Dumbbells Exercises

Dumbbell Lying Rear Lateral Raise

While holding a dumbbell in each hand, lay with your chest down on a slightly inclined (around 15 degrees when measured from the floor) adjustable bench.

Dumbbell Lying Supination

Lie sideways on a flat bench with one arm holding a dumbbell and the other hand on top of the bench folded so that you can rest your head on it.

Forearms

Dumbbell One-Arm Shoulder Press

Grab a dumbbell and either sit on a military press bench or a utility bench that has a back support on it as you place the dumbbells upright on top of your thighs or stand up straight.

Dumbbell One-Arm Triceps Extension

Grab a dumbbell and either sit on a military press bench or a utility bench that has a back support on it as you place the dumbbells upright on top of your thighs or stand up straight.

Dumbbell One-Arm Upright Row

Grab a dumbbell and stand up straight with your arm extended in front of you with a slight bend at the elbows and your back straight. This will be your starting position. Tip: The dumbbell should be resting on top of your thigh with the palm of your hands facing your thighs.

Dumbbell Prone Incline Curl

Grab a dumbbell on each hand and lie face down on an incline bench with your shoulders near top of the incline. Your knees can rest on the seat or your legs can be straddled to the sides (my preferred way).

Biceps

Dumbbell Pullover

A classic chest-emphasis pullover performed lying on a bench. The athlete holds a single dumbbell with both hands by the inner plate, lowers it behind the head with naturally slightly-bent arms (not locked-straight, not fully bent), then pulls it back over the chest. The slight elbow bend and chest-up bench position bias the load to the chest and serratus rather than the lats. Distinct from Bent-Arm Dumbbell Pullover (older bodybuilding name; same general mechanic but explicit elbow bend prescribed), Straight-Arm Dumbbell Pullover (arms locked-straight; pure lat-emphasis variant), and cable straight-arm pulldowns (lat-emphasis cable variant).

Dumbbell Raise

Grab a dumbbell in each arm and stand up straight with your arms extended by your sides with a slight bend at the elbows and your back straight. This will be your starting position. Tip: The dumbbell should be next to your thighs with the palm of your hands facing back.

Biceps

Dumbbell Rear Lunge

Stand with your torso upright holding two dumbbells in your hands by your sides. This will be your starting position.

Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift

A hinge-pattern deadlift performed with a pair of dumbbells held at the sides. Lower load profile than a barbell RDL but trains the same hamstring + glute hinge mechanic, with the added benefit of independent left/right grip + bell positioning. Distinct from Barbell Romanian Deadlift (different implement, more loadable), Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift (single-leg balance variant), and Stiff-Legged Dumbbell Deadlift (stiffer-knee variant with greater hamstring stretch).

Dumbbell Scaption

This corrective exercise strengthens the muscles that stabilize your shoulder blade. Hold a light weight in each hand, hanging at your sides. Your thumbs should pointing up.

Traps

Dumbbell Seated Box Jump

Position a box a couple feet to the side of a bench. Hold a dumbbell to your chest with both hands and seat yourself on the bench facing the box. This will be your starting position.

Dumbbell Seated One-Leg Calf Raise

Place a block on the floor about 12 inches from a flat bench.

Calves

Dumbbell Shoulder Press

While holding a dumbbell in each hand, sit on a military press bench or utility bench that has back support. Place the dumbbells upright on top of your thighs.

Dumbbell Shrug

Stand erect with a dumbbell on each hand (palms facing your torso), arms extended on the sides.

Traps

Dumbbell Side Bend

Stand up straight while holding a dumbbell on the left hand (palms facing the torso) as you have the right hand holding your waist. Your feet should be placed at shoulder width. This will be your starting position.

Core

Dumbbell Side Lunge

A lateral-plane (side) lunge loaded with a pair of dumbbells held at the sides. Athlete steps wide to one side, lowers into a single-leg squat on the stepping side, then drives back to standing. Trains the frontal-plane hip and adductor work that bilateral squats and lunges miss. Distinct from Bodyweight Lateral Lunge (no load), and from Bulgarian Split Squat (rear-foot-elevated, sagittal-plane mechanic).

Dumbbell Skull Crusher

Lying triceps isolation with dumbbells. The defining motion is an arc of the dumbbells toward the forehead with elbows fixed; each arm works independently.

Forearms

Dumbbell Squat

Stand up straight while holding a dumbbell on each hand (palms facing the side of your legs).

Dumbbell Squat To A Bench

Stand up straight with a flat bench behind you while holding a dumbbell on each hand (palms facing the side of your legs).

Dumbbell Step Ups

Stand up straight while holding a dumbbell on each hand (palms facing the side of your legs).

Dumbbell Sumo Squat

A wide-stance sumo squat performed with a single dumbbell held vertically between the legs (suspended from the hands), or with a pair of dumbbells held at the sides. The wide stance + toes-out position emphasises adductor + glute medius engagement. Distinct from Dumbbell Goblet Squat (narrower, shoulder-width stance with bell at chest), and from Sumo Deadlift (Barbell, hinge pattern not squat).

Dumbbell Tricep Extension -Pronated Grip

Lie down on a flat bench holding two dumbbells directly above your shoulders. Your arms should be fully extended and form a 90 degree angle from your torso and the floor.

Dumbbell Woodchop

A diagonal rotational chop performed with a single dumbbell held in both hands. Athlete starts with the dumbbell at one shoulder and chops diagonally across the body to the opposite hip, then returns. Trains rotational core power with a constant-mass implement. Distinct from Standing Cable Wood Chop (cable resistance is constant through the range; dumbbell varies with leverage and gravity), and from Medicine Ball Rotational Throw (release-based, explosive).

External Rotation

Lie sideways on a flat bench with one arm holding a dumbbell and the other hand on top of the bench folded so that you can rest your head on it.

Farmer's Walk

There are various implements that can be used for the farmers walk. These can also be performed with heavy dumbbells or short bars if these implements aren't available. Begin by standing between the implements.

Flexor Incline Dumbbell Curls

Hold the dumbbell towards the side farther from you so that you have more weight on the side closest to you. (This can be done for a good effect on all bicep dumbbell exercises). Now do a normal incline dumbbell curl, but keep your wrists as far back as possible so as to neutralize any stress that is placed on them.

Biceps

Front Dumbbell Raise

Pick a couple of dumbbells and stand with a straight torso and the dumbbells on front of your thighs at arms length with the palms of the hand facing your thighs. This will be your starting position.

Front Incline Dumbbell Raise

Sit down on an incline bench with the incline set anywhere between 30 to 60 degrees while holding a dumbbell on each hand. Tip: You can change the angle to hit the muscle a little differently each time.