38 Minute Unilateral Dumbbell Strong Workout [Weights, Strength, Sculpt, Tone]

Hey, everybody, I'm Amy from Body Fit by Amy. And this is your unilateral dumbbell strong workout. So this is a full body workout where we will get back to basic strength using a unilateral format. So that just means one leg and one arm, one side of the body at a time. We'll be working with dumbbells. If you have a couple of options, keep them close by. I would love for you to try to go heavy since we're going back to basics and we're isolating. And of course we'll keep your heart rate up the whole time and I'll give you lots of different options to work to your level. Are you ready? Let's do it. Go ahead and just start moving your body. We're gonna keep this warm up pretty short, but we do want to get our body temperature up. We do want to get our muscles warm, the blood flowing, everything ready to move. Get some movement, prep some mobility work. Take those arms to the front right through here. So of course, if you need more of a warm up, you can get it on your own. We are going to keep it short today just to get you in and out with this workout. So as I said, this is a back to basics workouts, meaning we're not going to do any crazy combos, we're not going to do any big hit intervals just because of the pace that we're moving at. And because I want you to be going strong, I think you will find that your heart rate is going to get up, but we won't be doing any specific cardio intervals. So in that regard, it's going to be challenging, but it's going to be all lower impact but tough on your muscles, challenging on your body. And of course I will give you options to figure out what is best for you in that moment. So keeping it super simple with lower body, upper body, core, using our dumbbells. So I'm working with my tens and and my 15s today. Let's take it flat, back down and round it up. You use what options you have available for you. Again, I'm going to encourage you if you have it available, to go heavy because let's take it here. Roll those shoulders. We're going back to basics. All right, right side, left side of lower, upper and core. Let's walk it in right here. Take it to a squat in the hinge. Sit low in the squat, hands behind the head. It's a hinge. So I want you to really drop the hips down and then drive the hips Back. We want to make them feel and look different because we're going to be working in this hinge pattern, in the squat pattern. Again, one side of the time. Let's go one more. Sit low and here. Tap it back right here. Tap. You can get low with it if you can, or you can just keep it a little tap. Open up that hip and hip flexor. Drop it down if you can. In that lunge, get a little lower, and let's hold it here. If you are able, take one hand down, one hand up, walk that foot out, drop that knee. A little twist. World's greatest stretch. If that doesn't feel right for you, you just stay standing and get that hip opener and chest opener. Go ahead and switch that. You can either stand up to do it or switch it from here again. If you need to stay in that lunge, take it here, take it through here to here, and then let's walk it back either to all fours, on your knees, if that's better for you, or into that high plank. A little forward and back. Little side to side to wake up that core. Forward and back. Drop the hips side to side, forward and back again. You can be on the knees, too, if you need to. One more side to side. Go ahead and walk those hands back. Slowly. Roll it up. All right, team, here we go. Reach across. So we are getting it done. We will have 40 seconds of work, and most often we will have 20 seconds of rest. However, there will be some times when I think we can go right into the next side. So with that, we won't have very much of a rest. All right, so just flow with me, go with me, blow with me. I like to say both and do what is best for you. All right, so we're going heavy dumbbells. So even though we're going right side, left side, a lot of the times, especially with lower body, we're going to take it with two dumbbells. So two heavy dumbbells. I'm gonna grab my 15. We're starting with a lunge right before left foot back. You pick what lunge is best for you. Maybe it is a split, squat, stationary lunge. Maybe it is a reverse lunge. Maybe it's a forward lunge. Maybe it's no lunge at all, and you just need to tap it back. Either way. Join me here in 3, 2, 1. 