Many people dream of shedding excess fat and get a superhero-like toned body. And a few of them take things seriously and start working out. They create a schedule, improve their diet, buy gym equipment like hex dumbbells, and work out regularly.
Only a handful of exercises are better than HIIT workouts when it comes to losing fat. If you've purchased (or are planning to buy) dumbbells for yourself, you can combine it with the HIIT drills to form a deadly fat burning workout session. In this article, learn about an efficient 30-minute dumbbell HIIT workout for fat loss.
Workout in Brief
This HIIT workout consists of three phases or circuits. Each phase, which lasts for 8 minutes, makes the use of dumbbells to the fullest.
Get a timer and set it for 8 minutes. Perform the set of exercises non-stop with the exact number of repetitions mentioned below.
Within the 8-minutes time frame, repeat the phase as many times as you comfortably can. The goal here is to exercise different muscle groups with high intensity and minimal rest in between. The dumbbells add up to the intensity and make things more difficult.
All of this burns more calories than otherwise, thus enabling you to lose fat faster. Again, most of the exercises discussed below use dumbbells. So if you don't have any, look for the best dumbbells for sale deals and purchase as per your needs.
With that said, let's explore the circuits in detail.
Circuit 1
The first phase consists of three workouts, which are:
- Squat to Press
- Decline Pushup
- Hipup
Squat to Press (15 reps)
For the first workout, you need to have a pair of dumbbells. It can be either hex dumbbells or adjustable dumbbells -- it doesn't really matter as long as you're comfortable.
Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart and one dumbbell in each hand. Fold your hands and let the dumbbell touch the shoulders. Now squat till your thighs are parallel to the ground. With heavy force, push yourself upwards and press the dumbbells overhead.
Repeat the workout 15 times.
Decline Pushup (10 reps)
This workout is like a regular pushup, except you have your legs on a bench instead of the ground. So you're forced to put extra effort into your shoulder muscles.
So grab a bench and place your legs on it. Move into a pushup position with your hands subtly outside the shoulder width.
Bend yourself till your chin touches the ground. Hold for a second or two and move back. Repeat 10 times.
Hipup (16 reps, 8 on each side)
For the final workout in the circuit, lie on your right side of the floor. Put your left foot in front of the right foot. With your forearm and feet as base, raise your hip until your body is in a straight line with your hips and shoulder. Hold for 3-4 seconds return to start position.
Perform 8 reps. Then switch to the left side and perform another 8 reps.
Do the three workouts until the timer goes off. Rest for a few minutes and then move to the following circuit.
Circuit 2
This phase consists of three workouts as well. And all of them use dumbbells.
- Thruster
- Romanian Deadlift with Dumbbell
- Russian Twist with Dumbbell
Thruster (12 reps)
The thruster is very much like the Squat to Press Workout. You perform a squat followed by a shoulder press overhead movement.
Instead of two dumbbells -- one in each hand -- you take one dumbbell and grab it by the ends. Place it right in front of your mouth area. With your feet shoulder-width apart, perform a squat till your thighs are parallel to the ground. With all efforts possible, return to the standing position and thurst your hands overhead. Return to your initial position and repeat 12 times.
Since you're using only one dumbbell, it's better to use a heavier one -- but stay within limits.
Romanian Deadlift with Dumbbell (10 reps)
You usually perform Romanian Deadlift with a barbell. But for this HIIT workout, we'll be using the hex dumbbell instead.
Take two dumbbells, one in each hand. Place your hand in front of your thighs and bend your knees slightly. Keeping everything tight, bend at your hips, gradually lowering your torso. Lower until your shoulder is parallel to the ground. Hold for two seconds and return to the initial position.
This is one of the best dumbbells back exercises. Repeat 10 times.
Russian Twist with Dumbbell (10 reps)
To perform this workout, sit on the floor with a dumbbell in your hand. Bend your knees and touch the ground with flat feet. Lean backward till you're about 45-degree to the floor. Keeping a tight core, rotate your torso, and move the dumbbell as left as possible. And then move to the right. That's one set. Repeat 10 times.
Rest for a few minutes and move on to the next circuit.
Circuit 3
The final phase or circuit involves only two workouts. But they're exhausting and physically demanding. So the workouts will push you to the limits.
The two exercises are:
- Suitcase Carry
- Lateral Lunge with Dumbbell
Suitcase Carry (12 reps)
Grab the heaviest dumbbells you have available. Hold it in your left or right hand and let it hang on that side. Keeping your torso tight, walk a few steps. Now switch sides and repeat.
This workout may sound simple, but it tones your core, back, upper body, and lower body. Also, it helps you improve balance and stability.
Repeat 12 times and move on to the next workout.
Lateral Lunge with Dumbbell (12 reps)
Take two dumbbells, one in each hand. Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart. Now, take a step to your right. Position your hands so that the right leg remains in between them. Squat as deep as possible without rounding your lower back. Now push back to the start. Repeat on the other side.
You'll find the lateral lunge more taxing than the other workouts.
At the end of the third circuit, you'll feel the burn and, at the same time, feel good about yourself. As you get comfortable, incorporate dumbbell chest exercises, burpees, air cycling, and sprint workouts. Till then, keep improving on the aforementioned 30-minutes intense dumbbell HIIT workout.
Conclusion
Besides lifting weight, you also need to focus on diet and rest to lose fat faster. But the workouts stay at the core and largely determines your weight loss timeline. That being said, invest in best quality dumbbells and exercise equipment before you incorporate the above HIIT workout.