Whether she's playing Abigail Whistler in "Blade: Trinity" or starring in the Amazon Prime thriller "The Better Sister," there's no denying Jessica Biel takes her training seriously, even while juggling Hollywood with life as a mom of two.
In fact, her personal trainer of more than 10 years, Ben Bruno, describes her as a "bona fide badass in the gym," and after watching the pair train together on Instagram, it's hard to disagree. Biel trains hard. Her workouts are refreshingly unfiltered and, above all, incredibly effective.
One routine that particularly caught my eye was her go-to full-body dumbbell complex. It's quick, brutal and, best of all, takes around 25 minutes from warm-up to finish.
If you've ever tried a dumbbell complex, you'll know they aren't pretty, but they’re effective, combining strength training with a serious cardiovascular challenge. As a busy mom of two and the proud owner of a pair of adjustable dumbbells, I couldn't resist giving it a go. Here's why, and what happened when I did.
What is Jessica Biel's dumbbell complex?
Rather than doing standard strength training or just training one muscle group at a time, Biel does a dumbbell complex. “The name makes it seem complicated, but it's actually really simple,” says Bruno.
“It's just four exercises done in succession without putting the dumbbells down, and those four moves cover the whole body and jack your heart rate up for some cardio. So, it's a great option for when you're short on time and energy.”
And it makes sense: you're moving from one exercise to the next without resting, so your muscles stay under constant tension while your heart rate continues to climb. The result is a workout that feels like a hybrid of strength training and cardio. Best of all, you only need a pair of dumbbells.
According to Bruno, Biel performs three to four rounds after a short warm-up. As for weight, she’ll start with 10lb dumbbells for the opening rounds, then progresses to 15lb, while Bruno occasionally encourages her to tackle the final round with 20lb dumbbells.
“We'll hit the weights about twice a week, sometimes three… and then she'll try to do some Pilates and cardio as well.”
Perform each exercise back-to-back without putting the dumbbells down, then rest for 60-90 seconds and repeat the sequence for three to four rounds.
1. Single-arm alternating shoulder press
Reps: 10 (5 each arm)
Benefits: The single-arm shoulder press strengthens your shoulders, triceps and upper back while forcing your core to work harder to keep your torso stable. Pressing one arm at a time also helps improve balance, coordination and shoulder stability.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height with your palms facing forward.
- Brace your core and keep a slight bend in your knees.
- Press both dumbbells overhead so your arms are fully extended.
- Lower your right dumbbell back to shoulder height with control, then press it overhead again.
- Repeat on the opposite side and continue alternating until you've completed all your reps.
2. Alternating reverse lunge
Reps: 10 (5 each side)
Benefits: Reverse lunges are one of the best lower-body exercises for strengthening your glutes, quads and hamstrings while also challenging your balance, coordination and core stability.
Stepping backward places less stress on the knees than a forward lunge, making it a great option for many exercisers.
- Stand tall with your feet together, holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height.
- Brace your core, then step your right foot backward into a lunge, lowering until both knees are bent to roughly 90 degrees and your back knee hovers just above the floor.
- Drive through your front heel to return to the starting position.
- Repeat on the opposite side.
3. Split stance row
Reps: 5 each leg
Benefits: Split stance rows strengthen your upper back, shoulders and arms while challenging your balance and core stability. The staggered stance forces your glutes, legs and core to work harder to keep you stable throughout the movement, making it a highly effective exercise for improving posture and balance.
- Stand with your feet about hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
- Step your left foot back into a split stance and hinge forward from your hips, keeping your back flat and chest lifted.
- Pull the dumbbells toward your lower ribs by driving your elbows backward and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause briefly, then lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
- Complete all your reps and switch legs.
4. Single-leg RDL
Reps: 5 each leg
Benefits: The single-leg Romanian deadlift develops strength in your glutes, hamstrings and core while improving balance, coordination and hip stability. Training one leg at a time also helps identify and correct strength imbalances, making it an excellent exercise for building functional lower-body strength.
- Start in a split stance with most of your weight on your front leg. Keep a slight bend in both knees and use your back foot as a kickstand for balance.
- Brace your core, keep your hips and shoulders facing forward, then hinge at your hips by pushing them backward until you feel a stretch through your front hamstring and glute.
- Allow the dumbbells to travel down the front of your working leg, keeping them close to your body throughout the movement.
- Drive through your front foot to return to the starting position. Remember to switch sides.
Bottom line: What happened when I tried the workout
At first glance, four exercises don't sound like much, but by the end of the first round, and a total of 40 reps without putting the dumbbells down, I'd changed my mind.
Because there's no downtime between each move, my heart rate climbed surprisingly quickly, and my grip and forearms clung on for dear life. I also noticed that my shoulders were working continuously, while my legs, glutes and hamstrings were working from the lunges, single-leg Romanian deadlifts and also stabilizing my body during the split stance rows.
The clever part is that because each movement flows naturally into the next, there's next to no wasted time. Instead of changing equipment or resting between sets, you simply keep moving. By the third round I was breathing hard enough that it genuinely felt as though I'd squeezed both a weights workout and a cardio session into one.
At first glance, four exercises don't sound like much, but by the end of the first round, and a total of 40 reps without putting the dumbbells down, I'd changed my mind.
One of the biggest barriers to strength training is finding the time, but this workout removes that excuse. In around 25 minutes, I'd trained my legs, back, shoulders, arms and core while also getting my heart rate high.
It's also incredibly easy to adapt. If you're new to dumbbell complexes, start with lighter weights and focus on mastering your technique. As you get stronger, gradually increase the load rather than rushing through the reps.
And while this routine alone won't build Jessica Biel's physique, it's easy to see why she keeps coming back to it. By combining compound exercises into a continuous sequence, it trains almost every major muscle group, with a particular emphasis on the glutes, shoulders and core.
It's also efficient, challenging and refreshingly uncomplicated, which are qualities that aren't always easy to find in celebrity workouts, which is exactly why I'll happily keep it in my weekly training routine.
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