Dumbbell Burpee Guide: How to Master Dumbbell Burpees

Dumbbell burpees, also known as dumbbell burpee deadlifts, are a plyometric exercise that activate muscles across your body. Perform dumbbell burpees by first grabbing a pair of dumbbells. Hinge your hips, knees, and ankles to lower yourself toward the floor. Place the dumbbells on the floor and jump back with your feet hip-width apart, holding your body in a [high plank](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/high-plank-exercise-guide) position. Jump your feet back toward your hands and carry the dumbbells with you as you stand, lifting explosively off the floor. For dumbbell burpees, begin by using a weight that you can control for 2–3 sets of 8–12 repetitions. Choose a weight that allows you to maintain good technique throughout all sets and repetitions. 1. Grab a pair of dumbbells and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and a slight bend in your knees. Your shoulders should be directly over your hips with a neutral head and neck position. Your chin should remain tucked throughout the movement, as if you were holding an egg under your chin. 2. Evenly distribute your weight and grip the floor with your feet to create a stable position. Your arms should remain long by your sides, with a slight bend in your elbows. Pre-tension your shoulders and hips, and engage your core. Your ribs should be down and your pelvis should be slightly tucked. All repetitions should begin from this starting position. 3. While maintaining a neutral spine, bend your hips, knees, and ankles to lower yourself toward the floor. Place the dumbbells on the ground slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. 4. While keeping the dumbbell handles in contact with the ground, keep your arms long and jump your feet back so you’re in a high plank or push-up position. 5. While maintaining proper alignment, jump your feet toward your hands and stand. 6. Immediately begin your upward movement by explosively pushing through the ground to jump into the air. At the top of your jump, your arms should be long by your sides and your legs should be straight. 7. Land from the jump on the balls of your feet and evenly distribute your weight, allowing your hips and knees to bend to absorb force. Your bodyweight should be loaded into your midfoot and heel while keeping your toes engaged and in contact with the floor. Your knees should be in line with your toes. 8. Land softly and under control. Keep your core engaged throughout the landing. Immediately begin to lower back into the push-up position to perform the next dumbbell burpee. Including dumbbell burpees in your workout routine can have several benefits. 1. __Dumbbell burpees can improve other bodybuilding workouts__. With practice, dumbbell burpees can increase your strength and coordination for other compound exercises like [good mornings](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/good-morning-exercise-guide) and pull-ups. 2. __Dumbbell burpees can increase your cardiovascular fitness__. When performed properly, the dumbbell burpee is a great cardio exercise to include in your home workout routine. 3. __Dumbbell burpees are a full-body workout__. The dumbbell burpee activates muscle groups across your upper and lower body, including your triceps, glutes, delts, hamstrings, quadriceps, pecs, and core. Once you’ve mastered the standard dumbbell burpee, try one of these more challenging burpee variations. 1. __Devil press__: Perform this advanced variation by including a [dumbbell snatch](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/dumbbell-snatch-guide) movement, or lifting the dumbbells overhead between each burpee repetition. 2. __Dumbbell burpee row__: Practice dumbbell burpee rows by lifting the dumbbells in a [rowing movement](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/dumbbell-row-guide) toward your chest while in a plank position at the bottom of your burpee. 3. __Dumbbell burpee to lunge__: If you want to activate your lower body muscles even more, perform [lunges](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/forward-lunge-guide) between each burpee repetition. Consider these tips for practicing dumbbell burpees effectively. 1. __Engage your core__. To stabilize your body throughout the exercise, remember to keep your core muscles activated. 2. __Find your pace__. Begin your dumbbell burpee exercises slowly with controlled movements and gradually work your way up to a faster pace. 3. __Remember to breathe__. Breathe regularly while going through the full range of motion of a dumbbell burpee. If you have a previous or pre-existing health condition, consult your physician before beginning an exercise program. Proper exercise technique is essential to ensure the safety and effectiveness of an exercise program, but you may need to modify each exercise to attain optimal results based on your individual needs. Always select a weight that allows you to have full control of your body throughout the movement. When performing any exercise, pay close attention to your body, and stop immediately if you note pain or discomfort. To see continual progress and build body strength, incorporate proper warm-ups, rest, and nutrition into your exercise program. Your results will ultimately be based on your ability to adequately recover from your workouts. Rest for 24 to 48 hours before training the same muscle groups to allow sufficient recovery. Throw on some athleisure, fire up a [MasterClass Annual Membership](https://www.masterclass.com), and get ready to sweat it out with exclusive instructional videos from Nike Master Trainer and *GQ* fitness specialist Joe Holder. Want to improve your cardiovascular endurance? Give Joe’s HIIT workout a go. Trying to get a little swole? He’s got a strength training workout for that. From fitness tips to nutrition hacks, Joe will have you feeling healthier in no time. If you want to take your burpee exercises to the next level, consider trying a weighted variation like the dumbbell burpee. All you need is an exercise mat and a pair of dumbbells.