grip Squeeze Ups x 40 seconds / Rest 20 seconds

Round 4:
Renegade Row March x 5 each arm
Dumbbell High Pulls from Floor x 40 seconds / Rest 20 seconds

If you can complete this circuit workout with ease, then consider either performing another entire circuit or just increasing the weight of the dumbbells that you’re using. The goal is not to simply get a sweat up by doing this. You want to feel as if you worked out and that your muscles are fatigued when finished. This is not simply a cardiovascular workout.

As for the muscles that you are hitting with this home dumbbell workout, there are many. The thruster is hitting your shoulders, legs, triceps and upper chest. The sprinter lunges are best at recruiting the muscles of the posterior chain like the hamstrings and glutes. The close grip squeeze ups are an intense pushup variation that will really light up the pecs while making the triceps do a lot of work. Finally, the high pulls will hit the traps, shoulders and muscles of the upper back not to mention the quads. The staple exercise of the renegade row is great at hitting the lats and mid-scap muscles while placing a heavy emphasis on the core and biceps.

If you give this a try, please be sure to let me know how you liked it in the comments below.

The key to building muscle at home with dumbbells is to know the right exercises to perform. This total body workout is going to allow you to hit every muscle in your legs, back, chest, shoulders, arms and core with just 5 carefully selected dumbbell exercises. It's time to start building muscle at home without having to spend hours trying to do it.

If you are looking for a complete program to give you every home workout you need to do without even requiring a set of dumbbells to perfor