Dumbbells are one of the most accessible free weights. They are versatile and can be used for different types of exercises. Even if you are more inclined to use a barbell for bigger lifts, it is still important to use dumbbells as part of your workout routine.
” Since barbells let your weaker side take a break, dumbbells are a better choice if you want to develop evenly strong and muscular sides.
The dumbbells being unstable will make your stabilizer muscles work harder to keep you stable while you are performing the movement. Without realizing it, you will be strengthening your core and other stabilizer muscles. This can help prevent injury.
If you're looking for some new dumbbell exercises to try, here are a few of Nyman's favorites for beginners, intermediate, and advanced level fitness enthusiasts. If you want to try them at home, our guide to the best dumbbells can help you find a pair to suit your budget and needs. We also have plenty of dumbbell workouts for you to try which incorporate the exercises on this page.
Lateral raise
Hold a dumbbell in each hand next to your thighs, with your back straight. Slowly raise your arms out to the sides until they are parallel to the floor, keeping your elbows slightly bent. Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
” According to Nyman, lateral raises focus on the medial (outer) head of the deltoid muscle. He says that this move does not require a lot of core strength, making it a good choice for beginners.
To work your medial deltoid, raise your arms out to the side with a bucket in each hand, tipping the buckets as if to pour out the contents. Make sure your thumbs are pointing to the floor so that you hit the medial head.
Biceps curl
Grip a set of dumbbells and place them in front of your thighs with your palms facing your body. Exhale as you slowly curl the weight up to your chest, and then inhale as you lower it back down to the starting position.
” Nyman suggests keeping your elbows pinned to your sides to avoid shifting the emphasis away from your biceps to your shoulders.
If you are a beginner, you may want to avoid lifting heavy weights. However, with biceps curls, you do not need to worry about this because the focus is not on lifting heavyweights, but rather on the feeling of the muscle lengthening and shortening. You can adjust your grip to target different areas of the muscle, but for beginners, I recommend using a supinated grip, with your palms facing up.
Hammer curl
This version of the biceps curl targets the brachialis muscle, which is on the outer part of the arm next to the biceps. This will add bulk to your upper arms and make your biceps more pronounced. The only difference from the regular biceps curl is how you hold the dumbbells.
Holding one weight in each hand, start with your palms facing each other. Keeping your elbows close to your upper body, slowly bend your elbows to lift the weights until they reach your shoulders. Once they're at shoulder level, squeeze your biceps before lowering the weights back down under control.
Triceps kick-back
Pair this dumbbell exercise with the biceps curl to work both of the major muscle groups in your upper arm. The triceps kick-back targets solely the triceps.
To work your triceps, set up a bench and place your knee, shin, and foot on it. Then, bend over until your torso is parallel to the floor and hold the bench with one hand. In your other hand, hold a dumbbell and place your upper arm against your body with your elbow bent at 90 degrees. Straighten your arm so that the dumbbell moves backwards until your forearm is parallel to the ground. Keep your upper arm still so that you're only using your triceps for the lift. Finally, slowly lower the weight back to the start.
Lunge
Holding dumbbells, take a Byrne forwards and lower your body until both knees are bent at 90°. Next, push up through the front leg, returning to the starting position.
“Building leg strength is important for many reasons, such as increasing strength, muscle, and burning calories,” says Nyman. If you’re new to working out, the idea of squatting with a heavy barbell may be daunting. Opt for dumbbells and lunges instead. “It’s a great way to add resistance to your legs and glute work, without the fear of being left in a heap under the squat rack.”
Overhead press
You can do this exercise either seated or standing. For the exercise, you will need a pair of dumbbells. Start by holding the dumbbells by your shoulders with your elbows out to the sides and bent at 90°. Next, extend through your elbows and press the weights overhead. Finally, slowly bring them back to the starting position.
Lateral raises work the delts, while overhead presses are a great way to add strength. Make sure to not arch the back too much, as doing so will use the upper chest instead of the shoulders.
Dumbbell bench press
This dumbbell exercise is a great option for beginners if you stick to a weight you’re comfortable with. Because they’re forced to keep the weights stable, using dumbbells will work more muscles around the shoulders and chest than using a barbell.Lie on a flat workout bench with your feet flat on the floor. Hold the dumbbells above your chest, palms facing towards your feet with your arms fully extended. Bend at the elbows to lower the dumbbells slowly until they reach your chest. Pause for one second, then press both dumbbells up powerfully.
Hammer press
This variation of the dumbbell bench press is easier on your shoulders and is a good addition to your gym routine if you are worried about injuring your shoulders. To do this move, lie on a bench holding a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing each other. Press the weights above you until your arms are extended, then bring them back down slowly.
