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.
20 Dumbbell Snatches, alternating arms, using a 50-pound dumbbell (30 pounds for women)
100m Sprint
10 Burpees
100m Sprint
“Try this gem to test your mental as well as physical endurance,” Orme says about this WOD. “You should have about a minute of rest the first round—if you have less than 30 seconds, increase the interval to 5 minutes.” Beware: Those 100-meter sprints are going to feel twice as long by the second round.
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“The Snatch-squat Pyramid”
50 Dumbbell Snatches, alternating arms, using a 40-pound dumbbell (30 pounds for women)
50 Air Squats
40 Dumbbell Snatches, alternating arms, using a 40-pound dumbbell (30 pounds for women)
40 Air Squats
30 Dumbbell Snatches, alternating arms, using a 40-pound dumbbell (30 pounds for women)
30 Air Squats
20 Dumbbell Snatches, alternating arms, using a 40-pound dumbbell (30 pounds for women)
20 Air Squats
10 Dumbbell Snatches, alternating arms, using a 40-pound dumbbell (30 pounds for women)
10 Air Squats
Noah Ohlsen, a four-time CrossFit Games athlete, recommends this descending pyramid. Try not to rest between the snatches and the air squats. And don’t worry if you’ve never done an alternating-arm dumbbell snatch—we’ve got you covered with this how-to.
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“Fast, Fast, Slow”
5 sets of 7 Tempo Push Presses Each phase of the lift (ascending/concentric and descending/eccentric) must take no less than three seconds.
Kara Webb, a Fittest Woman on Earth runner-up and a six-time CrossFit Games competitor, recommends that you “find a nice middle weight that can be used to achieve as much as possible.” And as you slowly lower the weight from overhead, think about the nice eccentric pump you’re getting.
This workout is no excuse for bad form, says Denise Thomas, a trainer at Reebok CrossFit One and a member of the CrossFit HQ Seminar Staff. “During the squat portion, the dumbbell should remain on your shoulders until you’ve fully extended your legs. Once your legs have extended, your arms can fully extend, but be sure to brace your midsection.”
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“A Day at the Beach”
As many reps as possible in 6 minutes:
20 Dumbbell Snatches, alternating arms, using 40-pound dumbbells (30 pounds for women)
20 Situps
Tia-Clair Toomey, former Fittest Woman on Earth, recommends this sprint of a workout. Since you’re only working for six minutes, try your best not to stop. And if the snatch weight is too heavy, find a lighter dumbbell.
“We want to be moving efficiently and enjoy our fitness journey so we can have fun with our friends and family rather then not being able to move due to limited movement,” Toomey says.
