Take 2 Dumbbells and a Mini band

And call me in the morning!

One of the things that I am trying to bring attention to in this blog is that hardcore fitness is acheivable without having a whole slew of equipment. Certainly if you train at a gym, then you have plenty of options, but even then, there's something primitive about using minimal equipment to get the job done. Not only that, but I find it comforting to know that I can get a great workout anywhere and anytime using whatever is at my disposal. Today, for instance, all I had to use was a jumpstretch mini band (check out elitefts or jumpstretch.com) and a pair of 35lb. dumbbells. I know, I know - the iron junkies out there are wondering what the hell they can do with just a pair of 35lb. dumbbells, but hear me out.

While i'm not going to be winning any powerlifting competitions anytime soon, I can squat double bodyweight and deadlift 2.5x my bodyweight - not record breaking by anymeans, but decent and pretty "strong" by most standards and those two 'light' weights and a freakin mini band WIPED me out today!

I started off with a typical warm up - done in circuit fashion for two sets
1. push ups x 20
2. band pull aparts x 20
3. squats x 30
4. reverse lunges x 30 (15 each leg)

Next, I began the workout with a superset of two movements
a1) push ups w/bands 3x15
a2) bent over dumbbell rows w/bands 3x15

The bands allow for accomodating resistence, which means the movement only gets HARDER as I progress through the range of motion. Not only that, but the band wants to THROW you (in the pushup) or the weights back down, making what would normally be a warm up very difficult.

next I hit up a lowerbody superset for just two sets of each movement
b1) dumbbell front squats (held in rack position) 2x20
b2) dumbbell romanian deadlifts w/bands 2x20

Just like with the upperbody superset, I was only resting after BOTH movements had been completed and just two sets of this had my lowerbody begging for mercy...not to mention my lungs!

finally I decided to finish up with an upperbody finisher, one of favorites actually, for lactic acid tolerance and grip strength/endurance.
c1) dumbbell shrugs w/bands 2x20
c2) band curls 2x12

And here I am some 5 hours later still trying to feel "normal", despite already having a very high work capacity and using just two light ass dumbbells and a mini band! Never underestimate the power of using a little!