You only need 2 dumbbells and 6 moves to build full-body muscle and boost your metabolism
Hitting the gym every day isn’t possible for everyone but it also isn’t necessary. Especially not when full-body workouts exist that you can complete anywhere, they target all the major muscle groups and boost your metabolism.
Plus, you can use a standard pair of weights if you have some around, or consider picking up a set of the best adjustable dumbbells to move up or down weights as you please for each exercise. Then you’re ready to take on this full-body strength session from trainer James Stirling, known by his handle the London Fitness Guy.
Stirling’s workout involves performing each exercise for 40 seconds, followed by 20 seconds of rest between each move, and you’ll complete five sets in total. Don’t worry too much about the number of sets ahead of you — just make sure to pick a realistic weight you can work with, stay hydrated during the breaks (here are our picks for the best water bottles to keep by your side while you move), and focus on your form to prevent injury.
This style of workout is a form of high-intensity resistance training, which is similar to standard high-intensity interval training (HIIT) but adds an extra challenge with the use of dumbbells. The benefit is that it not only improves cardiovascular fitness but also builds strength and muscle, which contributes to a higher calorie burn both during and after the workout.
Watch James Stirling’s full-body dumbbell workout
Stirling’s workout incorporates a combination of compound exercises, bodyweight movements, and functional exercises. For example, exercises like the squat with rotational press and the deadlift target multiple muscle groups and help to improve strength, coordination, and stability.
You also have bodyweight exercises like the hand release push-up which engage the core and upper body, while functional movements like the broad jump will work on your explosive power and agility. When put together, these six exercises build strength and definition, and can also help to improve your mobility, balance, and cardiovascular fitness.
Plus, once you make it to the end of the five sets you’ll be glad to know something called Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC) happens. After a solid strength-building workout, your body uses extra energy to repair its muscles and recover, which can increase calorie burn for up to 48 hours. This “afterburn effect” is what helps boost your metabolism.
However, if you find this workout a little too intense, you can reduce the weight of the dumbbells or do the exercises with just your body weight. You can also increase the rest time between sets or shorten the work periods to 30 seconds instead of 40.
Or, if jumping movements like the broad jump are too challenging, feel free to swap them for a lower-impact move like step-ups or bodyweight squats.
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