Floor press
The floor press is a great exercise to do if you want to work your chest without putting too much strain on your shoulders. To do the floor press, lie on your back on the floor with your feet flat on the floor and your knees bent. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms straight out to the sides, then press the weights straight up above you and lower them slowly until the backs of your upper arms touch the floor.
Calf raise
The most difficult muscles to target during a workout are typically the calf muscles. Therefore, it is advisable to incorporate some form of calf raise into your routine. This is an especially important move for runners because the calf muscles endure a lot of impact and strain during running. Consequently, building up the strength of these muscles through supportive workouts is crucial.
You can vary the part of the calf you work by bending your knees during a raise, or doing them off a raised platform like a step or kerb, so your heels can sink below toe level.
Dumbbell woodchop
Functional dumbbell exercises are great for developing core strength, which is often lacking in gym routines that only involve moves in forward, back, up, and down directions, or from side to side. If you're a golfer, adding woodchopping to your routine will improve your rotational power, resulting in longer drives.
Hold a dumbbell in both hands and lower into a squat, moving the dumbbell to the right. Your thighs should be parallel to the floor and the dumbbell should be outside your right thigh. Drive up to standing and twist your torso to bring the dumbbell across and up until it’s above your left shoulder, keeping your arms extended throughout. Twist to come slowly back down to the starting position. Perform all your reps in one direction, then switch sides.
Hip thrust
A common exercise to work your glutes, hamstrings and quads is the squat. You can use a barbell for this exercise, but if all you have are dumbbells, they will work just as well. To do the exercise, sit on the floor with your back to a weight bench and your knees bent. Place your feet flat on the floor and lean back so that your shoulders are resting on the bench. Pick up the dumbbells and hold them so they are resting against your thighs just below your hips. Use your hips to raise the weights up. In the top position, your knees should be bent at a 90 degree angle and your body should be in a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Lower back down slowly and under control.
Alternating dumbbell rotation thrusters
Start standing, feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulders, elbows bent.: Bend knees, pushing hips down and back, to lower into a squat. Drive through feet to stand up, simultaneously pivoting on right foot and rotating hips to the left, and press right arm straight overhead, bicep by ear. (Body should form a diagonal line from wrist to ankle.). Rotate forward as you bring dumbbell back to shoulder. Repeat the squat, then stand and pivot on left foot, rotating hips right, and pressing left arm overhead. Continue alternating rotational presses with squats between each.
Stand straight up from the squat, still pressing one dumbbell straight overhead and alternating sides.
Alternating lateral lunge + reverse fly
1. Start by standing with feet hip-width apart and holding a dumbbell in each hand, arms down by your sides. 2. Step your right foot out to the side and hinge at your hips, bending your left knee and bringing your chest towards the floor with your back flat. Your right leg should stay straight, with the knee soft. 3. Hold the lateral lunge, making sure your hips are pointing straight back, your knee and toe are pointing forward, and your gaze is toward the floor. raise your arms straight out to the sides and up to shoulder height, with your palms facing down, squeezing your shoulder blades together and keeping your core engaged the entire time. 4. Lower your arms back down and bring your right leg back in to stand. Repeat the lateral lunge on the other side, with the reverse fly at the bottom. Continue alternating lunges, with a reverse fly on each side.
Instead of the Reverse Fly, focus on the Lateral Lunges side to side.
Alternating plank rotation to press
Start off in a plank position with both hands on a dumbbell and your shoulders over your wrists. Your feet should be wider than hip-width apart. Bend your left elbow and pull the dumbbell towards your ribs as you rotate your hips left and pivot on your feet, bringing your heels towards the right side. Once you've done that, press the left dumbbell straight up so that your arms are forming a T. Bend your elbow to lower the dumbbell back to your chest before placing it back on the floor. Return to the forward-facing plank position and repeat the process on your right side. Keep alternating sides.
Stay in a straight-arm, forward-facing plank position, keeping your core engaged the entire time. Alternate rows on each side by pulling one dumbbell to your rib cage, and then lowering it back down. Repeat on the other side.
Bridge + chest fly
To do this exercise, start by lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet planted on the floor hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand straight over your shoulders, with your palms facing each other. Then press through your feet and squeeze your glutes to lift your hips toward the ceiling. Slightly tilt your pelvis toward the ceiling so you form a straight line from your knees to your hips to your shoulders. With a slight bend in your elbows, lower the dumbbells down and out to the sides. Then press them back up toward center, over your shoulders. Repeat the Chest Fly. Keep your hips lifted, with your glutes and abs engaged the entire time.
Do not bridge your hips, lower them instead and place your palms on the floor.
Farmer’s walk
This Functional dumbbell exercise will help you the next time you do a big shop, by Hold a heavy dumbbell in each hand and walk for a set distance, like 10m, or duration, taking short steps and keeping your core braced and torso upright. The farmer’s walk is also great for your grip strength and will help to improve your posture.
