Dumbbell HIIT for Fat Loss and Strength

Just as there’s no free lunch, there’s no effortless calorie-burning. If you want to really rev up your metabolism, you’ve got to put in the hard, fast work.

Fortunately, there’s a way to get maximum impact with minimal investment (in time, not in effort). High-intensity interval training, or HIIT, is skyrocketing in popularity because it offers a full-body workout in a short period that leaves you absolutely transformed in terms of overall fitness and endurance.

Addicted to the burn? Turn your intervals into a full-body dumbbell workout! HIIT with weights is like getting an extra shot in your coffee: it’ll get your energy levels soaring past the stratosphere.

What is Dumbbell HIIT?

A dumbbell HIIT workout combines a high-intensity cardio workout with strength-focused dumbbell exercises. The cardio part can be anything that really makes you work up a sweat and gets you outside your comfort zone, and you’ll be doing this activity in short bursts of VERY intense effort.

If you’re looking to build muscle with HIIT fat burning, adding dumbbells takes things to a whole new level. HIIT dumbbell exercises include squats, lunges, burpees, and more.

The Benefits of Dumbbell HIIT: Why It’s So Popular Right Now

Ever heard of the EPOC effect? Short for “Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption,” EPOC refers to the increased rate of oxygen intake after a workout as the body works to restore itself to pre-exercise levels. Essentially, after intense physical activity, your body keeps on burning more calories than normal.

The EPOC effect can last up to a full day, so your reward for an intense, 30-minute dumbbell HIIT workout is to burn fat off in your sleep. This efficient, full-body workout saves you time that you might otherwise be spending watching the bike machine’s calorie meter creep upwards at a snail’s pace.

Of course, fat burning isn’t the only reason we work out. We want to look and feel strong! With dumbbell strength and cardio, you’ll build a lot of lean muscle — a full-body HIIT workout with dumbbells is the epitome of strength training for endurance. It will also boost your mental health, reduce anxiety, and increase your motivation in all areas of your life.

Key Advice for Starting Dumbbell HIIT

Dumbbell HIIT for muscle building and fat loss is easy to overdo, since the whole point is to almost overdo it. For advanced fitness enthusiasts, it’s an art form. For beginners, it’s best to ease into it. Here are some tips:

1.     Zero in on Form Over Speed. Maintaining proper form is essential for preventing injury and maximizing the impact of your workout, so if you can only focus on one thing, focus on form. The rest will follow.
2.     Choose the Right Dumbbell Weight. While you’re mastering the form, go for a lighter weight. When you feel more confident and are looking to build endurance, go for something moderate. When you’re ready to go all-in for strength, you can gear up to the heavy weights.
3.     Have a Good Progression Strategy. As you move through your workout, start with simple movements and then gradually add complexity. For example, you might want to start with squats and then transition to man makers.
4.     Consider Low-Impact Options. You don’t need to be in absolute ship-shape to do a fat-burning dumbbell workout. Joint-friendly alternatives like step-back lunges or static holds are great if you’ve got knee or elbow pain.

Many beginners wonder whether dumbbell HIIT for fat loss can replace traditional cardio. The answer is that while HIIT provides solid cardio benefits, it’s always good to do some regular, low-intensity aerobic exercise as well. A fast walk or moderate jog can be great for a rest day.   

Dumbbell HIIT Workouts for All Levels

We know you’re looking for some workout suggestions! No matter your level or needs, City Fitness has you covered. Let’s start small and work our way up.

1.     New to It All? Your Beginner-Friendly Routine. For this level, you’ll want to do 30 seconds on and 10 seconds off. Repeat for 15-20 minutes. Try the following exercises:

• Dumbbell Goblet Squats: Hold a dumbbell close to your chest with both hands while keeping your elbows bent. Then squat down while maintaining a tall, upright posture.
• Alternating Dumbbell Shoulder Press: Press one dumbbell over your head at a time, keeping your core engaged and your elbows slightly bent.
• Dumbbell Deadlifts: Holding a dumbbell in each hand with your arms extended, hinge at your hips to lower the weights toward the floor while maintaining a neutral spine. Then returning to a standing position by driving your hips forward.
• Russian Twists: Sit on the floor, leaning back slightly while you twist your torso from side to side. You’re totally free to skip the dumbbell on this one, but if you want a real challenge, try to touch the floor with your dumbbell on each side.

2.     Got Some HIIT Under Your Belt Already? Try This Intermediate Routine. Here, your format will be a superset style, with 3 rounds of the following:

• 40 seconds of work and 20 seconds of rest between exercises.
• 60 seconds rest between rounds.

Exercises include:

• Dumbbell Thrusters: Squat down while holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height, then explosively stand up and press the weights overhead in one smooth motion.
• Renegade Rows: Start in a plank position with a dumbbell in each hand and “row” one dumbbell toward your hip while stabilizing your body. Then alternate sides while keeping your core tight.
• Dumbbell Swings: Hold a dumbbell in front of you and swing it down between your legs while you go into a squat. Then swing it back up in front of you as you rise to a standing position.
• Dumbbell Snatch: Explosively lift your dumbbell from the ground to overhead in one fluid motion, using your hips and legs to generate power while keeping your arm straight and your core engaged. Alternate your arms.

3.     Done It All Already? Here’s the Best Dumbbell HIIT Workout for Experts. For this one we recommend a CrossFit-inspired rep scheme (for example, 21-15-9). Here are some advanced exercises you can try:

• Man Makers: This full-body dumbbell workout combines a push-up, renegade row, and squat-to-press. Start in a plank position and do a push-up, rowing each dumbbell. Then jump your feet towards your hands, finishing with a squat and overhead press.
• Dumbbell Clean and Press: Lift your dumbbells from the ground to shoulder height in a “clean” motion, then press them overhead using your legs and arms.
• Jump Squats with Dumbbells: Hold a dumbbell in each hand while performing a squat. Then jump up and immediately go into the next squat.
• Burpee to Dumbbell Curl and Press: Do a burpee, and then immediately upon jumping back up, curl the dumbbells to your shoulders and press them overhead.

4.     Got Joint Pain? Here’s a Great Low-Impact Routine. For this one, we like to have people do a format involving one minute of work and 15 seconds of rest. Exercises can include:

• Step-Back Lunges with Dumbbells: Hold a dumbbell in each hand while you step one leg back into a lunge. Keep your chest upright and then return to the starting position, alternating legs with each rep.
• Static Dumbbell Holds: Grip a dumbbell and hold it in a fixed position — perhaps overhead or chest-level — for a set amount of time.
• Seated Dumbbell Press: Sit on a bench with your back straight and hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height. Then press the weights overhead while engaging your core.

Want to do some HIIT fat-burning in the comfort of your own living room? Check in with our fitness experts to learn about the best dumbbell exercises for HIIT at home or HIIT on a treadmill.

Your Next Steps

Dumbbell HIIT really does it all: It improves both strength and cardiovascular fitness, galvanizes your calorie burning, and boosts metabolism with its high-intensity intervals. It also enhances muscular endurance, promotes fat loss, and saves time by combining strength training with cardio in one efficient workout. What could be better?

Give one or more of the above workouts a try, and if you’re in the mood for more variety, check out our other fitness blogs for a world of options.  

Happy HIIT-ing!