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Today’s Workout 49: The dumbbell-only circuit to pound your arms and back

Your lats, biceps, traps, and delts will seriously feel the burn with this monster descending rep scheme workout routine.

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  • 40-60

  • 4

  • Yes

Man Performs Dumbbell Squat Punch Exercise During Workout

It’s time to get fired up. More specifically, it’s time to fire up the muscles in your back and arms.

The three exercises in this circuit—dumbbell squat punches, dumbbell raise rotations, and rear-delt flyes—all utilize weight to strengthen and grow your lats, biceps, traps, and delts, meaning you’ll be filling out that sweater or T-shirt in no time. With this many reps, it doesn’t matter how tough you are—by the last round of this circuit, we guarantee your muscles will be screaming.

Directions

You’ll do this workout as a circuit with a descending rep scheme. Each circuit has 10 rounds. In the first round, you’ll do each exercise back-to-back-to-back for 10 reps, then rest for 90 to 120 seconds. The next round, you’ll do each exercise for 9 reps, then rest; next, do each exercise for 8 reps, etc., until you’ve gone through 10 total rounds. That’s one circuit. Repeat the entire circuit for 2 or 3 total circuits.

Depending upon your ability, you may shorten or lengthen the rest periods. You may also complete just 1 circuit, or more than 3, if you feel up for it.

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

Routine

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Today's Workout 49

The dumbbell-only circuit to pound your arms and back (descending rep scheme, do 2-3 rounds)

Exercise
Equipment
Sets
Reps
Rest
Exercise 1 of 4

Dumbbell Squat Punch

Equipment
Dumbbells
Sets
--
Reps
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Rest
0 sec.
Exercise 2 of 4

Dumbbell Side-to-Side Rotation

Equipment
Dumbbells
Sets
--
Reps
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Rest
0 sec.
Perform this exercise holding a dumbbell in each hand.
Exercise 3 of 4

Rear-Delt Flye

Equipment
Sets
--
Reps
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Rest
90-120 sec.
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