Exercise guide
Dumbbell Burpee
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Timed hold
- Back
- Chest
- Lower arms
- Lower legs
- Shoulders
- Upper arms
- Upper legs
- Waist
The dumbbell burpee is a high-intensity compound exercise that combines a squat, plank, and deadlift to build full-body strength and cardiovascular endurance. By adding external resistance, it significantly increases the demand on the core, legs, and posterior chain compared to the bodyweight version.
Reviewed by the Crucible team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a pair of dumbbells at your sides with a neutral grip (palms facing in).
- Engage your core and pull your shoulder blades back to maintain a neutral spine.
- Ensure you are using hex-shaped dumbbells if possible to provide a stable base on the floor.
How to do it
- Inhale as you squat down and place the dumbbells firmly on the floor directly under your shoulders.
- Jump or step your feet back into a high plank position, keeping your body in a straight line from head to heels without letting your hips sag.
- Jump your feet forward toward the dumbbells, landing in a wide squat stance with your chest up and back flat.
- Exhale as you drive through your heels to stand up explosively, keeping the dumbbells at your sides in a suitcase deadlift fashion.
Form checklist
- Keep your spine neutral and avoid rounding your lower back when reaching for or lifting the weights.
- Ensure the dumbbells are positioned directly under your shoulders for maximum stability during the plank.
- Maintain a firm, neutral wrist position while your hands are on the dumbbells on the floor.
- Keep your core braced throughout the jump-back to protect your lumbar spine.
Pro tips
- Focus on the 'snap' of the hips when jumping forward to transition quickly and safely into the standing phase.
- Think of the ascent as a deadlift; keep the weights close to your center of gravity and drive with the legs rather than pulling with the back.
- Maintain a steady, rhythmic tempo rather than rushing to ensure form remains perfect as fatigue sets in.
Make it harder
- Add a full push-up while in the plank position to increase chest and tricep activation.
- Incorporate a dumbbell overhead press (thruster) at the top of the movement to further engage the deltoids.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the dumbbell burpee work?
- The dumbbell burpee primarily targets the deltoids, glutes, hamstrings, pectorals, quadriceps, and triceps, and also works the abs, forearms, obliques, rotator cuff, and serratus anterior as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the dumbbell burpee?
- The dumbbell burpee uses dumbbell.
- Is the dumbbell burpee good for beginners?
- The dumbbell burpee is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.
Related exercises
- Burpee Over The DumbbellIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
- Burpee ShuffleIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
- Burpee Single Leg JumpIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
- Burpee Two Star JumpsAdvanced · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps