3 rounds for time of:
30 dumbbell push-ups
30 dumbbell box step-ups
For the push-up, place hands on the handle of each dumbbell.
♀ 20-inch box and 20-lb dumbbells
♂ 24-inch box and 35-lb dumbbells
Post times to comments.
Stimulus and Strategy:
Today’s workout has grunt work written all over it — it’s one of those where you just need to put your head down and grind. The goal is to complete this workout in 20 minutes or less. Choose an option for the push-up that allows you to perform consistent sets of at least 5-10 reps.
Scaling:
Reduce the loading of the dumbbells and the height of the box, then reduce the volume per set as needed.
To reduce the complexity of the push-up, perform them with your hands on the floor instead of on the dumbbells. If necessary, perform push-ups for the knees or with your hands elevated on a 30-inch box. For the dumbbell box step-ups, perform them with no weight to a lower target.
In case of injury or limitation, perform a single-arm dumbbell shoulder press in place of the push-up. For the dumbbell box step-up, perform these with no weight to a lower target or consider a lunge.
Intermediate option:
3 rounds for time of:
30 dumbbell push-ups
30 dumbbell box step-ups
For the push-up, place hands on the handle of each dumbbell.
♀ 20-inch box and 15-lb dumbbells
♂ 24-inch box and 25-lb dumbbells
Beginner option:
3 rounds for time of:
12 push-ups from the knees
12 dumbbell box step-ups
♀ 12-inch box and 10-lb dumbbells
♂ 20-inch box and 15-lb dumbbells
Coaching cues:
As soon as the speed of your push-up begins to slow, rest. While this may result in a greater number of rest breaks than is strictly necessary, only performing “fast” reps and not grinding through a handful of slow ones to finish a set can help avoid reaching failure and yield an overall faster time.
Resources:
A Fresh Take on the Lowly Push-Up
Dumbbell Box Step-Up
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