Many workouts can be performed with minimal equipment, and this routine proves that point. You don’t need a bunch of kettlebells, resistance bands, or bulky gym machines to build strength, gain muscle, and improve overall fitness. This routine uses just two dumbbells and can be completed in just 17 minutes, making it a great addition to any fitness plan.
Power Up Your Muscle Growth
If you’re aiming for serious muscle growth or increased strength, consistency is key. Incorporating progressive overload—gradually increasing your training volume—is essential. You can achieve this by adding more reps, sets, or weight, helping your muscles avoid plateaus and continue adapting over time.
Incorporating the 3-Move Dumbbell Workout
This three-move routine fits easily into your existing training plan. As you get stronger, make sure to adjust the load. Repeating the same workout with the same weights won’t help you progress, so it’s crucial to increase the weight to keep seeing results.
Understanding the 3-Move Dumbbell Routine
A quality set of adjustable dumbbells is ideal, as it lets you change the load when needed. However, if you don’t have access to those, a pair of medium-to-heavy hex dumbbells will work just fine. Here’s a breakdown of the three exercises in this routine:
1. Farmer’s Walk
The farmer’s walk is a simple but effective strength exercise. To perform it, hold a moderately heavy dumbbell in each hand and walk forward, keeping your spine upright. Avoid leaning forward or arching your back excessively.
If you’re using heavier weights, you may prefer shorter steps, but stride length is up to personal preference. Make sure to keep your shoulders back, chest lifted, and core engaged. Focus on using your entire body to move, rather than letting your arms do all the work. This exercise challenges your grip and forearm strength while being more manageable than kettlebells due to the thinner handles.
Keep walking with good posture, without breaking stride or setting the weights down.
2. V-Sits
V-sits are a bodyweight core exercise that targets the abdominals and hip flexors, with your hands and feet coming together to form a “V” shape. This exercise also works the obliques, back, quads, hamstrings, and shoulders, offering a full-body control challenge.
Start by lying flat on your back with your arms and legs extended. Keeping your body as straight as possible, engage your core and lift your arms and legs into a seated position. Tap your hands and feet at the top before lowering with control. If necessary, bend your knees and draw them toward your chest. You can also alternate by lifting one arm and the opposite leg at a time.
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3. Devil Press
The devil press is a challenging full-body exercise that tests your strength, power, and endurance. Start by holding a medium dumbbell in each hand, then drop into a burpee position, lowering your chest between the weights. Push back up, jump your feet behind the dumbbells, and swing them slightly between your legs.
From there, drive the dumbbells overhead in one powerful motion. Lower them under control and repeat. Your core plays a crucial role, but the power should come from your legs as you thrust the dumbbells upward. This move combines elements of a burpee and a dumbbell snatch rather than a traditional overhead press.
Workout Structure
Start with 2 reps of each the devil press and V-sit. Then, increase to 4 reps, followed by 6 reps, adding 2 reps each round while moving between exercises without resting. When you need a break, stop and perform a 100-meter farmer’s walk to reset. Take no more than 10 to 20 seconds to shake out your arms before returning to the exercises.
You can either restart from 2 reps or continue from where you left off—both options work. Keep a steady pace throughout, and avoid starting too aggressively. Although this workout emphasizes muscular endurance, it also challenges your cardiovascular fitness. Choose an appropriate weight to avoid early fatigue.
Can This Dumbbell Workout Build Muscle?
Traditional muscle-building programs usually include 4 to 8 exercises focused on compound lifts like squats or bench presses, supported by accessory exercises. These routines typically use 6 to 12 reps across 3 to 4 sets.
While this approach is common, it’s not the only way to build muscle. CrossFit-style routines that combine lifting, gymnastics, and conditioning can also foster muscle growth.
Muscle development occurs with consistent challenge, proper stimulus, adequate protein intake, and sufficient recovery. The devil press, for example, engages major muscle groups across the upper body, lower body, and core, making it an effective full-body exercise for strength and conditioning. Alongside muscle growth, this routine can deliver significant gains in power and endurance over time.
