In popular fitness philosophy, CrossFit workouts are typically associated with barbells and rowing machines. Dumbbells, on the other hand, get paired up with, say, vintage Arnold Schwarzenegger.

But Sam Orme, owner of CrossFit Virtuosity in Brooklyn, loves dumbbells—and she especially loves programming dumbbells into the WODs at her gym.

“They’re a great tool to know how to use, especially since they’re probably the most widely available weighted equipment around—hotel gym standard issue,” she says.

We wholeheartedly agree with Orme, which is why we’ve assembled five great CrossFit dumbbell workouts.

Note: As always with CrossFit WODs, the weights listed here are considered “Rx,” or the recommended weight for an elite CrossFit athlete. If you’re just starting out, consider using a lighter weight until you feel comfortable scaling up to something heavier. Remember, those reps add up.

Back to the Basics for Greater Size and Strength Gains

Dumbbells Only Pump for Upper-Body Muscle

All you have are dumbbells? No problem. You can get a full upper body workout with this routine.

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