Bradley Simmonds, personal trainer to celebrities and Instagram followers alike, is a big fan of supersets.
A form of strength training that involves performing two exercises back-to-back – bicep curls and a tricep press – it effectively doubles the amount of work you are doing in the same time.
It’s high-intensity, and you’ll need to channel Bradley’s ‘get it done’ mantra to get the most out of it.
What to give it a go? Here, Bradley suggests some moves to try with dumbbells.
Bicep curls and tricep extensions
Bradley says: ‘Together these will strengthen the front and back of your arms.’
For the bicep curl: ‘Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart. Keeping your elbows tucked in close to your ribs, shoulders relaxed, bend at the elbow and lift the weights up so the dumbbells reach your shoulders. Lower the weights with control to the starting position. Perform for ten.’
For the tricep extension: ‘Move straight down to the mat, on your back with legs bent. Hold the dumbbells straight up above your chest, shoulder-width apart. Bending at the elbow only, lower the weights down, bringing them to your earlobes, then lift back to the starting position. Perform for ten. ‘Rest. Repeat this circuit three times.’
Bent-over rows into back flys
Bradley says: ‘These two key exercises strengthen upper back muscles, targeting your rhomboids, latissimus dorsi and posterior deltoids.’
For the row: ‘Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart and hinge at a 45-degree angle, chest parallel to the floor, core engaged. Pull the dumbbells up at a 90-degree angle bringing them to your hips, then lower the weights to the starting position. Perform for ten.’
For the fly: ‘Moving straight into the fly, allow the weights to hang straight down. Lift the dumbbells up and out to the side, while keeping a soft bend in your elbows and squeeze the shoulder blades together at the top. Lower the weight back down. Perform for ten. Rest. Repeat this circuit three times.’
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Deep squat into reverse lunges
Bradley says: ‘Performing these together will help you develop a stronger lower body, as it builds your glutes and quadriceps and challenges your core stability. Both exercises will also help strengthen your hamstrings, which is the secondary muscle group working.’
For the squats: ‘Rest both dumbbells on your shoulders with your feet slightly more than shoulder-width apart and engage your core. Send your hips back and bend at the knees to lower down as far as possible with control. Keep your chest lifted. Press through your heels and come back up. Perform 10.’
For the reverse lunges: ‘Moving straight into these, stand tall with both dumbbells at your sides. Step/lunge backwards with your right foot, dropping your body downwards as you go and keeping the weights at your side. From the lunge position push back to the starting position. Repeat on the other leg. Perform for 10.
‘Rest. Repeat this circuit three times.’
Romanian deadlift into Sumo squats
Bradley says: ‘These are great for developing a stronger lower body, focusing on building strength and muscle in your hamstrings and glutes.’
For the deadlift: ‘Stand with feet hip-width apart and knees slightly bent. Place dumbbells in front of your pelvis and start to hinge at the hips – remember to keep your spine in a neutral position and squeeze the shoulder blades as you go. Keep the dumbbells close to your body and lower down to your shins. Maintaining a neutral spine, drive through heels to fully extend hips and knees to come back up, squeezing glutes at the top. Perform for ten.’
For Sumo squats: ‘Once the deadlifts are finished, move your feet into a wide stance with your toes pointing out and hold the dumbells between your legs. Keeping the weight in your back heels, start to lower your hips and bend your knees into a wide squat. Go as deep as you can. Stand back up driving from your heels. Perform for ten.
‘Rest. Repeat this circuit three times.’
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