The anterior chain refers to the group of muscles on the front side of your body, and is antagonist to the posterior chain. The primary muscles that comprise the anterior chain are the: biceps, pectoral muscles (major and minor), abdominals, obliques, serratus anterior and the quadriceps. 

Building a strong anterior chain is vital for stabilising the spine and pelvis during movements, and therefore improving your core stability. This then has positive carry-over effects into improving athletic performance (e.g. running, jumping, rapidly changing direction), and functional strength (e.g. squatting, lifting, pushing). Along with the aesthetic appeal of building your six-pack, it’s a no-brainer!

Below you’ll find a perfect example of how you can put the ultimate anterior chain exercises into a workout - using only a pair of dumbbells. The workout has been built with an all-round functional athlete in mind. For each exercise in the weighted main section complete a lighter “feeler” set, to ramp up to the heavier load, then a little conditioning to tie the workout together and build capacity. Check out our Dumbbells Tree and get lifting!

Warm Up

First, perform a five minute AMRAP of the following exercises.

• 10 dumbbell goblet squats

• 5 deep squats with ankle rocks

• 5 deadbugs (each side)

Workout for the Anterior Chain

Exercise One - Heel Elevated, Narrow Stance Front Rack Dumbbell Squats

4 sets of 8-10 reps at 60-70% of your 1RM

Target muscle - quads

Exercise Two - Dumbbell V Ups

4 sets of 14 reps, followed by two minutes of rest

Target muscles - abdominals and obliques

Exercise Three - Dual Dumbbell Floor Press

3 sets of 8-10 reps at 60-70% of your 1RM, followed by 30 seconds of rest

Target muscles - pectoral muscles and serratus anterior

Exercise Four - Dumbbell Goblet Split Squat

3 sets of 12-15 reps each side, followed by 90 seconds rest

Target muscle - quads

Conditioning Flow EMOM

Each minute, complete the specified exercise. Once you've completed the reps, rest for the remaining time and then move onto the next at the top of the minute. Complete three rounds.

• Minute One - 10 Dual Dumbbell Bicep Curls (target muscle - biceps)

• Minute Two - 5 Dumbbell Suitcase Carry Forward Lunge (on each side) (target muscles - quads and abdominals)

• Minute Three - 10 Press Ups (target muscle - serratus anterior)

• Minute Four - 45 seconds Forearm Plank (target muscle - quads)

• Minute Five - Rest

Consider adding on a 3-minute stretch of your hip flexors, chest, abdominals and quads to finish, holding each stretch for 30 seconds.

And there we have it, a well-rounded anterior chain workout that you can fit into your weekly routine. Each session that you complete creates a stronger and fitter version of yourself. Give this workout a try, view our Dumbbells For Sale, and reap the benefits that you gain! 

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Tags: Equipment > Dumbbells ; Exercise Type > Strength ; Misc > Workout