Strengthen and Define Your Muscles With This 6-Move Muscle-Building Workout From Kelsey Wells

Published on 12/28/2020 at 5:20 PM

SWEAT app

If your goal is to get stronger and build muscle, lifting weights can help. There is a variety of workouts and exercises you can do, but if you're a newbie or haven't lifted in a while, we recommend starting with foundational movements such as squats and lunges to build your base, then slowly increasing the intensity of the exercises and weight you're lifting.

Kelsey Wells, a NASM-certified trainer and the creator of the PWR programs on the Sweat app, created this 20-minute workout "that combines compound and isolated movements to deliver a great muscle burn without the need for high-impact exercises or jumping," Wells told POPSUGAR.

She added: "If you're starting on your fitness journey for the first time, working out at home, or if your body needs a break from high-impact workouts, low-impact workouts are a great way for you to improve your fitness and build strength." And just in case you weren't sure, low-impact doesn't mean easy or low-intensity. It just means that the exercises you'll perform will have a lot less impact on your joints. Does this sound exactly like what you need right now? If so, grab your equipment, because it's time to work!

Kelsey Wells's Total-Body Low-Impact Muscle-Building Workout

Equipment needed: one set of medium-weight dumbbells (or a dumbbell substitute) and a yoga mat. Here's an in-depth guide on how to choose the right weight.

Directions: Before starting the workout, make sure to warm up with three to five minutes of cardio, such as walking or jogging in place. Wells recommends following up your cardio with dynamic stretches like leg swings, arm circles, and torso twists. Here's a dynamic warmup you can follow.

This workout is broken up into three segments: a superset, a circuit, and an optional burnout. Perform the exercises in the superset back to back three times, taking one minute of rest in between each round. After the superset, advance to the circuit. Perform all three exercises in the circuit once for the designated amount of time, then take one minute of rest. Repeat the circuit for a total of three rounds. After the circuit, complete one round of the optional burnout or cool down and stretch.

Wells recommends walking for three to five minutes to lower your heart rate back to a normal level. She also recommends performing static stretches for a minimum of 20 seconds to lengthen your muscles, improve your flexibility, and prevent injury.

Superset 1, exercise 1: side-to-front dumbbell raise: 10 reps
Superset 1, exercise 2: dumbbell skull crusher to bent-leg sit-up: 10 reps

Take one minute of rest in between each round; complete three rounds

Circuit 1, exercise 1: dumbbell goblet squat: 50 seconds, followed by 10 seconds of rest
Circuit 1, exercise 2: dumbbell pullover: 50 seconds, followed by 10 seconds of rest
Circuit 1, exercise 3: alternating lunge with dumbbell: 50 seconds, followed by 10 seconds of rest

Take one minute of rest in between each round; complete three rounds

Burnout (optional): Russian twist with dumbbell: 60 seconds

Love trying new workouts? Want a community to share your fitness goals with? Come join our Facebook group POPSUGAR Workout Club. There, you can find advice on making the best out of every sweat session and everything else you need to help you on your road to healthy living.

Superset 1, Exercise 1: Side-to-Front Dumbbell Raise

Start standing with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip (your palms should be facing in toward your thighs) and your arms extended. This is your starting position.
On an exhale, create a slight bend in your elbows, and begin to raise your arms upward and outward to shoulder height. Your arms should be nearly straight. As your arms reach shoulder height, begin to bring the dumbbells directly in front of your chest, keeping your shoulder blades down and back.
Next, draw the dumbbells backward until they are in line with your shoulders.
On an inhale, slowly lower the dumbbells down toward your sides, returning to the starting position. This counts as one rep.
Complete 10 reps.

