Maybe I’ve trained my phone’s algorithm well enough that I haven’t been bombarded with viral fitness challenges for this current end of year, and honestly, I don’t want to be.
December is the time I want to stay warm indoors, enjoy good food, and spend quality time with the people I care about. Challenges like 75-Hard promise a dramatic reset, but they aren’t for everyone, and you don’t need them to make progress.
This year, I’m focusing on something simple and practical: building foundational strength in a way that feels manageable and sustainable. A few consistent, well-chosen moves now — some of which can even be done with a pair of the best adjustable dumbbells at home — can make January easier and set you up for real gains without pressure or burnout.
Dr. Joey Masri, founder of Vice City Sports Medicine, is a board-certified orthopedic physical therapist and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist.
1. Dumbbell Goblet Squat
This is a great starting point for anyone looking to build lower-body strength. Dr. Masri calls it “an excellent, low barrier to entry movement that is fit for people of just about any training experience.”
It’s a safe way to reintroduce the squatting pattern while targeting your quads, hamstrings, glutes, and core. The movement also lightly engages the upper back, and because you’re limited by how much you can comfortably hold, the injury risk is relatively low.
- Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out.
- Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell vertically against your chest with both hands, elbows pointing down. Tighten your midsection, keep your chest tall, and look straight ahead.
- Begin the movement by bending at your hips and knees simultaneously, sitting your hips down between your heels as if lowering onto a low stool.
- Keep the dumbbell close to your chest and let your knees travel forward in line with your toes. Keep your heels flat on the floor throughout the movement.
- Lower under control until your thighs are roughly parallel to the floor, or as low as you can go without pain or losing balance. Pause briefly at the bottom.
- Push the floor away through your mid-foot and heel, straighten your knees and hips, and return to the starting position, fully extending your hips without leaning back.
- Breathe steadily: inhale as you lower, exhale as you stand.
- Recommended sets and reps: 3 sets of 8–10.
2. Kettlebell Deadlift
This is a great choice for anyone returning to strength training in the new year. Dr. Masri highlights that it’s “a hinging movement pattern that recruits the posterior chain primarily, such as the glutes, hamstrings, spinal erectors, and the upper back muscles.”
It’s highly functional, meaning it translates into daily life movements like lifting groceries or picking up kids. The exercise is easy to control and scalable over time, so it's a reliable base-builder.
- Stand with feet about hip-width apart and place a kettlebell on the floor between your mid-feet.
- Hinge at your hips by pushing them back, keeping a slight bend in your knees and your chest lifted.
- Lower your hands to the kettlebell handle while keeping your spine relatively flat.
- Grip the handle firmly and engage your lats by gently pulling your shoulders back and down (Masri cues it as squeezing a pair of tennis balls in your armpits).
- Stand up by pushing the floor away through your heels and mid-foot, driving your hips forward, and squeezing your glutes at the top without leaning back.
- Lower the weight by reversing the motion: push hips back, keep the kettlebell close, shins vertical, and spine neutral.
- Reset your brace between reps, keep the movement slow and controlled, and maintain steady breathing.
- Recommended sets and reps: 3 sets of 6–8.
3. Incline Bench DB Row
This exercise is an effective way to target the upper back muscles, including the middle traps, rhomboids, lats, and even the biceps and forearms.
Masri notes that it’s “helpful in building baseline strength and reinforces healthy scapular movement,” AKA it's safe on the lower back while restoring posture and strength.
- Set a bench at a low incline (about 30–45 degrees) and lie chest down with a dumbbell in each hand, arms hanging straight toward the floor. Keep your neck lightly tucked.
- Pull the dumbbells up toward your lower ribcage by driving your elbows back and slightly out, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top without shrugging.
- Lower the weights under control until your arms are straight again, then repeat.
- Recommended sets and reps: 3 sets of 10–12.
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