This dumbbell-only exercise hits each main muscle group — higher physique, decrease physique, and core — whereas boosting each cardiovascular endurance and useful power. No costly fitness center memberships or specialised tools wanted, simply seize a set of dumbbells and also you’re able to go.
Though I like “strict” power coaching, as a health coach, I’ve found how necessary it’s so as to add explosive actions and stabilization workout routines to your routine.
Resistance training is about extra than simply lifting weights. The three primary elements of resistance coaching are power, energy and stabilization.
Which means the most effective dwelling exercise would come with actions that assist us develop the power to:
- Generate power (power coaching)
- Produce explosive energy (plyometrics)
- Keep stability (core power)
That’s why the simplest dwelling exercises mix conventional power workout routines, plyometric strikes for explosive energy, and core-focused exercises for stability. This method impressed our fan-favorite “SPA” (Energy, Energy, Abs) exercises. Dumbbells are perfect for this model as a result of they construct lean muscle, have interaction stabilizing muscular tissues and permit a full vary of movement.
I like this model of dumbbell-only coaching due to its useful health advantages. Functional fitness is all about coaching your physique for real-life actions, like bending, lifting, twisting and leaping – issues we do on daily basis as mother and father, professionals or simply human beings. By combining a number of muscle teams, full-body circuits enhance coordination, steadiness and total power, making day by day duties really feel simpler.
Circuit-style dumbbell workouts that embody goblet squats, chest presses, bent-over rows, glute bridges, lateral raises and Romanian deadlift push each muscle within the physique to fatigue, with out the necessity for specialised fitness center tools or machines.
Dumbbell exercises are usually protected for most individuals, however these with sure accidents, joint points or situations that restrict mobility ought to method them cautiously. For those who’re recovering from surgical procedure or coping with continual ache, test with a healthcare skilled earlier than beginning a dumbbell routine.

Exercise Particulars
This full-body dumbbell exercise combines 12 of the most effective workout routines to construct power and lean muscle at dwelling. Modifications are offered for each learners and superior athletes to scale the exercise to fulfill your wants.
This exercise additionally features a dynamic warm-up and a complete cool-down. Add full physique exercises like this one to your home dumbbell workout plan 1-2 instances every week to extend muscle constructing and definition.
For those who’re on the lookout for additional core engagement, try my 30-Day Ab Challenge.
Exercise Gear:
Medium Pair of Dumbbells. I like to recommend between 5-25 lbs relying in your health stage. We used 15 and 20 lb dumbbells in in the present day’s exercise.
Exercise Directions:
Observe together with the guided Full-Body Dumbbell Workout at home, led by me — your licensed private coach, Lindsey Bomgren.
Your Exercise Appears Like This:
- 4 Full Physique Circuits (3 workout routines per circuit)
- Timed Intervals (30 seconds of labor, 15 seconds relaxation; full as many repetitions as you may within the timed interval)
- Repeat Every Circuit x2 Units
1. Eccentric Squat
Targets: Legs, glutes, quads, hamstrings, hip flexors and core.

How To Do Eccentric Squats
- Stand with ft hip-width aside, knees barely bent. Maintain dumbbells in each arms at your sides, palms dealing with in.
- On a 3-count, slowly decrease your hips till your knees are bent at 90 levels and your thighs are parallel to the ground.
- Then, maintain for a 2-count on the backside of your squat.
- Lastly, press evenly by way of your heels to drive up on a 1-count, returning to the beginning place.
2. Facet-to-Facet Squat Hop
Targets: Gluteus medius (outer glute that controls hip motion and side-to-side actions), hamstrings, hips, quadriceps, calves and core.

How one can Do a Facet-to-Facet Squat Hop
- Begin together with your ft wider than shoulder-width, toes barely turned out, holding a dumbbell in your proper hand.
- Decrease right into a squat by pushing your hips again and bending your knees, preserving your chest tall and weight in your heels.
- From the squat, explosively leap sideways, switching the dumbbell to your left hand as your ft come collectively.
- Land softly with knees barely bent to soak up influence.
- Drop again right into a squat and hop to the alternative facet, repeating in a steady side-to-side movement.
Modification: Omit the hop, performing simply side-to-side squats.
3. Standing Windmill
Targets: Obliques, abs, higher again, outer glutes, interior thighs, hamstrings, higher physique and shoulders.

