Get stronger in less time, with just a pair of dumbbells and this full-body workout

Improving strength and maximising muscle growth whilst spending minimal time in the gym is the goal for many lifters, and if anyone knows how to design an effective and efficient workout, it’s Arnold Schwarzenegger. In his latest Pump Club Newsletter, he shares a reciprocal supersets dumbbell workout that not only hits all your major muscles, but also in minimal time.

Reciprocal supersets are where you complete two exercises that target opposing muscle groups, one after the other, with no rest. Not only can supersets lead to similar results to traditional lifting, but the American Council on Exercise says that a growing body of research shows they can cut down workout time by 50%. “Just make sure you can handle the pace, and choose exercises that don’t compromise form under fatigue,” Arnold advises. “Select weights that take you within 1–2 reps of failure.”

The workout

As well as a pair of dumbbells, you’ll also need a weight bench (or at least something sturdy to lie on) for this workout. Start with superset 1; rest for 2-3 minutes after your first round, then complete it again, either one or two more times, then move on to the next superset. If you’re working with heavier loads, make sure your form remains intact. “If your form breaks, reduce load or reps,” says Arnold. Here’s the workout:

Superset 1

• Dumbbell bench press – 8 reps
• Bent-over dumbbell row – 8-12 reps

Superset 2

• Rear-foot elevated split squat – 8 reps/leg
• Dumbbell single-leg Romanian deadlift – 8-10 reps

Superset 3

• Dumbbell biceps curls – 8-10 reps
• Dumbbell lying triceps extensions – 8-10 reps

If you’re looking for more time-efficient, full-body workouts, then here’s another one from Arnold. This workout consists of only two compound exercises, which combine two strength training techniques: wave loading and cluster sets. If you want to ditch the dumbbells, then give his 16-minute bodyweight workout a go; we tried it ourselves and, not only was it harder than it looked, we were highly impressed with the post-workout pump it left us.