Man-Maker

A burpee with dumbbells that adds a row on each arm before standing up and pressing overhead. It is four movements stacked into one rep, and the name is not an exaggeration.

Standard: A valid rep includes a push-up with the hands on the dumbbells, a row with each arm, and a finish with both dumbbells locked out overhead with the hips and knees extended.

How to do the Man-Maker

1. Start standing with a dumbbell in each hand, then place them on the floor and step or jump back to a plank.
2. Perform a push-up with the hands on the handles.
3. Row one dumbbell to the ribs, replace it, then row the other.
4. Jump or step the feet in and clean both dumbbells to the shoulders.
5. Press or push-press them overhead to full lockout, then lower and repeat.

Common faults

• Hips twisting wildly during the rows because the feet are too close together.
• Skipping the push-up or cutting its depth once fatigue sets in.
• Rowing with a rounded back rather than holding the plank.
• Going too heavy so the overhead finish becomes a grind on every rep.

Scaling & progressions

• Drop the load: the sequence is the stimulus, not the weight.
• Step the feet rather than jumping at both ends.
• Widen the feet in the plank so the rows do not tip you over.
• Remove the push-up or the rows and build the full sequence over time.