40 seconds. Drop it down, bring it up. So we're here. Step back if you're doing the reverse or step forward. Either way, remember, we're stepping back. Hip distance, Apart. So we call that train tracks, not tight leg rope. Drive up through that front heel, little hinge forward. Yes. Again, you should feel that heart rate getting up. Shoulders back. These are strong muscles, so try to go heavy. Breathe. Let's go. Two. One more. All right, team, so I want you to keep that right foot forward, but drop that right dumbbell, and we're going to take it to 40 seconds of a row. All right, so we're here. Core engaged, and we're going to take it 40 seconds in a row while that heart rate's up. Keeping that leg working. Three, two, one. Here we go. So you're bringing it up. Strong squeeze right through here. And up. Yes. So flat back. You're in a hinge position. Yes, that's intentional. That front leg is feeling that work. Right? Pull that elbow up. Pull the weight up towards your hip, towards your rib cage. Pull the elbow up and in. Squeezing in the back. Right, we got 10 seconds, then we're getting some core. Three, two, one. All right, team, so now whatever hand you had that weight in, whatever weight was forward. So I'm gonna take it to a windmill. It's a dumbbell windmill. So if you want to add that second dumbbell low, you can do that as well. Both or just one up or down, you pick what's best for you. It's a windmill. Join me here. So this might feel like a lot. Going to get a little bit of shoulders, shoulder stability. So again, if you need to just do the top like we would do with a kettle bell. Dropping it here and bring it up. Yes. Take it down and up or just have it low. This is a great option, too. Right. Right through here. And we are going to be repeating these circuits, but your second time through, we are going to give you a little bit of a variation, something a little different. Three, two, one, breathe. Give your hands a break. We're turning that all to that other side. So, other lunge. So left foot forward. Then we'll drop one weight, do the row, then we will take it to that windmill. All right. And then we'll do it all again, but we'll give you a few little variations. Grab those heavy weights one side with your lunge. Here we go. So you can reverse lunge with me. You can keep it stationary. If that's better for you, you can drop the weights or just have one weight and have a hand up for balance again, you can also do a forward lunge, but drop that knee right through here. Drive it up. Back to basics. So slow and controlled. You don't have to drop that knee all the way down. Again, if your modification, if what's right for your body. Just a little tap back. That works too. Right through here, we got 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Stay with that same foot forward. Opposite arm is gonna do the row. So a little hinge flat back, bring it up and squeeze. Go ahead and get set. Yes. That front leg is going to feel it a bit, but you're staggered your hinge. Three, two, one. Bring it up. Let it drop. So sometimes what can be really helpful is to have this arm out. That helps you keep those shoulders pulled back, even a little lifted. Not just here, but here. And again, you're bringing that elbow right by your side. Yes, you can squeeze flat back, everything pulled in, up and down. You got a team. Hang with me 10 seconds. Oh, I can feel my elbow needs to pop. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. And relax. So same foot that was forward. We're going down that leg. So one dumbbell or two or one dumbbell high, one dumbbell low. It is up to you. I'm gonna try with both, but I might need to switch. Let's take it in. Three, two, one. Here we go. Drop it down. Bring it up. Now, this is challenging, especially with my 15s. So I'm taking it nice and slow. And again it starts to feel like too much. You can always just do one dumbbell and breathe right through here, or you can do one dumbbell low. So getting a lot of core stability. Yes, we're getting a hinge. Yes. We're working the shoulders, and we're going to work them even more in that second time through. So as I told you, we have a second round. We got three, two, one, one. And relax. All right, team, so hang out with those weights. We're gonna do it all again. This time we're gonna do a curtsy lunge. When we take it to that row, we are going to go wide row, bicep curl. So you're going to want to go a little bit lighter. And then we'll go press and windmill. I'm going to talk you through it. Curtsy lunge to start. Right foot forward. Here we go. Down and up. So that curtsy, you're just crossing behind. So again, I want you to find the lunge that is right for you. Maybe that's a regular old lunch. Maybe that's a curtsy tap back. Maybe that's a stationary curtsy or even a forward curtsy curtsy. I find those really challenging, and my knees don't like them. But for some people, that's a better option. Right here and up. Take it down. So I'm going to for five more seconds here, and then I'm gonna grab one of my ten pounds right here and relax. Set those down. So right leg stays forward. Watch me here. My left arm is gonna go wide row, and then hammer curl. So you're still going. You're still staying low with it. It's a little tricky if that feels weird to. You can come up out of it to do that curl. Adding in a hinge. Here we go. Wide