Don’t Hesitate to Add the Weights!

Welcome to our Wild Workout Wednesday link up! Each week I link up with Annmarie from The Fit Foodie Mama, Angelena Marie from Angelena Marie: Happy, Healthy & Balanced, and Nicole at Fitful Focus to bring you workout ideas, motivation, inspiration and recipes to try. Join us for a wild workout each week by reading along or grab the button and link up if you have a fitness or healthy living post to share!

I’ve been a huge proponent of body weight training…with convenience, effectiveness, and flexibility who wouldn’t be? But when it came to my own body weight workouts, I was missing one thing–soreness. That feeling of your muscles burning when you try to do everyday activities, reminding you throughout the day that you hit those muscle groups hard. Yes, I actually missed that feeling! I hadn’t been sore from strength training in way too long.

I clearly needed to amp up my workouts…and it wasn’t about finding new exercises to do, it was about increasing resistance for my muscles (I guess I’m stronger than I think!).

So after our recent move, I’m still kind of short on equipment, but I did salvage my two 12 pound dumbbells, and as it turns out, those two weights made a huge difference.

If dumbbells are all you’ve got right now too, give this workout a try:

Simple Weighted Squats

Position the dumbbells comfortably on the muscle between your neck and shoulders (upper trapezius). Spot the weights with your hands and you squat down and push back up, focusing on control and form.

Weighted Lunges

Holding the weights in the same position, take a large step forward and bend the front knee to lower into the lunge position. Push back up and return to starting position. Repeat with the opposite leg.

Single Leg Deadlift

Place one dumbbell on the floor in front of your feet. Keeping a slight bend in your standing leg, lift the other foot off the floor as you bend at the waist, lowering your torso, reaching out your arm to grasp the dumbbell. Once the dumbbell is in hand, activate the standing leg’s hamstring and reverse the bend at the waist to return to standing position with both feet on the floor. During the next rep, leave the dumbbell on the floor, and so on. Don’t forget the other leg!

Burpee Press

Oh why would anyone end with this?! Begin by standing, holding each dumbbell at your side. Perform the entire burpee movement with the dumbbells in your hands. Instead of the jump at the end, replace with a shoulder press. Also be mindful to use controlled movements while moving through the burpee.

I am not a certified personal trainer and cannot be held responsible for any injury resulting from this workout. Always consult your physician before beginning an exercise program.

Linkup below if you have a workout, fitness find or healthy recipe to share! Just make sure to link back or grab the badge and we will make sure to spread the inspiration around 🙂

Also linking up with Jill Conyers for Fitness Friday!

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