Women Strong: Erin Stern’s All-Dumbbell Total-Body Workout

Grab a pair of dumbbells and get ready to work your arms, shoulders, back, legs and core!

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Do these moves in order with little to no rest in between. Rest one to two minutes between rounds, and go through the circuit three times. 

One-Arm Split Jerk 6-12 (per arm)
Front Squat 6-12
Two-Arm Shoulder Press 6-12
Romanian Deadlift 6-12
Upright Row 6-12
Reverse Lunge 6-12 (per leg)

Reverse Lunge

None

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold a set of dumbbells at your sides, palms facing inward. Step one leg behind you and bend both knees to lower into a deep lunge, keeping your back straight and your front knee over your foot. Push off your back toes and extend your legs to return to the start. Continue, alternating sides.

One-Arm Split Jerk

None

Hold a dumbbell at your right shoulder with your palm facing inward, elbow low. Quickly bend your knees and hips to load your posterior chain, then explosively jump your legs apart — left leg forward, right leg back — and extend your arm straight up over your shoulder as you land. Step your feet back together, lower the dumbbell and repeat. Do all reps on one side before switching. 

Upright Row

None

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a set of dumbbells in front of your thighs, arms straight, palms facing rearward. Drive your elbows up and to the sides to pull the weights up along the front of your body until they reach chest level. Pause briefly then return to the start.

Front Squat

None

Hold a set of dumbbells at your shoulders with your palms facing forward and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Kick your hips back and bend your knees to lower into a squat, descending until your hip crease drops below your knees. Press through your heels and extend your knees and hips to return to the start.

Two-Arm Shoulder Press

None

Hold a set of dumbbells with your palms facing forward and your elbows lifted to shoulder level. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, core braced. Extend your arms to press the weights upward and inward, finishing with them above your head. Lower slowly to the start and repeat.

Romanian Deadlift

None

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold a set of dumbbells at your sides. Hinging from the hips, push your glutes back and keep your back straight and knees slightly bent as you fold forward, lowering the weights to about mid-shin. Reverse the steps to stand back up to the start.

For proper form and pacing, watch Erin gracefully move through this workout in the full video demo, and be sure to check out our exclusive online interview to read about her rise to the top of the female fitness industry.

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