Today’s Workout 42: The dumbbell-only circuit to build total-body mass

You don’t (always) need to lift heavy to gain mass and definition—and this simple, dumbbell-only routine is proof of that.

Grow your biceps, triceps, shoulders, and legs with these three straightforward exercises—the dumbbell curl and press, dumbbell squats, and dumbbell kickbacks. By combining an upper-body movement (the curl and press) with a lower-body movement (the dumbbell squat) and a triceps isolation exercise (the kickbacks), you can hit a number of major muscle groups without even setting down the dumbbells. Now that is an efficient workout.

Directions

You’ll do this workout as a circuit, meaning you’ll complete each exercise consecutively without rest. Once you’ve finished all exercises, rest for 30 seconds. Repeat the entire circuit for 5 to 10 rounds.

Depending upon your ability, you may shorten or lengthen the rest period. You may also complete more or fewer rounds.

For a complete archive of our daily quick-hit routines, go to mensfitness.com/todaysworkout.