By Katie Budd, Contributing Blogger
When it comes to fitness it is very easy to over-complicate and end up doing nothing because you don’t feel like everything is lining up as it should. It’s a vicious cycle but it doesn’t have to be. As someone who has let many excuses stand in her way, I wanted to offer a simple and effective workout you can do anytime you just want to move.
Dumbbells are one of the most easily accessible and efficient pieces of workout equipment you can keep on hand and do an endless amount of fitness with. I’m going to be using my 25s but you feel free to use whatever you have on hand that you’re comfortable with.
When my motivation is low I like to lure myself to my little workout space with some of my favorite movements so that way I will actually look forward to getting in and completing my workout. I also really enjoy an AMRAP (As Many Reps as Possible) set-up because it brings a nice flow to the workout without a lot of thinking or counting involved. Download a great timer on your smartphone (I personally use the SmartWOD Timer) or find anything you might have laying around to count rounds and you will be ready to go after a few good stretches.
One of my favorite movements is the alternate dumbbell snatch so we will be doing that with your available option of cardio in a set up of 20 snatches and a minute of continuous movement set up as a 16-minute AMRAP.
To complete the alternate dumbbell snatch you will place one dumbbell in front of you horizontally and reach down starting with your right hand. Grab the dumbbell with your right hand and you want to raise it up in a nice, clean movement when it reaches your shoulder you will use your hips to press it above your head and lock the dumbbell at the top with your bicep right at your ear. Bring the dumbbell all the way back down to the ground and complete the same movement with your left arm. You will do this 10 times on each arm alternating each time for a total of 20 alternate dumbbell snatches.
Once you have completed all of the snatches you will then move on to your 1 minute of continuous movement. This can be running outside or on your treadmill. You could also use a jump rope, bike, or rower or even set a dumbbell on the ground and do alternate toe taps. Anything that keeps your heart rate up.
After you complete your minute of movement you will count that as one round. Mark it down and move right into the next round starting with your snatches. You will continue this cycle for 16 minutes. If you are fairly efficient with these movements you should be able to get 6-8 rounds completed.
This is a favorite workout of mine because you can literally complete it anywhere. This would be a great workout for traveling or when you’re short on time. Be sure and keep your water bottle handy because the mix of weight and cardio will definitely have you looking for hydration to replace that sweat!
Today’s society tries to really overcomplicate fitness because they want you to feel like you need a large plan or a lot of equipment and time. I have found what works better for me is simple, effective workouts that take away my excuses and just keep me moving more consistently over a long period of time.
I hope you enjoyed this workout and look forward to seeing you out there crushing it on your own! Take it with you on your next vacation, let it get you motivated to get off the couch after a long day or maybe it can give your workout routine a nice spark and help you build a great habit of finding joy in moving your body!
