Dumbbell Blocks

Three tight blocks, two bells, one rule — the weight never touches the floor mid-block

HIIT
Mixed ability
45 min
Works for 8–25
1 instructor
Effort 4/5
Studio floor · one mat space per person
dumbbells
strength
intervals
complexes

The ClassPlans programming teamLevel 3 group-fitness qualified · 10+ yrs teaching

Kit: Mats, two pairs of dumbbells per member if stocks allow (one lighter, one heavier), timer, water.

Warm-up8 min

Meet Your Bells

3 min pulse raise + 2 × 5-move rehearsalRPE 3–4

Setup: Each member collects two pairs if you have them — light and medium — parked at the mat's top edge. If stocks are short, one honest pair beats two wrong ones.

How it works: Three minutes of pulse raising: march, side-steps, arm circles, torso twists, building each 30 seconds. Then the empty-hands rehearsal of tonight's five patterns — squat, hinge, press, row, carry-position hold — 30 seconds each, before repeating the circuit once holding the light bells. Explain the night's one rule now: inside each working block the bells stay in your hands; parking them is the block's only exit. It makes weight choice a skill, and choosing well is tonight's real workout.

What to say

“Rehearse the hinge hardest — hips back, flat back; it guards everything else.”
“Pick the weight for the block's last minute, not its first.”
“Bells down mid-block is fine — it just means the next block gets a lighter pick, and that's learning.”

Easier

Rehearse everything empty-handed; first block with the light pair only.

Harder

Rehearsal circuit with the medium bells, if the movement is clean.

Workout11 min

Block One — Legs Hold the Bells

3 × 3 moves × [50s work / 10s flow] + 2min breatherRPE 7

Setup: Medium bells for most. Three moves on rotation: goblet squat (one bell), alternating reverse lunge with bells at sides, Romanian deadlift with both bells.

How it works: Nine working minutes: three rounds of the three moves, 50 seconds work, 10 seconds to flow to the next move — bells in hand throughout, remember. Coach the transitions as choreography in round one: goblet grip to suitcase grip to hinge grip, smooth as a routine. By round three, forearms are talking; teach the reset breath at the top of each rep instead of the floor-park they're craving. Then the two-minute breather — bells down, shake out, re-pick.

Rounds: 3

What to say

“Squat: bell tight to the chest like it's precious.”
“RDL: push the floor away and stand proud — it's a hips move, not a back move.”
“Grip burning is the plan working; breathe at the top of the rep, not on the floor.”

Easier

One bell for everything, or 40 seconds work with 20 to flow.

Harder

Heavier pair for squats only — swap pairs during the 10-second flows.

Workout11 min

Block Two — Push and Pull

3 × 3 moves × [50s work / 10s flow] + 2min breatherRPE 7

Setup: Weight check after the breather — shoulders are honest and smaller than legs, so most people drop a notch here. Moves: floor press from the mat, bent-over row, half-kneeling single-arm press (swap arms halfway).

How it works: Same engine as block one: three rounds, 50 on, 10 to flow, bells never parked — including lying down for floor presses, which is its own little skill, bells to chest as you roll back. The half-kneeling press is your coaching jewel: front foot flat, back knee under hip, ribs stacked — it finds every wobbly core in the room. Two-minute breather after, and flag the combos coming next so they can plan their final weight pick.

Rounds: 3

What to say

“Floor press: elbows stop an inch off the mat, press to quiet lockout.”
“Row: chest proud, pull to the pockets, no shrugging the world up.”
“Half-kneeling: squeeze the back glute and the wobble disappears.”

Easier

Both knees down for the press; lighter bells; 40/20 timing.

Harder

Three-second lowers on the floor press throughout round three.

The rest of this class plan is free — along with 3 more this week.

ClassPlans programming team

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