THE BEST TWODUMBBELL/KETTLEBELL WORKOUT [option B]

A hotel or home gym outfitted with just a small dumbbell rack caneasily become a torture chamber with a little creativ ity . High reps,circuits, and supersets (two exercises done back to back with no rest) can make even the lightest weights feel heavy after a while and make the workout double as a cardio session.

HOW IT WORKS

The biggest obstacle you’re likely to face with nothing but dumbbells at yourdisposal is a lack of weight to make your legs work hard. This workout’s fastpace will help to offset that, and so will working one leg at a time. Beprepared to switch to lighter dumbbells on subsequent circuits when the fatigue really kicks in. If you have only one pair of dumbbells, ignore the rep ranges on every thing but the Bulgarian split squat and stepup, and go for as many reps as possible each set.

DIRECTIONS

Perform exercises 1A through 1C as a circuit. So, you’ll do one set of the Bulgarian split squat, one set of stepups, and then one set of the dumbbellsquat before resting for two minutes. Repeat until all the prescribed sets are complete. Perform the remaining paired exercises (2A and 2B, 3A and 3B) as supersets. That means y ou’ll do a set of A and then a set of B before resting, and repeat until all sets are completed for the pair. The last exercise, the pushup, is done as conventional straight sets.

1A BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUAT

SETS: 2–3 REPS: 15–20 (EACH SIDE) REST: 0 SEC.

Stand lunge-length in front of a bench. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and rest the top of your left foot on the bench behind you. Lower your body until your rear knee nearly touches the floor and your front thigh is parallel to the floor.

1B STEPUP

SETS: 2–3 REPS: 15–20 (EACH SIDE) REST: 0 SEC.

Stand behind a bench or other elevated surface that willput your thigh at parallel to the floor when you place your foot onto it. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and step up onto the bench but leave your trailing leg hanging off.

1C DUMBBELL SQUAT

SETS: 2–3 REPS: AS MANY AS POSSIBLE REST: 120 SEC.

Hold dumbbells at shoulder level and stand with your feet shoulder width. Sit back with your hips and lower your body as far as you can without losing the arch in your lower back.

2A ELBOW-OUT DUMBBELL ROW

SETS: 2–3 REPS: 15–20 REST: 0 SEC.

Keeping your lower back arched, bend your hips back until your torso is parallel to the floor. Turn your palms to face your legs, squeeze your shoulder blades together, and row the dumbbells—raising your arms out 90 degrees from your torso.