Skip 75-Hard - a Personal Trainer Recommends 3 Key Exercises to Start Gaining Muscle and Strength Before the New Year

Instead of chasing viral fitness challenges this December, its perfectly fine to focus on staying cozy, enjoying good meals, and spending quality time with loved ones. Extreme programs like 75-Hard promise dramatic transformations, but they arent necessary to make meaningful progress. This season, prioritizing simple, sustainable movements that build foundational strength is a more practical approach.

Even a few consistent exercises, some of which can be performed with adjustable dumbbells at home, can make the transition into January easier while setting the stage for real gains without stress or burnout. To guide this approach, Dr. Joey Masri, a Doctor of Physical Therapy and owner of Vice City Sports Medicine in Miami, recommends three exercises ideal for December. These are excellent for anyone looking to develop lower-body strength.

Dumbbell Goblet Squat

This exercise is low-barrier and suitable for nearly all experience levels. It reintroduces the squat pattern while targeting the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and core, with light engagement of the upper back. Holding a dumbbell vertically against your chest limits injury risk.

• Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly outward.
• Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell at your chest, elbows pointing down.
• Engage your core, keep chest tall, and gaze forward.
• Bend hips and knees simultaneously, lowering your hips between your heels, keeping the weight close to your chest and knees aligned with toes.
• Lower until thighs are roughly parallel to the floor, pause briefly, then push through your mid-foot and heels to return upright.
• Breathe steadily: inhale when lowering, exhale when standing.

Recommended sets/reps: 3 sets of 810.

Kettlebell Deadlift

This hinging movement recruits the posterior chain, including glutes, hamstrings, spinal erectors, and upper back muscles. Its functional, translating into daily activities, and can be controlled and scaled over time.

• Stand hip-width apart, kettlebell on the floor between mid-feet.
• Hinge at the hips, slightly bending knees, chest lifted, and hands reaching for the handle.
• Grip the kettlebell, engage lats, and gently pull shoulders back and down.
• Stand by driving hips forward and squeezing glutes at the top without leaning back.
• Lower by reversing the motion, maintaining spine neutrality and controlled movement.

Recommended sets/reps: 3 sets of 68.

Incline Dumbbell Row

This exercise strengthens the upper back, including traps, rhomboids, lats, biceps, and forearms. It promotes healthy scapular movement while protecting the lower back.

• Set a bench at a 3045 degree incline, lie chest down with dumbbells in hand.
• Keep neck slightly tucked, arms hanging straight.
• Pull dumbbells toward lower ribs, elbows back and slightly out, squeezing shoulder blades without shrugging.
• Lower under control and repeat.

Recommended sets/reps: 3 sets of 1012.

Author: Sophia Brooks