Superset 1, Exercise 2: Dumbbell Skull Crusher to Bent-Leg Sit-Up

Lie flat on your back on a yoga mat, holding a dumbbell with both hands at your chest. Bend your knees and position your feet firmly on the mat. Engage your abdominal muscles by drawing your belly button in toward your spine and extend both arms to hold the dumbbell directly above your chest. This is your starting position.
Inhale and brace your core. While keeping your shoulders as still as possible, bend your elbows to lower the dumbbell just above your forehead. Exhale and extend your elbows to return the dumbbell directly overhead, ensuring that your shoulders, elbows, and wrists remain aligned.
On an exhale, keeping your heels firmly planted on the floor, slowly lift your head, shoulder blades, and torso off the floor. Lengthen your spine to sit up tall, pressing the dumbbell up toward the ceiling.
Inhale and slowly lower your torso, shoulder blades, and head to the mat, returning to the starting position.
This counts as one rep.
Complete 10 reps, then take one minute of rest. Repeat this circuit for a total of three rounds.

Circuit 1, Exercise 1: Dumbbell Goblet Squat

Start by standing with your feet slightly further than shoulder-width apart. Hold one dumbbell with both hands directly in front of your chest.
On an inhale, bend your knees until your upper legs (quadriceps) are parallel with the floor. Make sure you are looking straight ahead. Ensure that your back remains between a 45- to 90-degree angle to your hips.
Exhale and push through your heels, extending your legs to return to the starting position.
This counts as one rep.
Continue performing goblet squats for 50 seconds, then take 10 seconds of rest.

Circuit 1, Exercise 2: Pullover With Dumbbell

Start by lying flat on your back on a yoga mat, holding a dumbbell with both hands at the base of the dumbbell. Bend your knees and position your feet firmly on the mat, ensuring that they are hip-width apart. Extend your elbows to hold the dumbbell directly above your chest. This is your starting position.
Take an inhale. Without changing the angle of your elbows, draw the dumbbell backward and over your head until the dumbbell is almost touching the floor.
Exhale and draw the dumbbell upward and forward in the same arc-like motion to return to the starting position, ensuring that the angle of your elbows remains unchanged.
This counts as one rep.
Repeat for 50 seconds, then take 10 seconds of rest.

Circuit 1, Exercise 3: Alternating Lunge With Dumbbell

Start standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and a dumbbell in each hand.
On an inhale, take a big step forward with your left foot. As you plant your left foot on the floor, bend both knees to approximately 90 degrees, ensuring that your weight is evenly distributed between both legs. Your front knee should be aligned with your ankle and your back knee should be hovering above the floor.
Exhale and extend both knees, transferring your weight completely onto your right foot. Step your left foot back to return to the starting position.
On an inhale, take a big step forward with your right foot. As you plant your right foot on the floor, bend both knees to approximately 90 degrees, ensuring that your weight is evenly distributed between both legs. Your front knee should be aligned with your ankle and your back knee should be hovering above the floor.
Exhale and extend both knees, transferring your weight completely onto your left foot. Step your right foot back to return to the starting position.
Be sure to keep your shoulders relaxed throughout the entire movement and try not to swing the dumbbells.
This counts as one rep.
Continue alternating between the left and right sides for 50 seconds, then take 10 seconds of rest.
Repeat this circuit for a total of three rounds.

Burnout: Russian Twist With Dumbbell

Start seated on a yoga mat with your knees bent and heels firmly planted into the ground, holding a dumbbell with both hands directly in front of your chest. Lean back slightly so that your abdominals are engaged and you are balancing on your sitting bones. Make sure to keep your spine in a neutral position. This is your starting position.
While keeping your lower body as still as possible, twist your torso to the right and gently touch your elbow on the mat next to your right hip. If you cannot reach the mat, twist as far as you can while keeping your lower body still.
Untwist your torso and return to the starting position.
While keeping your lower body as still as possible, twist your torso to the left and gently touch your elbow on the mat next to your left hip. If you cannot reach the mat, twist as far as you can while keeping your lower body still.
Untwist your torso and return to the starting position.
Continue alternating between your right and left side for 60 seconds.