These CrossFit dumbbells workouts are perfect for athletes that want to improve their unilateral strength, balance, coordination and overall conditioning.
There are a large variety to choose from depending on what you like and what you wish to achieve.
CROSSFIT DUMBBELLS WORKOUTS – CHOE
AMRAP in 35 minutes
Buy-In:
- 9 Man Makers (2×35/20 lb dumbbells)
- 11 Burpees
In remaining time, AMRAP of:
- 300 meter Run
- 27 Air Squats
- 9 Handstand Push-Ups
Start a 35-minute timer. Do the man-makers and burpees. Then, without stopping continue to the run, air squats, and handstand push-ups and repeat those three movements as many times as possible until the 35-minute clock runs out. Your score is the number of rounds and repetitions completed of the run/air squat/handstand push-ups.
One man maker consists of a dumbbell push-up, two renegade rows (one per arm), and a squat clean thruster.
CROSSFIT DUMBBELLS WORKOUTS – TTTTD7
For Time
- 50 Alternating Dumbbell Power Snatches (50/35 lb)
- 100 foot Single Arm Overhead Dumbbell Walking Lunges (50/35 lb)
- 40 Dumbbell Overhead Squats (50/35 lb, alternate every 10 reps)
- 75 foot Single Arm Overhead Dumbbell Walking Lunges (50/35 lb)
- 30 Dumbbell Hang Clean-and-Jerks (50/35 lb, alternate every 5 reps)
- 50 foot Single Arm Overhead Dumbbell Walking Lunges (50/35 lb)
- 20 Alternating Dumbbell Squat Cleans (50/35 lb)
- 25 foot Single Arm Overhead Dumbbell Walking Lunges (50/35 lb)
- 10 Alternating Dumbbell Squat Snatches (50/35 lb)
With a running clock, as fast as possible perform the prescribed work in the order written.
Score is the time on the clock when the last repetition of Alternating Dumbbell Squat Snatches is completed.
Scaling CrossFit Dumbbell Workouts
Dumbbell load for all movements
Lunges with bodyweight
Dumbbell Overhead Squats: front squat/goblet squat
Dumbbell Squat Snatch: power snatch
Dumbbell Squat Clean: front squat
Movement Standards
Dumbbell Power Snatch: DB touches the ground and locks out fully overhead. Can switch the DB however you’d like (overhead, in front of face, at hip level, on ground). Both heads of the DB must touch the ground on every rep. It does not have to be simultaneously, but the both must touch.
Overhead Lunge: 25 foot increments. 1 DB is held overhead in a full lockout position and must switch arms every 25.
Dumbbell Overhead Squats: DB held overhead, squat must pass through parallel and stand to fully locked out. Must switch arms every 10 reps.
Dumbbell Hang Clean-and-Jerk: DB must start at the hang position, touch the shoulder on the clean, and then and in the lockout position. Must switch arms every 5 reps.
Dumbbell Squat Clean: Both heads of the DB must touch the ground, come into a rack position, pass through a full squat to extension, alternate every rep.
Dumbbell Squat Snatch: DB touches the ground and locks out fully overhead and athlete passes through parallel in the squat. Can switch the DB however you’d like (overhead, in front of face, at hip level, on ground). Both heads of the DB must touch the ground on every rep. Must alternate arms every rep
CROSSFIT DUMBBELLS WORKOUTS – TUMILSON
8 Rounds For Time
- 200 meter Run
- 11 Dumbbell Burpee Deadlifts (2×60/40 lb)
CROSSFIT DUMBBELLS WORKOUTS – TTTTD31
8 Rounds for Time and Reps
- 1 minute of:
- 200 foot Shuttle Run
- Max Dumbbell Thrusters (2×50/35 lb)
- Rest 1 minute
There are two scores to this workout:
Score 1: Total run time across all 8 sets.
Score 2: Total thrusters completed across all 8 sets.
