6 Important Dumbbell Exercises You Need to Master

The 2017 CrossFit Open saw the return of dumbbell exercises, and Dave Castro also posted his first Open clue, involving a dumbbell! With the 2018 Open around the corner, it’s time to brush up on your skills…

There is a strong emphasis on dumbbells within Crossfit, so make sure to master these exercises now, as I’m sure you will start to find them more often in your own programming.

Important Dumbbell Exercises

1. THE DUMBELL OVERHEAD WALKING LUNGE

2. THE DUMBBELL HANG POWER CLEAN

3. THE DUMBBELL HANG CLEAN

4. THE DUMBBELL HANG POWER SNATCH

5. THE DUMBELL POWER SNATCH

6. DUMBBELL EXERCISES – THE SNATCH

Now that you know some of the most important dumbbell exercises to master, here are some CrossFit workouts that you can do using only dumbbells.

Workouts – Dumbbell Exercises

RICH FRONING DUMBBELL WORKOUT

Dumbbell Snatch Complex

• 3 Power Snatch
• 3 Snatch
• 3 Overhead Squats

Rich worked up to a heavy set and did 5 sets (100 lb. was the heaviest he had).

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Workout 2

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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)

Scaling

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

Dumbbell Workouts – 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 they 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

Workout 3

PAIN STORM 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)

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.

When it comes to optimal performance in The CrossFit Open, never forget about the importance of good recovery:

4 Steps to Efficient Recovery after CrossFit Training