Walk into any gym and you’re sure to find a rack of dumbbells waiting. But why are they such a popular gym staple and what exactly are they good for? Well, given that a dumbbell exercise adds external load on the body during the movement, they are a great way to make your workout a little more challenging.
So what are dumbbells? good question In essence, they are one piece of weight training. (opens in new tab) Equipment that has a weight at each end, stereotypically used two at a time (one in each hand) to build muscle.
Celebrities like Rihanna, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kourtney Kardashian, and athletes like Simone Biles, Tia-Claire Tomei, and Dina Asher-Smith don’t need to be told—they’re already incorporating dumbbells into their workout routines.
Why? because research – including recent study (opens in new tab) published in Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports – have shown that even brief dumbbell workouts can lead to significant increases in muscle strength.
Ready to learn a little more about do-all kits? Keep scrolling, and check out our guides to home workouts, weight lifting apps, and gym workouts while you’re at it.
Dumbbell Exercises: Your Guide
That’s why we’ve established that no matter your gym anxiety (opens in new tab), Dumbbells are relatively easy to use – but what other features do the weights provide? “The beauty of using dumbbells is that the variety of exercises is endless,” says the personal trainer and fitness coach. Caroline Idnes, She loves the fact that dumbbells are a complex piece of kit that challenges your core stability and balance through weight-lifting exercises (opens in new tab)Unlike a machine at the gym.
“It’s easy to add heavier dumbbells as you progress to your workouts for added challenge,” says Idins. They are also useful for building strength and toning muscles by adding resistance to movements, as well as helping with flexibility and stability in muscles and joints.
Another huge advantage, as Ideens points out, is that you can use dumbbells to isolate just one muscle group, such as your biceps in biceps curls. Interested in targeting more than one muscle group? You can choose compound movements such as squats or presses. “It makes the exercise more functional and builds strength in the movements we do in daily life,” she explains.
Lucy CampbellA personal trainer and Nottingham-based crossfit coach, She’s also a fan of dumbbells for their versatility—”You can use them for home or gym workouts,” she explains.
Rugby World Cup winner and former England star, cat merchant Agrees, adding: “The weights section of the gym can be a very intimidating place for many women, but dumbbells are a great introduction for beginners.” Not only this, they are also extremely beneficial for experienced athletes and trainers.
New to the weights section and not sure how much to start lifting (opens in new tab), try this: She suggests starting light on the weights and tracking your progress over time as you work your way up.
Dumbbell Exercises: 10 to Try, According to an Expert
Merchant points out that dumbbells can be used really effectively for chest, triceps and biceps exercises.
Campbell recommends using dumbbells as part of your weekly weight training (the NHS recommends two sessions a week). She thinks they work best when used for movements like the snatch and clean and jerk, like squats or deadlifts, or when performed as part of a conditioning workout.
The dumbbell exercises below are recommended by Campbell, the second British woman to go to the CrossFit Games.
You can try them alone or together as a workout – just be sure to aim for correct form and technique to prevent injury. (opens in new tab), Happy squatting.
1. Goblet squat with dumbbells
A great option for working the glutes, quads, and hamstrings, this is one of the best dumbbell exercises for working the lower body, Campbell shares. She recommends holding a dumbbell in each hand, and says: “It’s great for helping people keep their chest up when they squat.”
How to do? Hold a dumbbell vertically with both hands on top of the weight and about hip distance apart. Then, squat down toward the floor, engaging your core and shoulders, keeping your knees over your toes. Drive through your heels to your starting position and repeat.
how long? Aim for 45 seconds.
2. Romanian deadlift (RDL) with dumbbells
Another top dumbbell exercise that really targets the hamstrings is a deadlift with a slight bend in the RDL knee, says Campbell.
How to do? Again standing with your feet hip-width apart, hold a dumbbell in each hand and place them at your hips. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and drive your hips back, hinging at the hips to lower your knees (the front of your thighs). Drive through your heels to the starting position and repeat.
how long? Aim for 45 seconds.
3. Step Ups With Dumbbells
This dumbbell exercise puts your glutes, quads, and hamstrings through their paces. “Adding weight to a box or bench step up is a great way to help build your glute strength,” shares Campbell.
