I like to incorporate combination movements when I am short on time, performing total-body workouts or even doing a boot camp class. These are more advanced movements that require a lot of coordination, control and core stabilization – which means you are getting in a pretty good ab workout just by doing these exercises. You may be surprised, some of these are harder than they look!

When performing these exercises I like to do 15-20 repetitions with as heavy of a weight as I can lift. But remember, as with any exercise, proper form and focusing on the muscle you are working is more important than the amount of weight you are using. You can add these to your own workouts any way you want, or you can do them all-in-one as a total-body circuit. If you do that, I recommend following each set with one minute of any type of active rest (jogging in place, jump rope, jumping jacks, etc) to keep your heart rate up and work up a good sweat.

Have fun, change it up and let me know what you think 🙂

 

Dumbbell Squat/Dumbbell Curl

Target Areas Hamstrings, Quads, Glutes/Biceps

Recommended Sets/Reps 3-4/15-20

1) Begin with your feet shoulder width apart and dumbbells by your sides. Keeping your weight on your heels with your chest up, lower down into a squat position so your knees are perpendicular (or lower) with the floor. Do not allow your upper body to lean over your toes.
Nicole Wilkins
2) Keeping your elbows by your sides, push through your heels to return back to the starting position, performing a bicep curl on the way up. As you curl, twist your palms up toward the ceiling. Keep your chest up and shoulders back during the curl. Squeeze at the top, then slowly lower the weights down to the starting position.

Nicole Wilkins

 

Dumbbell Lunge/Dumbbell Lateral Raise

Target Areas Glutes, Quads, Hamstrings/Shoulders (lateral delt focus)

Recommended Sets/Reps 3-4/15-20

1) Stand with one foot stretched out in front of the other with the dumbbells down at your sides. Keeping your chest up and front heel on the floor, slowly lower your back knee down until it is about two inches from the ground. Be sure your feet are far enough apart that your front knee does not go over your front toes.

Nicole Wilkins
2) Push through the heel of your front foot and ball of your back foot and, as you return to the standing position, slowly raise your arms out laterally up to shoulder height, keeping your elbows slightly bent as you do. Lower the dumbbells to the starting position and repeat.

Nicole Wilkins

 

Sumo Squat/Plate Front Raise

Target Areas Glutes, Hamstrings, Quads, Shoulders (front delt focus)

Recommended Sets/Reps 3-4/15-20

1) Begin with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart and point your toes toes slightly outward at a 45 degree angle. Hold a weight plate with both hands down in front of your body. Slowly lower into a squat position, keeping your chest up and heels on the ground.

Nicole Wilkins
2 Push through your heels to return to the starting position and, as you do, raise the plate up in front of your body to eye level, keeping your elbows slightly bent and arms extended out in front of you. Return to starting position and repeat.

Nicole Wilkins

 

Dumbbell Press/Crunch

Target Areas Shoulders, Abs

Recommended Sets/Reps 3-4/15-20

1) Lay on your back on a flat bench. Place your feet up on the bench to help keep your lower back flat. Start with your hands near your armpits, palms facing your feet.

Nicole Wilkins

2) Press the dumbbells toward the ceiling. As you press, lift your shoulder blades up off of the bench, performing a full crunch at the top of the movement. Slowly lower your torso and the dumbbells back down to the starting position and repeat.

Nicole Wilkins

 

Pushup/Dumbbell Row

Target Areas Chest, Back

Recommended Sets/Reps 3-4/15-20

1) Begin in a pushup position, with your on two dumbbells, palms facing in. Spread your feet about two feet apart to help with stability and keep your upper body parallel with the floor. Keep your butt in a straight line with your upper body, do not sink or raise your hips.
Nicole Wilkins

 

2) Lower your upper body down into the bottom of a pushup position. As you press back up, lift one dumbbell up toward the side of your body to perform a row. Be sure to keep your hips down and do not twist your body as you perform the row. Lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position and perform a row with the other arm. Lower the dumbbell and repeat, starting with the pushup

*On this exercise, you can alternate back and forth or perform all rows on one side before switching to the other side.

Nicole Wilkins