"Just go heavier" - that's the standard advice for progressing with dumbbells. But what if you can't? Maybe you're training at home with limited equipment. Maybe you're recovering from an injury. Or maybe you're just not ready for that jump yet.
The good news? You can make the same pair of dumbbells feel heavier and challenge your body in new ways. When you do, you'll build strength and fitness without needing to change the number on your weights. Here's how to make your current dumbbells work harder for you.
Quick note before we dive in: While these strategies can dramatically increase the challenge of your workouts, good form is non-negotiable. If you can't maintain proper movement patterns, or worse - experience pain from improper movement - that’s your cue to STOP and reset. Consistency beats intensity every time, and injuring yourself due to sloppy movement will make consistency far more difficult. Tomorrow's workout matters as much as today's.
With that disclaimer out of the way, let’s dig in!
1. Limit Your Rest Time
Best for High-Intensity (Daily Workouts: Program A and SHIFT)
Seems too simple to be effective? Trust us on this one - reducing rest time is a proven way to make your workouts more challenging without touching heavier weights. When you rest less, your muscles have to work harder, your conditioning improves, and those "light" weights won't feel so light anymore.
Here are three ways to make it happen:
Go Unbroken
Got 15 thrusters in your workout? Instead of breaking them up into sets of 5, challenge yourself to do all 15 in a row. Yes, you might need to slow down a bit to maintain control - that's okay! The key is keeping those dumbbells moving without putting them down.
Speed Up Transitions
When moving between movements, don't take that "mini-break" you're used to. If your workout has two movements with dumbbells – say 20 deadlifts followed by 15 thrusters – here's your challenge: don't put those dumbbells down between movements! Flow straight from your last deadlift into your first thruster. Your shoulders might not thank you, but your fitness will!
Increase Cycle Speed
Take a look at how long each rep takes you. If one thruster usually takes 3 seconds – maybe you're moving slowly out of the squat or pausing at the top – try to pare it down to 2 seconds. Keep your form solid but eliminate those sneaky little pauses that creep in between reps. Remember: we're not rushing, we're just removing the rest!
2. Slow It Down
Best for Strength Training (SP Extra Programs: Dumbbell Strength, Butts & Guts, Suns Out Guns Out)
If you've done any of our Dumbbell Strength workouts, you already know this one's legit. Slowing down your movement is like turning up the difficulty dial without changing your weights. Why? Because you're forcing your muscles to work harder for longer - and that's a recipe for getting stronger.
Here are two ways to make those light weights feel heavy:
Control the Tempo
The "money maker" in any lift is actually the lowering portion - that's where the magic happens! Try this: take 3-5 seconds to lower the weight during your squats, presses, and deadlifts. Yes, that means counting "one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two..." on the way down. Trust us, those "light" weights won't feel so light anymore.
Add a Pause
Find the hardest part of the movement (usually at the bottom of a squat or in the middle of a press) and hang out there for 1-3 seconds. Then muster up your strength to keep moving. This isn't just about making things harder - it's about building strength in positions where you need it most.
3. Increase Your Range of Motion
Great for Any Style of Training
One of the best things about dumbbells? They let you move through a greater range of motion than a barbell. And guess what - more range means more work for your muscles.
Here are two ways to take advantage of this:
Maximize What You've Got
Before getting fancy, make sure you're using your full range in every movement:
- Squats: Can you go a little deeper while keeping your chest up? Do it!
- Presses: Are your dumbbells actually touching your shoulders between reps? Make it happen!
- Overhead: Are you getting those elbows locked out up top? That's your goal!
Create a Deficit
Ready to level up? Here's where it gets fun:
- For Deadlifts: Stand on a sturdy plate or platform (2-4 inches high) and touch the weights to the floor - not the platform. Suddenly those "light" deadlifts aren't so light anymore!
- For Lunges: Same setup, but step off the platform for each rep. Keep that front foot planted up top while your back knee touches the ground below. Hello, extra range of motion!
4. Make it "Strict"
Great for Any Style of Training
At Street Parking, we prioritize functional movements because they use many muscle groups to get work done – often the entire body – just like real life. But, sometimes using fewer muscles can make a movement more challenging. By limiting how much help you get from certain parts of your body, those "light" weights suddenly feel a lot heavier.
Here are some specific examples on how to do that:
Shoulder to Overhead
Customize a push jerk to a push press, or a push press to a shoulder press. A push jerk uses your whole body to get the weights overhead. Remove the bend in your knees, and you've got a push press. Take away the hip drive too, and now you're doing a strict press - same weight, but suddenly much more demanding. Bonus: Perform pressing movements from a seated position for an added level of core complexity.
Cleans & Snatches
These power movements typically use a lot of leg drive and a quick rebend to get under the weight. Try the "muscle" version instead - keep those legs straight and let your upper body do all the work. Same weight, but now your pulling muscles have to work a lot harder.
Thrusters
Go with the simpler - but more challenging - SHIFT version of this movement: the squat + press. Eliminate the momentum that you gain from standing aggressively out of the squat into the overhead press by pausing briefly when you come to standing BEFORE finishing with the overhead press. When you take away that momentum, your shoulders have to work twice as hard with the same weight.
When you’re ready to make your light dumbbells work harder, remember to keep it simple: Pick ONE strategy and ONE movement for your next workout. Keep your form sharp - if it starts to slip, that's your signal to dial it back. Tomorrow's another day to challenge yourself.
Which strategy will you try first?
Do you have more questions on training smart with dumbbells? Reach out to [email protected]