Movement Standards
Shuttle Run: One hand and foot must touch the line on each of the turns. A 10-sec penalty will be added for each line you do not touch. You must stay within a 4′ wide lane for each of your runs. A 10-sec penalty will be added each time you go outside of the 4′ wide line.
Dumbbell Thruster: This is a standard thruster. Hip crease must pass below the knee at the bottom and full extension of the knee, hip and arm must be met with the DBs in line with your ear in profile.
Scaling
Scale dumbbell loading as needed.
CROSSFIT DUMBBELLS WORKOUTS – NICK
12 Rounds For Time
- 10 Dumbbell Hang Squat Cleans (2×45/35 lb)
- 6 Handstand Push-Ups on Dumbbells
HELTON
- 3 Rounds For Time
- 800 meter Run
- 30 Dumbbell Squat Cleans (2×50/35 lb)
- 30 Burpees
CROSSFIT DUMBBELLS WORKOUTS – PAINSTORM XV
- 7 Rounds for Time
- 10 Man Makers
- 20 Dumbbell Deadlifts
- 30 Single-Arm Dumbbell Snatches (15 per side)
- 40 Single-Arm Overhead Lunges (20 per side)
- 50 Dumbbell Swings
- Use one pair of dumbbells throughout (pick your own weight)
With a running clock, as fast as possible perform the prescribed work in the order written for 7 rounds. This workout was originally intended to be a “choose your own weight” adventure. If you’re looking for an Rx weight consider 35/25 lb.
One man maker consists of a dumbbell push-up, two renegade rows (one per arm), and a squat clean thruster.
Score is the time on the clock when the last round of Dumbbell Swings is completed.
Tips & Strategy
Settle in for a long workout (intermediate athletes should finish in 50-90 minutes) by picking a pace that you can maintain for that amount of time. In other words, don’t do the first 10 Man Makers unbroken. Do one, rest a second, do another, etc. For the rest of the movements, break up the reps into very manageable sets. Go slower than you think you need to for round one. See if you can hold that pace for the next 6 rounds.
CROSSFIT DUMBBELLS WORKOUTS – WADE
5 Rounds For Time
- 11 One-Arm Dumbbell Power Snatches (50/35 lb)
- 12 One-Arm Dumbbell Thrusters (50/35 lb)
- 11 Weighted Pull-Ups (50/35 lb dumbbell)
CROSSFIT DUMBBELLS WORKOUTS – HOTEL HELL
For Time
- 100 Dumbbell Hang Clean Thrusters (2×35/25 lb)
- 5 Burpees to start, and at the top of each minute
Start with 5 burpees. Then complete as many hang squat clean thrusters (aka: “hang clusters”) as possible until the minute is up. Repeat until 100 total are completed.
Score is the time on the clock when the last thruster is completed. If athlete does not finish score is number of rounds and reps completed.
CROSSFIT DUMBBELLS WORKOUTS – PAINSTORM XXI
For time
- 30 Burpees
- 30 Deadlifts
- 30 Burpees
- 30 Cleans
- 30 Burpees
- 30 Strict Presses
- 30 Burpees
- 30 Push Presses
- 30 Burpees
- 30 Jerks
- 30 Burpees
- 30 Swings
- 30 Burpees
- 30 Sumo Deadlift HIgh-Pulls
- 30 Burpees
- 30 Snatches (Left Hand)
- 30 Burpees
- 30 Snatches (Right Hand)
- 30 Burpees
- 30 Man Makers
- Use one pair of Dumbbells (55/35 lb) throughout
Use the same pair of dumbbells throughout. Originally the WOD was designed as “choose your own weight.” If you’re looking for an Rx weight consider 50/35 lb.
One man maker consists of a dumbbell push-up, two renegade rows (one per arm), and a squat clean thruster.
Score is the time on the clock when the last repetition of Man Makers is completed.
