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gf11 Chest and Back | Dumbbell Strength Workout

Welcome to my upper body chest and back body strength workout with dumbbells. In this blog, I have included short demos of each of the exercises from the workout with progressions and modifications to suit most fitness levels. You can also dive right into the 11-minute workout if you don’t need the demos.

If you have time, take my 5-minute warm up before your workout and my 5-minute post workout stretch when you’re done.

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Equipment

Exercise mat
Interval timer
Water bottle
Dumbbells-Light
Dumbbells – Heavy
Gloves

Before You Begin

After a 1-minute warmup, this workout is a 10 minute interval style workout with one new exercise starting at the top of every minute. There are 5 unique chest exercises and 5 unique back exercises, and they alternate each minute. Each exercise is performed for 40 seconds and followed by 20 seconds rest. I used a range of weights from 10-30 pounds.

Full 11-minute Workout Video:

Workout Breakdown:

Perform each exercise for 40s. Take 20s rest between exercises.

Minute 1:

Dumbbell Press Out

Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Hold a dumbbell vertically in both hands at your chest. Push arms straight out keeping weight at chest level. Return to the starting position.
Modification: Reduce or eliminate weight and/or reduce range of motion
Progression: Use heavier weight
Be careful: Keep back straight

Minute 2:

W Raise

Stand with feet shoulder width apart with a soft bend in your legs and hinge at the hip with your back straight. Bend arms, holding them down low with palms facing one another. Lift arms apart so that palms are facing front and elbows are creating a “W” shape. Return to starting position.
Modification: Reduce weight or do one arm at a time
Progression: Use heavier weight
Be careful: Use arms to lift the weight, don’t swing your back

Minute 3:

Upward Fly

Stand with feet shoulder width apart and a soft bend in your legs. Hold arms to sides with palms facing out. Lift straight arms on the diagonal to bring palms together around head level. Return to the starting position.
Modification: Use smaller weights, reduce range of motion or do one arm at a time
Progression: Increase weight
Be careful: Do not lift too heavy to avoid straining your back

Minute 4:

Straight Arm Pullover

Lie supine with knees bent and feet flat on floor. With straight arms behind your head, pick up one dumbbell and lift it over your head until you can see it. Return to starting position.
Modification: Reduce range of motion
Progression: Increase weight or range of motion
Be careful: Keep low back pressed to the floor to avoid straining your back

Minute 5:

Bench (Chest) Press

Lie supine with knees bent and feet flat on floor. Bend elbows 90″ with forearms perpendicular to the floor. At the same time, extend both arms straight overhead. Return to starting position.
Modification: Eliminate or reduce weight
Progression: Hold a hip bridge while doing the reps
Be careful: Keep low back on the floor to avoid straining your back

Minute 6:

Shrugs

Stand with feet shoulder width apart and soft knees holding weights to your sides. Lift both shoulders as if to “shrug”. Return to the starting position.
Modification: Reduce the weight
Progression: Increase weight (you probably can lift heavier than you think you can)
Be careful: Bend your knees to pick up and put down heavy weights to avoid straining your back

Minute 7:

Wide Pushups

From your pushup position move each hand out a few inches, but under your elbows (beyond the footprint of your trunk). Perform a pushup.
Modification: Do the pushup on your knees or bring hands in closer to your body
Progression: Offset wide hands by moving one hand forward on the floor in front of the other by about 6″
Be careful: Do not hyper-extend your shoulders when lowering

Minute 8:

Bent Over Wide Row

Stand with feet shoulder width apart, soft knees and hinge at the hip with your back straight. Bend arms and pull elbows out to the side with weights hanging down and palms facing behind you. Lift the weights while pinching your shoulder blades together. Return to the starting position.
Modification: Bring elbows in and do a narrow row, or reduce the weight
Progression: Increase weight, or stand in a split stance (one foot in front of the other)
Be careful: Do not lift too heavy to avoid straining your back

Minute 9:

Chest Fly

Lie supine with knees bent and feet flat on floor. Extend arms to sides with palms facing up. Bring straight (or slightly bent) arms overhead so palms meet. Return to the starting position.
Modification: Eliminate or reduce weight
Progression: Hold a hip bridge while doing the reps
Be careful: Keep low back on the floor to avoid straining your back

Minute 10:

Dead Lift

Stand with feet shoulder width apart, soft knees and hinge at the hip with your back straight. Holding a weight in each hand, hinge forward and allow the weights to go down toward the floor. Return to the standing position.
Modification: Lower weight or reduce range of motion
Progression: Increase weight or add an upright row
Be careful: Keep back totally straight, do not round your shoulders

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