8 X 10 Exercise Routine
Thanks for being a paid subscriber. Another perk of being a premium member is free workout routines. This one is called an 8 x 10 routine and it’s hard! It entails 8 exercises, done for 10 repetitions and for time. Give yourself 45-50 minutes workout time and see how many rounds you can finish. Not only will you gain a lot of lean muscle, but the routine also gives a great cardio workout.
8 X 10 Routine # 1
Exercise 1 (DB Swings) - stand with your feet together and dumbbells at your sides. Now hinge at your hips and bend your knees slightly, maintaining a flat back and engage your core as you swing the dumbbells backwards.
Then reverse the swing direction and use the power from your hips and legs to lift the dumbbells up to chest height, with your arms extended straight in front of you. Then repeat the opposite swinging motion again and finish 10 repetitions.
Exercise 2 (Double DB Squat + Press) - stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height. Then lower your body into a squat by bending at your hips, knees, and ankles. Keep your chest up and back tight.
Now push through your heels to stand up and at the same time press the dumbbells overhead, extending your arms fully. Then lower the dumbbells back down to shoulder height and repeat the squat and press movement for 10 reps.
Exercise 3 (DB Kickouts) - have dumbbells ready on shoulders while standing with your feet shoulder-width apart. Begin by kicking one leg upwards, then lowering the leg while keeping it straight until your foot is back on floor. Switch legs and repeat the movement, doing 10 reps each side.
Exercise 4 (Heel Touch Crunches) - lie down flat on your back on a mat with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, stretching your hands out to the sides. Contract your abdominal muscles and lift your shoulders off the mat while keeping your lower back pressed firmly on the ground. Now touch both heels with your fingertips and then return to the starting position. Continue until 10 reps are done.
Exercise 5 (Hip Flips) - begin in a high plank position, with your hands directly underneath your shoulders. Then flip both knees to one side and lower the hip to the matt. When done, raise up and flip knees to other side and lower hip. Repeat for 10 reps each side.
Exercise 6 (DB Burpee Pushup) - hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, then quickly lower yourself down to the ground, kicking your feet backwards and lowering into a pushup position. Perform a pushup with hands on dumbbells, keeping your core tight and your elbows close to your body.
Next, jump your feet back up towards your hands, grabbing onto the dumbbells as you stand. Once you're standing, lift the dumbbells up to your chest and then press them overhead. Lower the dumbbells back to shoulder height and then repeat the entire movement for 10 repetitions. This is a gasser!
Exercise 7 (Side DB Chops) - stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell with both hands on one shoulder. Next, twist your torso as you step to the opposite side and bring the dumbbell down and across your body towards your opposite hip.
Pause briefly at this point, then reverse the motion and return the dumbbell to the starting position on the shoulder. Repeat the movement for 10 repetitions, then switch sides and repeat the movement to the opposite side.
Exercise 8 (DB Shoulder Thrust w/Alt Knee) - start in a standing position with your feet hip-width apart, holding one dumbbell on one shoulder. Now thrust the dumbbell overhead, while simultaneously lifting your opposite knee up towards your chest.
Lower your foot back down to the ground, return to the starting position and repeat the entire movement for 10 reps and then repeat on the other side.
There you have it. Do eight exercises for ten reps each, for time. That’s a monster workout with a huge fitness boost.