Movement Standards
Most of the weighted movements (Deadlifts, Cleans, Strict Presses, Push Presses, Jerks, Sumo Deadlift High-Pulls, and Man Makers) are intended to be done with two Dumbbells.
As in most CrossFit workouts, olympic lifts (Cleans & Snatches) are power (not squat) unless otherwise stated.
Snatches are with a single Dumbbell, one arm at a time.
Dumbbell Swings are an uncommon movement and this workout (which is from 2007) does not explicitly state whether the swings should be single- or double-dumbbell swings. But double Swings would be awkward, so we assume it’s single Dumbbell Swings. We also assume the swings are Russian style (to eye height) instead of American (overhead), which is safer since dumbbells don’t have handles for swings.
CROSSFIT DUMBBELLS WORKOUTS – FEEKS
2-4-6-8-10-12-14-16 Reps For Time
- 100 meter Shuttle Sprint
- Dumbbell Clusters (2×65/45 lb)
Start with 2 shuttle sprints and 2 dumbbell “clusters” (squat clean into a thruster), then do 4 of each, then 6, etc. until the round of 16 is completed.
CROSSFIT DUMBBELLS WORKOUTS – MAKIMBA
15-10-5 Reps for Time
- Dumbbell Thrusters (2×10 lb)
- Air Squats
- Burpees
CROSSFIT DUMBBELLS WORKOUTS – SWOLE-TEL
Four Parts in 12 minutes
EMOM for 3 minutes:
- 15 Dumbbell Rows (2×30 lb)
- 10 Push-Ups
EMOM for 3 minutes:
- 10 Dumbbell Rows (2×40 lb)
- 10 Push-Ups
EMOM for 3 minutes:
- 5 Dumbbell Rows (2×45 lb)
- 10 Push-Ups
Then, AMRAP in 3 minutes:
- Dumbbell Rows (2×30 lb)
Perform the entire workout with a running clock. No rest between sections. Score is total number of dumbbell rows completed in the final 3-minute AMRAP section of the workout.
CROSSFIT DUMBBELLS WORKOUTS – JOSEPH MARCHBANKS
For Time
- 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 Reps of:
- Alternating Dumbbell Snatches (75/45 lb)
- Handstand Push-Ups
With a running clock, as fast as possible perform the prescribed work in the order written. Perform 10 Alternating Dumbbell Snatches and 10 Handstand Push-Ups before moving on to 9 Alternating Dumbbell Snatches and 9 Handstand Push-Ups and so on.
Score is the time on the clock when the last round of handstand push-ups is completed.
CROSSFIT DUMBBELLS WORKOUTS – FAST AND HEAVY
For Time
- 21 Dumbbell Thrusters
- 400 meter Run
- 18 Dumbbell Thrusters
- 400 meter Run
- 15 Dumbbell Thrusters
- 400 meter Run
Typically CrossFit workouts prescribe a weight, but in this case, the weight is athlete’s choice. The athlete should choose a dumbbell that, as the name says, is heavy but that they can still move fast. Score is dumbbell weight used and total time to complete.
Scaling
As stated, pick dumbbells that are relatively heavy for you yet still allow you to complete each round of thrusters in very few sets. This workout should be treated like a sprint, so run hard and try to avoid resting until it is over. Intermediate athletes can perform this workout as prescribed, just with lighter dumbbells. Newer athletes can reduce the reps and shorten the runs.
Beginner Option
For time, fast and heavy:
15 dumbbell thrusters
Run 200 meters
12 dumbbell thrusters
Run 200 meters
9 dumbbell thrusters
Run 200 meters
CROSSFIT DUMBBELLS WORKOUTS – WESTY’S 10,000
For Time
- 100 Double Dumbbell Ground-to-Overhead (2×50/35 lb)
- Wear a Weight Vest or Ruck (70/50 lb)
Athlete may either Power Snatch or Power Clean-and-Jerk the Dumbbells. Partition the work as needed.