How one can Do a Standing Windmill
- Begin in a large stance, holding a dumbbell in your left hand, straight above your shoulder.
- Rotate your proper foot out 90 levels so your proper toes are pointing in direction of the highest of your mat, then pivot your left foot barely inwards (a couple of 45-degree angle). Assume proper heel aligns with left arch.
- Give attention to creating and sustaining size by way of your waist as you hinge on the hips, sliding your proper arm down your proper leg. Hold your left hand straight above your left shoulder, sustaining a straight line with the dumbbell. Vary of movement will look completely different for everybody.
- Then, squeeze by way of your obliques to drag your torso again upright, returning to beginning place.
Modification: Omit the dumbbell and carry out body weight windmills.
4. Again Row, Bicep Curl and Shoulder Press
Targets: Higher arm, shoulders and higher again; particularly the biceps, entrance and center heads of the deltoids (shoulders), trapezius and rhomboids (again).

How one can Do a Again Row, Bicep Curl and Shoulder Press
- Begin standing with ft hip-width aside, knees barely bent. Maintain 1 dumbbell in every hand, palms dealing with in in direction of your physique.
- Hinge ahead on the hips till your physique is in a straight line, neck according to your backbone, flat again, and stomach button pulled again in direction of your backbone to take care of correct type.
- Pull your elbows in direction of your rib cage, squeezing shoulder blades collectively to carry out a bent-over again row. Decrease the dumbbells with management.
- Then, stand tall, and rotate your palms to face in in direction of one another, discovering a hammer curl grip. Bend your elbows, curling the dumbbells up in direction of your shoulders earlier than decreasing with management.
- On the second curl, maintain the dumbbells at your shoulders, then press the weights straight overhead, elbows close to your ears. Decrease the dumbbells with management.
5. Burpee and Alternating Shoulder Press
Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, hips, calves, low again, shoulders, abs and core.

How one can Do a Burpee and Alternating Shoulder Press
- Stand with ft shoulder-width aside, holding a set of dumbbells in your arms, palms dealing with in in direction of one another.
- With a gentle bend within the knees, hinge at your hips to decrease your torso as you slide the dumbbells down in entrance of your legs. Take into consideration pushing your hips again behind you. Hinge till you’re feeling a stretch behind your legs.
- Set the dumbbells on the bottom between your ft and carry out a burpee by leaping your ft again to excessive plank place. Fingers stay on the dumbbells.
- Decrease your chest all the way in which to the ground, then push your self again up right into a excessive plank.
- Bounce your ft again in and instantly stand tall, driving by way of the heels as you pull the weights up in direction of your hips. Quite than stopping at your hips, clear the dumbbells as much as shoulder peak.
- Carry out a shoulder press on the proper by pushing the proper dumbbell overhead till your arms are absolutely prolonged. Then carry out a shoulder press on the left by pushing the left dumbbell overhead till your arms are absolutely prolonged.
- Decrease the dumbbells all the way down to shoulder peak, returning to the beginning place.
Modification: Choice to carry out dumbbell squat clear into an alternating shoulder press.
6. Push-Up and Cross Physique Knee Drive
Targets: Chest, shoulders, triceps, again, higher arms, glutes, quads, abs, obliques and core.

How one can Do a Push-Up and Cross-Physique Knee Drive
- Begin in a excessive plank place together with your shoulders stacked over your wrists. Your weight is evenly distributed amongst all 10 fingers.
- Maintain this excessive plank place, sustaining a straight line together with your physique, and gaze barely in entrance of you.
- Slowly decrease your chest down towards the bottom. Your elbows ought to fall again in direction of your hips (not out to the edges).
- On the backside of your push-up, exhale as you push again up right into a excessive plank place.
- Maintain your excessive plank place as you carry out 2 cross-body knee drives to drag your proper knee in direction of your left elbow, then instantly reverse the motion. Ship the proper foot again to the excessive plank earlier than pulling the left knee in direction of the proper elbow.
Modification: Choice to carry out push-ups from a kneeling place or strive push-up progress alternatives if you’re working in direction of push-ups out of your toes.
7. Cut up Lunge, Staggered Deadlift and Dumbbell Clear Squat
Targets: Decrease physique (glutes, hamstrings, hips, quads, calves), higher physique (trapezius, deltoids, decrease again), abs and core.