row, turn it in, curl. So elbow comes up, wrist comes up, elbow comes up, wrist comes up. It's kind of weird, right? But do the best you can. Again, if it feels better to do the curl here, you can add a little hinge with it. You're sneaking in a little deadlift, which we're going to do next time around. So. So if you can stay low with it, because it adds a little different dimension to that bicep curl, right? Do you feel that? We got five, four, three, two, one. All right, so bring that weight here. Watch me. We're gonna go down that foot that was forward. We're gonna add a press to it. If you can press windmill, wrap it back in. Press windmill. If that is not right for you, do a regular windmill, high or low, whatever you did the last time. Otherwise, let's add the press. Here we go. Press down. Wrap it in. I know. Up and down. Wrap it in. Up and in. Yes, you can. So we're thinking chest and shoulders, right? Might even be feeling a little bit of back and bias since we just did that, but then lots of obliques. So this is really our core circuit. And here, three, two, one. Relax. Set that to the side. Get all that on the other side. So curtsy, lunge, step into it stationary, regular, whatever you got. Wide row, bicep curl, press, and windmill heavies if you can. Shoulders back, core engaged. Keeping that heart pumping. Three, two, one, drop it down. I've been loving filming these back to basics workouts because it's reminding me how much your heart rate can get. Get up when you are going heavy, when you're really engaging, really activating those muscles, you do not have to be doing 10 things at once. You know, I love a good compound exercise. You know, I love to mix in hit, to mix in mobility, to mix in cardio, but you don't have to have it. You can be going back to basics with these moves that have been around forever. That's why they've been around forever because they work. And you can get strength, you can get your heart rate up. You can build that stamina and endurance. Oh. Last one. And breathe. All right, team. So left foot forward. I got my right arm here. It's going to be a hinge. Watch me. Wide row, palm to the back. Turn that palm in curl. So again, your muscle memory is going to want to pull it here. Pull with the wrist. In 3, 2, 1, 1. Wide row, elbow comes up. Turn it in curl. Wrist comes up. Turn it to the back. Notice what we're doing. We're also getting that rotation through the shoulder joint up. I know. And keeping that front leg working in that hinge position. Again, if you need to, you can bring it up, out of it and curl. But if you can't stand, stay down with it. And up, breathe. Squeeze in the back. Bring it up. 3, 2, 1. Let's keep those arms working. Add a little core. Turn that toe out. Remember, you can always just do a regular windmill if that is better for you. If you were able. Wrap it in, press windmill, Take it down and then wrap it back in. You do what's best for you. 3, 2, 1, press. Take it down and in. Take it up, take it down. Up and down. Yes. Whoo. Up, all the way through. Think about that core stabilizing on the hinge. Shoulder mobility up top, and then strength all the way through. Chest, shoulders, thighs, arms. Let's get one more boom and relax. All right, team, grab a quick sip of water, shake all of that out. We're gonna roll into our next circuit. This one won't feel as long. This time we'll start up top. We'll do right side, left side of the legs. Then we will take it down because we're on the mat. We've got a chest press, we got a plank rotation. So we'll do everything up top, everything down below. Then we'll do it all one more time. We're gonna start with a kickstand deadlift, so not so different from your lunge. But I want you to be up on that back toe. First round, we'll do the kickstand. It's a hinge, so it is different than your lunge. Second round, we'll do a one leg. All right? Then once I get down, one sided chest press, then we will add a tricep extension. All right, we're gonna get some planks with that too, but go ahead, grab those heaviest. You can do it. Right foot forward, left foot in a kickstand hinge it Here we go. And bring it up. So the idea with the kickstand is that you are driving through that front heel. It's a hinge, and that back leg is bent, and it's just a kickstand, right? So just a little toe. You're starting to feel your back. Another option is to have those dumbbells right down by your side. Neutral grip, right? And set them in front. But if you can, keep them close to the front of the leg. But we want to not round in the back. So keep those shoulders packed. Pull back, drive it up. 3, 2, 1. Give your hands a little break. Get a little stretch here. Again, we're gonna go left side on that, and then we'll take it down onto the mat. So left side kickstand. Bring it up. Weight in the front leg. Front leg is doing the work. Bend your knees to pick up those dumbbells. Let's