Take on This 30-Minute, No Rest EMOM Workout to Build Strength and Endurance at Home

From Men's Health

It's easy to forget what you can do with a single pair of dumbbells. No matter the weight, you can squat, hinge, row, push, press and swing through almost any exercise, while getting a heavy sweat on — all with one moderate-to-heavy dumbbell.

Which makes for ideal news if you've given your home-office-cum-living-space a new lease of life as a home gym. The bad news is that, once you have a set of dumbbells, there's nowhere to hide. You can start and wrap a full-body workout in just 30 minutes. Regional CrossFit athlete and Tribe London coach Daine Mitchell is here to prove that.

Using an EMOM — every minute, on the minute — format, Mitchell's session is designed to build endurance and strength that lasts while smoking your core for improved balance that will translate to stronger lifts across the board. A pump-up session, this is not. "This workout will not only build your work capacity but will also improve any imbalances within the body, while also building a rock-solid core, which will lead to better posture and stronger lifts."

Here's your game plan: rotate through the six movements below until the clock hits 30 minutes. Your objective is to manage as many repetitions as possible in each minute, starting a new exercise at the top of each new minute. You'll work through the whole circuit five times total. "A word of warning: pace yourself from the beginning," says Mitchell, "as your aim is to hit the same number of repetitions for each movement in each round." Here's what's in store:

Min 1 - Max repetition dumbbell deadlift

1. With your dumbbells on the floor just outside your feet, hinge down and grip them with a flat back and neutral spine (A).

2. Engage your lats and stand upright, squeezing your glutes at the top (B).

3. Your arms should be hanging straight throughout this movement. For one ‘bell, alternate sides each round, squeeze your non-working hand and keep your torso upright.

Min 2 - Max repetition plank hold

1. Get in a press-up position but rest on your forearms rather than your hands.

2. Make sure your back is straight and tense your abs and your glutes. Hold without allowing your hips to sag.

Min 3 - Max repetition dumbbell clean

1. Squat down and hold two dumbbells, with overhand grip, in front of your feet.

2. Flip your wrists so they face forwards and bring the weights to your shoulders, slightly jumping as you do. Slowly straighten your legs to stand.

3. Then lower the weights down to your thigh before moving into squat position and repeating.

Min 4 - Max repetition side plank (left)

1. Lie on your left side with your knees straight and prop your upper body up to take its weight on your forearm.

2. Brace your core and raise your hips until your body forms a straight line. Hold this position while breathing deeply.

Min 5 - Max repetition dumbbell front rack squat

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart holding a dumbbell over each shoulder.

2. Lower your body into a deep squat, until your thighs are parallel to the ground.

3. Drive your heels into the floor to push yourself back up to the start position.

Min 6 - Max repetition side plank RIGHT

1. Lie on your right side with your knees straight and prop your upper body up to take its weight on your forearm.

2. Brace your core and raise your hips until your body forms a straight line. Hold this position while breathing deeply.

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