Moderately intense, long-duration exercises will use more fat than carbohydrates during a workout, and dumbbell exercises to do that can be easier to accomplish in a small space than barbells or machines. You will burn more calories from fat during a high-rep, moderately intense, 45-minute dumbbell workout, compared with a highly intense 20-minute workout, according to a 2006 article by Bruce Craig, Ph.D., published in the "Strength and Conditioning Journal."
Upper Body Circuit
This workout for your chest, back and arm muscles may be done in a small area of your local gym or your home. You need a pair of light and moderately heavy dumbbells. Perform one set of each exercise, then immediately do a set of the next exercise. Complete 15 to 20 repetitions per set. Do not rest between sets; instead, rest for one minute at the end of each circuit. First, use the light dumbbells to do flat dumbbell presses, one-arm dumbbell rows and crunches on the floor holding a dumbbell above your chest. Then, do dumbbell curls, one-arm dumbbell triceps extensions and standing dumbbell side bends. Next, do flat dumbbell flies, prone dumbbell rows, hammer dumbbell curls and one-arm triceps kickbacks. Rest for one minute, then repeat the circuit using the moderately heavy dumbbells. Continue this circuit workout for 45 to 60 minutes to burn fat. Do this routine on a Monday, then perform a lower body circuit on Thursdays.
Lower Body Circuit
A lower body workout focuses on your glutes, inner thigh muscles, quads, hamstrings, abductor muscles and calves. Use a pair of light dumbbells for your first set of each exercise, then use the moderately heavy dumbbells for the remaining three sets. Do 15 to 20 reps per set. Pair a leg and an abdominal exercise together, completing four sets of each exercise with no rest between sets. Take a minute break between pairs of exercises. First, do dumbbell squats with Saxon bends, one-leg dumbbell dead lifts with dumbbell oblique rotations and dumbbell hyperextensions with dumbbell crunches on an exercise ball. Then, do walking dumbbell lunges with dumbbell side bends and dumbbell split squats with dumbbell reverse crunches. If you finish in less than 45 minutes, add another one to two sets to each exercise the next time you do this routine.
Full Body Circuit
Full body workouts maximize your time in the gym and enable you to exercise all of your muscles. Ensure you have two days of rest between sessions. Complete one round of the circuit with the light dumbbells, then use the heavier dumbbells for the remaining circuits. Do an abdominal exercise between dumbbell exercises for your first workout of the week. For instance, do flat dumbbell presses, crunches, prone dumbbell rows, bicycle crunches, dumbbell sumo squats, reverse crunches, straight-leg dumbbell dead lifts, dumbbell side bends, hammer dumbbell biceps curls, dumbbell twists and one-arm dumbbell triceps extensions. Rest for one minute, then repeat the circuit for 45 to 60 minutes. For the second workout of the week, do 30- to 60-second cardio intervals instead of the abdominal exercises between each dumbbell exercise.
References
- "Strength and Conditioning Journal"; Fat Burning; Bruce Craig, Ph.D.; October 2006
- "Personal Trainer Manual"; American Council on Exercise; 1997
- "Strength and Conditioning Journal"; The Manipulation of Rest Duration While Completing a Circuit Weight-Training Protocol; Raul Roetert, Ph.D.; Dec. 1999
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