get it done. Here we go. Take it down and up. So it is not a lunge. You are slight bend in both knees, but you're hinging forward. So you're dropping the chest. You're driving the hips to the back. My favorite hinge cue that a client gave me, a Bodyfit Athletic club member, is to drive your hips back like you're trying to shut the car door, right? You were lunging. You wouldn't be able to do that again. Keeping those shoulder blades pulled back, so we're not letting them round forward. That's when we feel that low back. We're keeping it here so as we go down, it almost feels like we're arching our back, but we're not. Right. Kickstand, front leg. Drive it up. Yes, you can. Last one. All right, team, so try to keep those heavies. You can have another one close by if you need it. We're going right side, left side with a regular chest press. If you want to have your feet up in a bridge or feet up in tabletop, you can. What I would recommend is just have both of those weights close by. We'll start with one. Here we go. So press up and in and down. If you want to have your feet up, you can to keep that core engaged. If you want to be up in a bridge, and I recommend this if you are in the pregnancy phase. Second and third trimester. Otherwise, you can be right here. But keep that core working and breathe. Yes, you can. Hand down all the way through tabletop. And guess what, team? We're gonna take just a few seconds to switch, and then we're gonna go Right into the next one. We got five, four, three, two, one. Pick up that other one or switch it. Whatever is best for you. Back up and in. In 3, 2, 1. We don't need those full 20 seconds, right? Again. You can be in that bridge. Feel what that one sided with that unilateral. Not only does it make our muscles on that side have to work independently, which you think are working with dumbbells, but not always. But we're having to really stabilize with our core because it's pulling us one side and then the other. Right. That's what we love about it. And here. Yes, team. And down. 10 seconds. The second circuit is a little more isolated. Down on the mat. 3, 2, 1. All right, team, roll over onto your side. Here is what we've got. You're going to do a plank, a genie plank to one side. Looks like this. So we're rotating all in one side. If you need to be on your knee, be on the hand if you need to. Otherwise, you can just do a side plank if you just want to hold. But we got 40, 30 seconds on your elbow. Lift up. Here we go. Turn it in and open it up. So you have several options. You can drop that knee on both or drop that knee on one. You can just hold or hold with the knee. You can be up on that hand and turn. Right. So you're turning your full body. You can keep it all off the ground, right? Keep that elbow off the ground. Trying to turn those hips and shoulders square, if that's okay. In your shoulder. Yes. We got five, four, three, two, one. Bring it up. Stretch it over and switch to that other side again. We're going to try to get into it a little quicker. So on the elbow, reach under. You can be on your knees. You can just hold the. Hold the side plank, whatever is good for you. Here we go. Turn under and bring it up. So watch my toes if you're having trouble. I'm rolling onto the toes, then I'm rolling under the side of my feet. It's normal for one side to feel a little different. This is my easier side Again, you can keep that elbow off the ground, or you can bring it down. Right. You can even have that hand here the whole time. It's a little extra support. Support like your knee. You do you. It's your workout. Gonna get ready to do it all again in just a second. 3, 2, 1. Relax. Stretch it back. All right, team up onto your feet. We're going again with that deadlift. Then we come right back down. You can keep the kickstand or one legged deadlift. Slight bend in both knees. If you need the balance, grab it either way. Challenging our core, but mostly getting those glutes and hamstrings. Let's get it done in 3, 2, 1. So one leg deadlift looks like this. So it's still a hinge weight. Still stay close to the front of your body. A little trick if you can hold them this way is to take it here. Maybe that helps you. If they're heavier to grip, you might need them here. Could also have something in the front, a bench, a step to give your brain a little extra balance. Right. Taking it here and breathe. Drive up through that heel. I know again, if you need to take it to the kickstand, that is totally an option. Three, two, one. Stretch it back. Give your hands a break if you need to. If you need to set them down, you got a few seconds to do so. Same thing, other side. So again, kickstand works. One leg works, one dumbbell works. You do what is best for you. Let's get it done in 3, 2, 1. Soft bend in both knees. Drive up through the heel and bring it up again. If you want, you can keep those weights turned