7 Dumbbell & Bodyweight Exercises for Size & Strength

Lately, my training has been sleds, bodyweight and bells (Dumbbells and Kettlebells). 

I am taking a break from back squats for lower body. My lower body training primary lift is Deadlifts with The FARM BAR. Outside of that, LOTS of sleds and single leg work. 

The video below shows some of my favorite upper body exercises as well as a farmer walk variation, which is under the "total body" category or "full body" lift category. 

Details below:

1) Pull Ups / Chin Ups - Full Range of Motion, Change Grips Every set. If you can regularly hit more than 10 reps, then 1 x week you should perform your pull ups with weight in the 1 - 6 rep range as well. 

2) Incline DB Bench - Palms Neutral for less strain on the rotator cuff and shoulder joint. I also recommend varying the angles of the bench on the regular to strengthen the body from different angles. 

3) 1 Arm Row - Thick Grip DBs are a Bonus if you have them. The 1 arm row is one of the best back builders out there. 

Avoid the common mistakes of hunching your back, rotating while rowing and not rowing with a full range of motion.

See the 1 arm row technique tips in this video:

4 + 5) Side Raises + Cuban Cleans - Higher Reps here, great for shoulder health & building the shoulders and traps.

Below, you see Jeremy Hartman doing these HEAVY.

Heavy DB Cleans are reserved for advanced lifters.

6) DB Complex - High Pulls, Snatches and Clean and Press. 

An old favorite Dumbbell Complex, inspired LONG ago by Goerner the Mighty!

7) Farmer Walks - Carry anything heavy. In this video, I am carrying 100 lbs of chains
attached to a Rolling Thick Grip handle to challenge the grip to an even greater extent. 

Blend these 7 exercises together and GROW.

If you're busy, you can perform 3 - 4 exercises together as a strength circuit. I do this often for Busy Men / Busy Dads in Dad STRONG as well as with our adults at The Underground Strength Gym of Manasquan. You can also do this circuit style for greater GPP and work capacity for athletes.

During your warm up and finisher, I highly recommend adding any of the following:

Sleds

Jump Rope

Sprints

Get out there and make it happen.

Live The Code 365,

Zach Even - Esh 

7 Days FREE Intro 

Gladiator STRONG