The world’s best dumbbell workout: For strength and muscle definition
You don’t need a fully equipped gym to achieve your fitness goals. A couple of dumbbells are enough to work every muscle in your body. Whether you’re short on time or just prefer home workouts, a full-body dumbbell routine can effectively target both your upper and lower body.
Dumbbells are versatile and user-friendly, making them a staple in strength training. With just a set of dumbbells, you can perform a wide variety of exercises.
A full-body dumbbell workout is highly efficient, allowing you to train multiple muscle groups in a short amount of time. Dedicated lower- and upper-body workout days are great for those who visit the gym more than three days a week. However, beginners can achieve similar gains in muscle strength and size with full-body workouts as long as the weekly training volume is the same.
The 13 exercises below will train your body from head to toe with just a set of dumbbells. These functional exercises mimic everyday movements and build strength in major muscle groups across multiple planes of motion. For best results, we recommends doing this routine twice a week.
Workout Overview
- Time: 30-40 minutes
- Equipment: Dumbbells
- Good for: Full body
- Instructions: Choose 6 moves targeting different areas (e.g., one squat variation, lunge, deadlift, two upper body moves, and one core exercise).
Perform 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps and adjust rest breaks according to your goals:
- Boost Strength: Complete all six moves in a circuit, rest for two minutes, and repeat twice.
- Build Muscle: Perform all reps and sets of one move before proceeding to the next, with 60-90 seconds rest between sets.
- Cardio Endurance: Perform all reps and sets of one move before the next, with less than a minute of rest between sets.
Pro tip: Choose a weight that makes the last three reps of each set challenging but doable with proper form.
The Exercises
1. Front Squat
- Muscles worked: Quads, glutes, hamstrings
- Why it rocks: Strengthens lower body and promotes healthy aging.
- How to: Stand with feet hip-width apart, dumbbells at shoulders. Squat until thighs are parallel to the floor, then return to standing.
2. Lunge With Twist
- Muscles worked: Quads, glutes, obliques
- Why it rocks: Enhances lower body strength and balance, and targets obliques.
- How to: Lunge forward with one foot, twist torso at the bottom, return to start, and alternate sides.
3. Arnold Press
- Muscles worked: Delts, triceps, biceps
- Why it rocks: Builds upper-body strength and supports functional overhead movements
- How to: Stand with dumbbells at shoulders, press overhead while rotating palms outward, then lower back.
4. Alternating Bent-Over Row
- Muscles worked: Lats, rhomboids, traps
- Why it rocks: Strengthens back muscles and corrects imbalances.
- How to: Bend over with dumbbells hanging, row one arm at a time, alternating sides.
5. Kickstand Single-Leg Deadlift
- Muscles worked: Glutes, hamstrings
- Why it rocks: Targets posterior chain muscles, enhancing stability and strength.
- How to: Stand with one foot slightly back, hinge at hips with dumbbell in opposite hand, return to start, and switch sides.
6. Woodchop
- Muscles worked: Core (obliques, rectus abdominis)
- Why it rocks: Improves core strength and mimics everyday twisting movements.
- How to: Pivot feet, swing dumbbell diagonally across body from low to high, return, and switch sides.
7. Dumbbell Walking Lunge
- Muscles worked: Glutes, hamstrings, quads, calves
- Why it rocks: Combines lower body strength with a metabolic workout.
- How to: Step forward into a lunge, push through to stand, and alternate legs.
8. Alternating Lateral Lunge
- Muscles worked: Quads, glutes, adductors, hamstrings
- Why it rocks: Trains side-to-side movement, building hip strength.
- How to: Step sideways into a lunge, return to start, and alternate sides.
9. Sumo Squat
- Muscles worked: Quads, glutes, adductors, hamstrings, calves
- Why it rocks: Targets inner thighs and allows for a deeper range of motion.
- How to: Stand with wide stance, toes turned out, squat down, and return to standing.
10. Renegade Row
- Muscles worked: Lats, rhomboids, traps, biceps, triceps
- Why it rocks: Strengthens back and core while maintaining a plank position.
- How to: Start in plank, row one dumbbell at a time, alternating sides.
11. Reverse Fly
- Muscles worked: Delts, rhomboids, upper back
- Why it rocks: Strengthens back and counteracts forward-leaning posture.
- How to: Hinge forward, raise arms to sides, squeeze shoulder blades, and lower.
12. Russian Twist
- Muscles worked: Core (obliques, rectus abdominis)
- Why it rocks: Enhances core stability and strength.
- How to: Sit with feet off the ground, twist torso side to side with a dumbbell.
13. Overhead Triceps Extension
- Muscles worked: Triceps, delts
- Why it rocks: Targets triceps and engages the core.
- How to: Stand with dumbbell overhead, lower behind head, and extend arms back.
Complete this routine for a comprehensive, effective workout that builds strength, muscle, and endurance with just a set of dumbbells.