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Burpee With Dumbbells

What Is A Burpee With Dumbbells?

Burpee With Dumbbells

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Doing burpees with dumbbells adds weight to the burpee movement so they become more of a strength training exercise. Dumbbell burpees are slightly different to the full burpee, removing the plyometric vertical jump in each rep but adding load by holding dumbbells. Burpees with dumbbells are a great all-round exercise that works the whole body and builds more strength and power than any other type of burpee.

Dumbbell burpees are a dynamic movement that work your cardiovascular fitness and strengthen the muscles of the chest, upper back, shoulders, and core. This type of burpee works your forearms and shoulders more than other variations because you'll be holding dumbbells and standing up with the weights.

Doing burpees with dumbbells removes some of the wrist extension that you get from full burpees, making them a good choice if regular burpees fatigue your wrists, or if you need to keep your wrists straight due to injury or weakness.  

Burpees with dumbbells can be used in full-body strength workouts or as a plyometric exercise to build power. Take time to learn good technique for burpees with dumbbells with our tips below.

Check out some other burpee variations: Burpee, Half Burpee, One legged burpee, Devil's Press, Burpee Broad Jump, Burpee To Tuck Jump

Commonly Asked Questions About Burpees With Dumbbells

Are Weighted Burpees Effective?

Weighted burpees, or burpees with dumbbells, are an effective exercise for burning calories, challenging the cardiovascular system, and strengthening the legs and glutes. Dumbbell burpees work the chest, back, core, legs, and glutes, and will also work the forearms and shoulders due to holding the dumbbells.

What Can I Do Instead Of Burpees?

If you need an alternative exercise instead of burpees, try mountain climbers or plank jacks (which are a replacement for the plank and dynamic leg movement of burpees), jumping jacks or vertical jumps, or down ups. Down ups are sometimes called half burpee.

Are Dumbbell Burpees Good?

Dumbbell burpees are a good choice of burpee if you want to use burpees to build strength and power. By adding dumbbells into the burpee movement, you challenge your body with external load, which will lead to strength gains in the legs, glutes, shoulders, and forearms.

Burpee With Dumbbells Tips

  • Engage your core throughout the movement, especially when you are lowering the dumbbells to the ground and standing up with them.

  • Place the dumbbells on the floor wide enough apart that your chest can lower down between them.

  • Put the dumbbells down parallel to your body, so your wrists are facing inwards at all times.

  • Use hex dumbbells rather than round dumbbells to stop them rolling during the movement.

How To Do A Burpee With Dumbbells

  1. Stand with your feet hip width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand

  2. Hinge at the hips and bend your knees, placing the dumbbells on the floor in front of your feet.

  3. Keep hold of the dumbbells throughout the movement.

  4. Press your hands into the dumbbell handles as you jump both legs into a plank position.

  5. Bend your elbows to lower your body to the floor in between the dumbbells.

  6. Push back through the dumbbells into a plank position.

  7. Jump both feet in so they’re behind the dumbbells.

  8. Push through your feet and stand up with the dumbbells in your hands.

If you’re not sure if any of the above exercises are suitable for you, please consult your doctor before you start it. Need guidance on how to perform the exercise? Ask a personal trainer at your gym.