How to do? It’s pretty self-explanatory – hold a dumbbell in each hand on either side of your body. Then, keeping your core and shoulder blades engaged, step with one foot onto a box in front of you. Be sure to push through the feet on the bench to work your leg muscles and glutes. Return to your starting position and repeat. Note: Make sure the step is stable before trying this.
how long? Aim for 45 seconds.
4. Dumbbell Lunges
“This is one of the best exercises for your lower body and the most challenging exercise that feels like cardio,” says Campbell. Again, they really work your glutes, quads, and hamstrings.
How to do? Step forward with one leg, keeping a dumbbell in one hand on each side of your hips and the inside of your wrist facing your body. Then, lower your glutes toward the floor, keeping your back knee bent. You want your thighs to be parallel to the floor. Take the leg back and repeat.
how long? Aim for 45 seconds.
5. Overhead Tricep Extension
It does what it says on the tin – it’s one of the best exercises for the triceps. “Use a dumbbell to pull the weight over your head, as a single or double arm movement to target the triceps,” explains Campbell.
How to do? Sitting on a bench, hold a dumbbell behind your head with both hands. Slowly bend both elbows and lower the weights down, engaging your core and shoulders. Return and repeat.
how long? Aim for 45 seconds.
6. Dumbbell Bench Press
You can do this on the floor or a bench, says Campbell, but more speed will be found on the bench. This dumbbell exercise will really work the pecs, triceps, biceps and shoulders.
How to do? Lie on your back on a bench with your feet on the floor, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Keeping your palms in front of your feet, raise them above your shoulders. Then, lower them down toward your shoulders, bracing your core and biceps. Return and repeat.
how long? Aim for 45 seconds.
7. Dumbbell Shoulder Press
“For full range of motion, perform these so the dumbbells start and end at your shoulders,” advises Campbell. This is another dumbbell exercise that’s great for the shoulders, triceps, biceps, and pecs.
How to do? Begin seated on a bench with your back against the back of the bench. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height, palms facing forward. Bracing your core and arms, push the weights up until your arms are straight. Return and repeat.
how long? Aim for 45 seconds.
8. Bent Over Row
“I like to perform the three-point setup as a single arm movement, resting one hand on a bench or box and keeping my back straight,” shares Campbell. As you can imagine, this is a top dumbbell exercise for working the muscles in the chest and back.
How to do? Begin by standing with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your body. Keeping your knees bent and hinged at the waist, row the weights across your body, making sure your core is braced, shoulders are engaged and back is straight. Return and repeat.
how long? Aim for 45 seconds.
9. Dumbbell Clean and Jerk
Campbell explains that this is a variation of moving the dumbbells up from the ground in two movements.
How to do? Begin by bringing the dumbbells from the floor to your shoulders. Then, with your core and shoulders engaged, push the dumbbells from your shoulders over your head, with both arms fully extended. Return and repeat.
how long? Aim for 45 seconds.
10. Dumbbell snatch
Last but by no means least, this is another variation of lifting the dumbbells up from the ground, but in one movement, explains Campbell. Both are commonly used in CrossFit workouts, and this round up features dumbbell exercises that are slightly more advanced than the rest.
How to do? Begin by standing with your feet hip-width apart and a dumbbell between your feet. Coming down into a squat position, grab a dumbbell with one hand and lift it to your waist, then pull it up so it sits near your shoulder. Bending your elbows, press the weights up over your head. Return and repeat.
how long? Aim for 45 seconds.
Keen to progress with full workouts instead of individual exercises? We recommend trying this lower body dumbbell workout.
What is the most effective dumbbell workout?
Every body is different, and you need to find which exercise works best for you. That said, as is the case with using any weight, there are a few things to keep in mind for best practice and to limit any injuries. Campbell has the following advice:
“Most gyms will have heavy dumbbells for compound lifts, such as squatting and deadlifting. When performing heavy lifts, it is advisable to find someone to help you land the lift safely.
She continues: “Lighter weights are more appropriate for hypertrophy-style training where you do more reps and try to go near failure (when you can’t do any more reps).”
As Idians highlights, it’s important to look at your technique before using dumbbells and also to get expert guidance. “When you start using weights overall, your correct form is important.”
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