Note that the prescribed weight of the Weight Vest or Ruck Pack for this workout is significantly heavier than a typical Weight Vest.
Scaling
Intermediate
100 Double Dumbbell Ground-to-Overhead (2×35/25 lb)
Wear a weight vest (20/14 lb)
Beginner
75 Double Dumbbell Ground-to-Overhead (25/15 lb)
CROSSFIT DUMBBELLS WORKOUTS – CARL
- 3 Rounds for Time
- 30 Dumbbell Thrusters (2×40/25 lb)
- 800 meter Run
- 30 Burpees
Scaling
Intermediate
3 Rounds for Time
30 Dumbbell Thrusters (2×35/20 lb)
800 meter Run
30 Burpees
Beginner
3 Rounds for Time
15 Dumbbell Thrusters (2×20/12 lb)
400 meter Run
15 Burpees
Athletes can also substitute another monostructural movement like a rower, ski, or bike for the run.
CROSSFIT DUMBBELLS WORKOUTS – POPEYE
- 3 Rounds Without Breaking
- 30 Curls (2×25/15 lb)
- 30 Strict Presses (2×25/15 lb)
- 30 Lateral Raises (2×25/15 lb)
- 30 Hammer Curls (2×25/15 lb)
- 30 Upright Rows (2×25/15 lb)
- 30 Push Presses (2×25/15 lb)
- 30 Curls (2×25/15 lb)
- 1 minute Rest
Increase weight each round. See how heavy you can go. No Time limit once the round has begun.
Once you start the first set of 30, you can’t put the weights down or rest them on any surface. You can stop moving and hold the weights in your hand, but you can not let go of the Dumbbells.
Once you complete a full round, rest for 1 minute, then pick them back up and go again. This time, you have the option to increase the weight.
Start light, don’t burn out. Rest before you burn up too quickly. The hard part will be the grip so play it smart.
Scaling
Intermediate: Use 20/10 lb dumbbell weights.
Beginner: Use 20/10 lb dumbbell weights. Reduce repetitions to 21 reps.
ONE ARM BANDIT
CrossFit Dumbbells Workouts
3 Rounds for Time
- 10 Dumbbell Snatches, Left (50/35 lb)
- 10 Dumbbell Overhead Lunges, Left (50/35 lb)
- 10 Dumbbell Snatches, Right (50/35 lb)
- 10 Dumbbell Overhead Lunges, Right (50/35 lb)
- 10 Dumbbell Power Cleans, Left (50/35 lb)
- 10 Dumbbell Front Squats, Left (50/35 lb)
- 10 Dumbbell Power Cleans, Right (50/35 lb)
- 10 Dumbbell Front Squats, Right (50/35 lb)
With a running clock, as fast as possible perform the prescribed work in the order written for 3 rounds. Overhead lunges are written as the total number of steps, not steps per leg. Dumbbell must be held in one hand for front squats.
Score is the time on the clock when the last round of Dumbbell Front Squats is completed.
Scaling
3 Rounds for Time
10 Left-Arm Dumbbell Snatches (35/20 lb)
10 Left-Arm Dumbbell Suitcase Lunges (35/20 lb)
10 Right-Arm Dumbbell Snatches (35/20 lb)
10 Right-Arm Dumbbell Suitcase Lunges (35/20 lb)
10 Left-Arm Dumbbell Power Cleans (35/20 lb)
10 Left-Arm Dumbbell Front Squats (35/20 lb)
10 Right-Arm Dumbbell Power Cleans (35/20 lb)
10 Right-Arm Dumbbell Front Squats (35/20 lb)
GUT CHECK
CrossFit Dumbbells Workouts
- For Time
- 30 Devil Presses (2×50/35 lb)
- 60 Dumbbell Thrusters (2×50/35 lb)
- 90 Burpees
Scaling
Adjust the dumbbell weight to a level that allows the athlete to average between 8-15 Thrusters every time. And cut the Burppees in half to 45.