in close to the side. Sometimes that can be really helpful in keeping those shoulders back. Just keep them here, right? Oh, not so helpful for my balance to look at the camera, but that's okay. But they don't have to be right in front. And if they are right in front, you want to keep them close to your body. Sometimes I like to make a little triangle like that. You got 10 seconds. Yes. Team, breathe. Ha. Three, two, one. Stretch it back right here. All right, team, so we're taking it down. You have two options. You can just do a tricep extension or you can do a close press. Tricep, Close press. Tricep. So I'm going to switch to my tent again. Feet can be up for balance. You can be up in that bridge or that tabletop. If you need a little hamstring stretch, grab it here. Again, your options are here or press it up and then go here. In three, two, one. Here we go. Just your triceps or a close press. So remember how we did the row? We had that big upper body pull. Now this is big upper body press. We started with the bigger muscles, then we added the accessory muscles. Right. We're still getting that strong press, different grip and the tries up and down again. If you want a little extra balance, keep this hand here or here. Whatever you need to have that stability either on the top of the forearm or upper arm or skin spotting right through here. Here. 3, 2, 1. Go ahead. Switch that weight again wherever you need to be. Bridge, tabletop, press and tries. Or take it just with the tries. Here we go. Three, two, one. Up and bend. And here again. You can have this hand here for a little extra space stability. Either way, just want you to be aware of where that weight is. The nice thing about having this hand here protecting your face is that then if you need a little spot, you can take it here. Up and down. I know. Burn. And up. Oh, one side. I know. Ah, triceps. 5, 4, 3, 2. And breathe. Stretch those arms out. All right, team, this time I want you to come into a high plank. Watch me here. I'm gonna go knee in and then rotate all on one side, little stretch. And then other side. If you want to, you can keep that opposite knee down and just go lift and rotate. All right, we got 40 seconds each side. In three, two, one. Here we go. Knee in and rotate. If you want a challenge, try to keep that leg off the ground. It's hard to do, at least as you turn and then rotate. Yes. Knee to the chest. Rotate that to that side. Can you really focus on staying forward in those shoulders? When you're in and bringing that knee towards your elbows. Right knee and up. Yes, you can burn. We got 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1. Rest your shoulders, rest your core, rest your wrist. Same thing. Other side. So again, you can also just go extension and rotate if that's a better option for you. Turn your entire body. Let's roll those wrists. We're so close. Team, let's get it done. You need to be on the elbows. You want to do right what we did before. You can do that as well. 3, 2, 1. Knee to the chest and then rotate. So all through the core. In and out. Here we go. In and out. Ha. And breathe. Yes. You can drive the knee to your chest and then really open up core. So, yes, our entire core is working from the plank plank position, but where movement is coming from one side. Three, two, one. Stretch it back. Team, grab a sip of water. All right, we are almost done. Instead of having a bonus move team, we're gonna have a very quick bonus round. Bonus circuit. It's short. Everything is 30 seconds, and we're still doing back to basics, but we're putting some some things together. So one medium to heavy dumbbell. Watch me. We got side lunge and curl. We got 30 seconds, then we go right in to that other side. All right, you can always just pick one if you want. Just the side lunge or just the curl, and you can switch halfway. All right, team, we got 30 seconds, then we're gonna take it down for a plank row, a dead bug. Bring it up for a swing in three. Side lunge, curl, two, one here. And curl. You can also keep it stationary if you just want to shift your weight. Bring it up here and up. Yes, team. Drive those hips to the back. Take it down and bring it up. Take it down, bring it up. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Switch it. Other side. 30 down. Drive out of it. Get low, push out of the hip. Strong. So one last push to get one side, but we're having left leg, right arm, right leg, left arm. Whatever it is, we're gonna get it done. And breathe. Push out of it. We got 5, 4, 3, 2, and breathe. Join me down on the mat. On your knees or in the plank? We're going 30 seconds here. Then we'll get a little quick stretch, and we'll do 30 seconds. If you need to take it from the knees, either way, we got core engaged. And we got it here. Here we go. So one side only. Bringing it up, bringing it up. Nice and strong. If you need that support. Opposite knee down or same knee down, that works too, but pull that elbow up. Core is working. Back is working. Working. I know. Staying forward. Nice and strong. Yes. