Written and Image by Christina Okenla
Whether you’re a gym babe or a home workout convert, this sweaty full-body AMRAP session will cut your workout time in half and only requires a set of dumbbells and a mat. AMRAP stands for ‘as many reps or rounds of a set of exercises as possible, within a specific time period’- it’s you against the clock! It’s a high-intensity training technique that will have you burning calories even after you’ve finished exercising. Follow the exercises below for a workout that will raise your heart rate and leave no muscle untouched. The sweat may not be on-brand, but your pending summer bod will thank you!
Once you’ve completed your workout, be sure to wind down with some gentle stretching, refresh and refuel your body and get back to being the gorgeous gorgeous huns that you are!
The workout
Set your phone timer to 5 minutes. Completing as many rounds of the circuit as possible, alternate each exercise for 8-10 reps until the time is up, with minimal rest (I mean literally 5 seconds) in between each exercise. There are 4 x 5-minute rounds to complete in total!
Rest: 2 minutes between each round.
Equipment: A set of light-medium dumbbells, mat
Length: 25 minutes + warm-up
The warm-up
If you plan to do this workout in the gym, you can warm up using the stairmaster machine for 5 minutes at a steady pace, level 7-9. If you are exercising at home, perform 4-6 rounds of high knees or jumping jacks for 30 secs.
Round 1:
– Upper Body: Shoulder press
– Lower Body: goblet squats
– Abs & Cotr: Mountain climbers
How to:
Shoulder press: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, shoulders back, chest upright and core engaged. Hold the dumbbells at shoulder height with your elbows at a 90-degree angle. Slowly raise the dumbbells above your head without fully straightening your arms. Pause at the top. Slowly return to the start position.
Goblet squats: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in front of your chest, elbows pointing toward the floor. Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower into a squat until your knees are in line with your hips. Drive your hips back up to a standing position. Make sure your knees don’t cave in.
Mountain climbers: Start in a plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart on the floor, engaging your core muscles and keeping your spine straight. Lift you right foot towards your right elbow. Return the right foot back to full plank position. Repeat with the left side, moving your left foot towards your left elbow.
Round 2:
– Upper Body: Bent-over rows
– Lower Body: Jumping lunges
– Abs & Core: Plank dips
How to:
Bent over rows: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing each other. Push your hips back and bend your knees, leaning forwards until your torso is parallel with the ground. Keeping your core engaged and back flat, squeeze your shoulder blades together drawing the elbows back and dumbbells towards your ribcage. Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the start position.
Jumping lunges: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, then jump into a lunge position with your right leg forward and left leg back so your knees are at 90-degree angles. Jump up and switch legs so your left leg is forward and right leg back and land in the lunge position. Repeat for the required amount of reps. If these are too challenging, you can do reverse lunges instead.
Plank dips: Start in a plank position with your elbows bent and under your shoulders, and your feet hip-width apart. Keeping your core engaged at all times rotate your hips to the right and dip your body almost to the floor. Return to the starting position and repeat on the left side. Keep alternating sides until the set is complete.
Round 3:
– Upper Body: Lateral raises
– Lower Body: Weighted glute bridges
– Abs & Core: Runners sit ups
How to:
Lateral raises: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, back straight and feet flat on the floor holding the dumbbells at the sides of your thighs, palms facing inwards. Engage your core muscles. While keeping your torso strong and stationary (no swaying), raise the dumbbells up to shoulder level. Maintain a slight bend in elbows to reduce stress on joints. Pause at the top. Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position in a slow and controlled motion.
Weighted glute bridges: Lie flat on your back with your knees bent hip-width apart, and feet flat on the floor. Place a dumbbell on top of your hip bones and hold the sides of the dumbbell. Lift your hips and squeezing your glutes off the floor. Pause, for 2-3 secs and slowly lower your hips back to starting position.
Runners sit ups: Lie on your back with your legs fully extended and your arms by your sides. Lift your torso off the floor, bend your right leg and bring your right knee close to your left elbow. Slowly return to the starting position, and crunch to the opposite side. Keep your back straight at all times and your head and neck in a neutral position.
Round 4
– Upper Body: Over-head triceps extensions
– Lower Body: Squat jumps
– Abs & Core: Russian twists
Related Article: Best Products to get rid of Strawberry Legs
How to:
Overhead tricep extensions: With your feet shoulder-width apart and core tight, hold a dumbbell with both hands. Lift the dumbbell until your arms are fully extended with palms facing the ceiling and elbows pointing forward. This is the start position. Bending at the elbows and squeezing your triceps, slowly lower the dumbbell behind your head. Slowly return to start position and repeat
Squat jump: Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart with your toes slightly pointed out and knees slightly bent. Maintaining a straight back, descend into a squat, pushing your hips back and bending at the knees until your knees are in line with your hips. Once you reach into the squat position, powerfully push through your heels, jumping upwards. Once you land, immediately propel yourself upwards into another rep.
Russian Twists: Sit on the mat with your knees bent and feet flat on the mat. Holding the dumbbell with both hands, lean slightly back whilst engaging your abs. Make sure to keep your back straight. Rotate your arms all the way to one side, tapping the dumbbell on the floor, then repeat for the other side. To intensify the exercise, lift your feet off the mat.
