Sexy Arms Dumbbell Circuit Workout with 10 Minute Cardio HIIT

By Lee Funke

Published 8/21/2014 • Updated 11/27/2020

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My workouts lately have been short and intense. I find myself getting bored at about the 45 minute mark. Plus, I’m not the type who likes to be at the gym for 3 hours. I’d rather get in, get it done, and get outa there! Same with spin- I’d rather ride hard for 45 than duke it out for 60. 

I finally caved a few months ago and got myself an LA Fitness membership….because it’s the closest gym to my house. For a while I would drive about 20 minutes to the closest Anytime Fitness or stop at one on the way to work….but once I started working from home full time, I needed something a little more convenient. After working in the fitness industry for a year and a half, I’d say I’m a bit of a gym snob. I have high expectations of the service, equipment, and classes offered. Sometimes though….convenience trumps all and I will go to a specific gym just because it’s the closest to me 😉

Speaking of gyms. Brooke has an awesome space in her apartment complex that is perfect for my kind of workout! 

This is where I will meet her if she’s going to sweat with me! Brooke and I have similar wonky schedules. She’s a nurse and works nights, so when I drag her out of bed to workout with me during the day, I literally meet her at her house and boom goes the dynamite! 

The workout I am about to share with you is one that Brooke (she’s the one who photographs my workouts for me!) and I did a few weeks ago. It’ll leave you dripping with sweat and a slight burn in your arms (a good burn, of course!!).

Equipment Needed

• 10 and/or 15 lb. dumb bells
• A piece of cardio equipment (ie: stair stepper, elliptical, treadmill, etc.)

I am definitely a cardio before lifting kind of girl. I love starting my lifting session already sweating with my heart rate up. Feel free to do the cardio post-lifting if you’d rather get that in after your workout is over!

Choose any cardio machine and complete a 2 minute gentle warm up before moving into your intervals. Take the next 10 minutes to sprint for 30 seconds and recover for 30 seconds. I personally used an elliptical and set it to a medium resistance. My sprint was at about 90% effort and my recovery was 60%, just enough to bring my heart rate back down.

Don’t have any cardio equipment? Choose 2 plyometic exercises such as jump squats, burpees, jump lunges, diamond jumps, etc. and do 2 different tabatas.  

Complete each exercise for 1 minute with no breaks in between. Do the circuit 3 times and rest 1 minute in between each circuit.

Bicep Curls: Stand feet hip-width apart. Hold dumbbells palms facing up. As you inhale, curl arms and lift dumbbells towards chest only about 3/4 of the way. As you exhale, release back down. Repeat.

Lateral Extensions: Stand feet hip-width apart. Hold dumbbells palms facing up. As you inhale, extend weights laterally, out to your sides. As you exhale, pull weights back in and squeeze elbows behind your back. Repeat.

Squat + Shoulder Press: Stand feet hip-width apart. As you inhale, squat down with dumbbells by your sides and weight in your heels. As you exhale, stand up and press dumbbells over head into a shoulder press. Repeat.

Reverse Flies: Stand feet hip-width apart, hinged at the hips with a flat back. Release arms forward in front of you keeping them slightly bent. As you inhale open your arms and squeeze your shoulder blades together. As you exhale, release back to center. Repeat.

Tricep Kickbacks: Stand feet hip-width apart, hinged at the hips with a flat back. Bend arms at 90 degree. Take an inhale and as you exhale extend your arms back and as you inhale release back. Keep arms pinned to side and refrain from using a “swinging” motion.

Front to Lateral Raise: Stand feet hip-width. Start with arms extended down, palms facing down on weights. As you inhale, lift weights in front of you, stopping at shoulder height. As you exhale, release back down, this time weights to your side. As you inhale lift arms laterally to shoulder height, palms facing down. As you exhale, release weights back to the front. Repeat.

Remember —> FORM OVER WEIGHT. That means, if you are compromising your form, go to a lighter set of weights! I suggested 10’s and 15’s, but feel free to use 5’s and 8’s if you are a beginner! As always I need to share a disclaimer: Although I am a certified ACE Group Fitness Instructor and Yoga Sculpt Instructor, please please please consult with your doctor before beginning a new fitness regimen. The workouts that I share on Fit Foodie Finds are what I DO and should simply be used as ideas for your own workouts, where you can modify with progressions and regressions.

Other workouts you might like…

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Cardio- before or after your workout?

Gyms- why do you go to the gym you go to?