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Stretch it back. Rest your wrist. So close, team, same thing. Other side. If you need that knee down for support. Otherwise, join me here. Bring it up and down. Hips and shoulders, stay square. Of course, I always remind you, we are going to have a little bit of movement. What we don't want is to be loosey goosey, right? We want strong core, so stay lifted. Little pelvic tuck. Squeeze out in those legs and glutes. That is what we're going for. Not to be completely still. We're gonna allow for a little bit of movement. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Over on your back, team. Really quick, we've got our dead bug. If you want to just march it, just march it. Otherwise, we're gonna go Same side for 15. Opposite side for 15, and then we'll switch. I'm gonna talk you through it. Here we go. Same side. Right arm, right leg. Take it out. Close the core. Take it out. And breathe. Yes, team, one more. Same arm, but switch your legs. We got eight. Ah, no, we got 15 seconds. But if you want to push on that opposite leg, you can breathe. Ha. I know. Boom. All right, left arm, left leg. So same leg. Switch your arms. Close it in. I know. Here we go. It's confusing. As long as you're moving, that's okay. Same arm, switch your legs. Here we go. 15 seconds, core. This is probably the one that comments that people are gonna be like, I don't know what I was doing, but I was feeling my core, I was getting that mobility. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. All right, team, this is it of our bonus round. I want you to watch me. You decide if you want to go medium to heavy. But we got 30 seconds each side. You're gonna do a swing through the center, curl press or swing clean and press. Here, here. Push, press. All right. If you want, you can also just do deadlift, curl press. All right. Medium to heavy. 30 seconds each side. Then we're calling it. Here we go. Swing, Swing. Yes. If you want, you probably already thought of this. You can also squat it. Swing clean, squat and press. Breathe up. Yes, team. Three, two, one. Breathe for a second. We're gonna get it done and then this is it. I know. Bonus round, bonus round. Catch your breath. Same thing. Other side. With or without the squat. Your version of whatever you need it to be. Here we go. Swing, press, down. Or you can do deadlift, curl press if you want. Add that squat. Yes. 10 seconds. Breathe. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. All right, team, we did it. We did it. Shake it out. Grab some water if you need it. Yes, you did. Stretch it right through here. Catch your breath. We're going to get a quick stretch. We're going to get you out of here. Cuz I know I promised you short workout, so of course please get more stretching on your own if you can. I want you to take those thumbs to the back to stretch and then also hinge through your upper body. So here. That's not right for you. You can just put one leg for a little bit of balance. One arm or both if you want to switch it, you can. And then bring those hands right on top of your legs. We're gonna roll through that standing cat, cow. Breathe. You're right through here. Slowly bring it up. Reach those arms up. Of course, please let me know in the comments. Did you like this? Do you like unilateral training? I do have some other ones. Single way weights or single side split circuit. Unilateral upper body, unilateral lower body. So tell me. It's always good. It's super important that you include that in your training. We of course do in all of our other workouts, we get lunges, we get one side deadlifts, things like that. But always good to incorporate unilateral training in your routine for obvious reasons. Right? We want to be balanced. We want to be strong. If you can tilt that hip forward, hand to the back, even hand on the wall, if you can bring it up for a quad, get it here. So leave me a comment, let me know what you thought. Leave me a like, of course. Don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel and follow me at Bodyfit by Amy on all the socials. All of that really helps me out. You'll stay informed. Please spread the word word to others so they can get moving. And of course, if you were looking for community, if you were looking for all the extra support, the accountability, a nutrition plan, recipes, live streams, Q A to connect with me, to connect with our dietitian, join us in the Body Fit Athletic Club now on the Bodyfit by Amy app. You want to work with me directly, privately, Check out Body Fit Elite. Thank you so much for being here today. Let's get one big deep breath in and out. You did it. That was your unilateral dumbbell. Strong workout. Great job, everybody.