How one can Do a Cut up Lunge, Staggered Deadlift and Dumbbell Clear Squat
- Begin standing, ft hip-distance aside and knees barely bent. Maintain a dumbbell in every hand in entrance of your thighs.
- Step your proper foot again right into a reverse lunge, dropping your again knee down in direction of the bottom as you decrease your hips. Intention to get your entrance thigh parallel to the ground.
- Press by way of your entrance left heel as you straighten each knees, standing tall.
- Then, step your proper foot ahead, planting it on the bottom barely behind your left foot (discovering a staggered stance). Toes are hip-distance aside.
- Hinge ahead on the hips to carry out a deadlift, pushing your hips again as you decrease the dumbbells down alongside the entrance of your physique. Give attention to preserving your again in impartial alignment together with your neck and shoulders. Hold a slight bend in your knees.
- Then, drive by way of your heels to push your hips ahead, squeezing your glutes as you come to a standing place.
- After the deadlift, step your proper foot as much as meet your left. As you press your hips ahead, “clear” the dumbbells up, catching the dumbbells at your chest in a entrance rack place.
- Then, decrease your hips, bending your knees to 90-degree angles as you carry out a entrance squat.
8. Dumbbell Lunge Drops
Targets: Legs, glutes, quads, hips, hamstrings, calves and core.

How one can Do a Dumbbell Lunge Drop
- Begin standing with ft hip-width aside, knees barely bent, and core engaged. Maintain a dumbbell in your proper hand at your facet.
- Step your proper foot again right into a reverse lunge, decreasing till each knees type 90-degree angles.
- From the lunge, explode upward right into a leap. As you carry your ft again collectively on the prime, change the dumbbell into your left hand.
- That’s 1 rep. Repeat, alternating which foot “drops” again into the reverse lunge every time.
Modification: Choice to carry out step again reverse lunge (omitting the leap) with a dumbbell swing. For those who’re experiencing knee ache, modify with lunge exercise alternatives.
9. Half-Kneeling Hinge Swing, Stand and Knee Drive
Targets: Decrease physique (hips, glutes, quads), core, abs and shoulders.

How one can Do a Half-Kneeling Hinge Swing, Stand and Knee Drive
- Begin in a half-kneeling place — left knee bent at a 90-degree angle, foot on the mat in entrance of you and proper knee bent at 90 levels, on the bottom beneath your hips.
- Maintain 1 dumbbell in the proper hand with a impartial grip (palm dealing with your left thigh).
- Carry out a half-kneeling hinge swing by hinging on the hips with the dumbbell between your legs. Then drive your hips ahead, powering the dumbbell as much as your proper shoulder; proper elbow according to your shoulder (sustaining a impartial grip).
- Then drive by way of your left glute to face up, bringing ft hip-width aside and parallel as you push the dumbbell overhead together with your proper hand. Press the dumbbell straight overhead, locking out the elbow, proper bicep needs to be close to proper ear.
- Slowly decrease the dumbbell again down in direction of the proper shoulder as you step the proper leg again to a lunge, decreasing the proper knee again to the bottom with management. Concurrently, decrease the dumbbell in your proper hand again between the legs. That’s 1 rep.
Modification: Keep standing all through the complete motion. Carry out a staggered stance dumbbell swing as a substitute of a kneeling swing.
10. Glute Bridge, Cranium Crusher and Slender Press
Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, triceps, shoulders, chest and core muscular tissues.

How one can Do a Glute Bridge, Cranium Crusher and Slender Press
- Lie on the bottom, knees bent at 90 levels and ft flat on the ground. Maintain 1 dumbbell in every hand, weights resting in your hips.
- Then, press by way of your heels to elevate your glutes off the mat, squeezing your glutes as you elevate. Take into consideration preserving your core engaged and knees according to your hips.
- With management, decrease your hips till they’re hovering an inch off the mat.
- Then, maintain a glute bridge as you elevate the dumbbells up, elbows prolonged, dumbbells stacked straight over your shoulders, palms dealing with in in direction of each other.
- Bending on the elbows, slowly decrease the dumbbells in direction of your head. Then, squeeze by way of the again of your arms to straighten your elbows, returning the dumbbells overhead.
- Then, decrease your elbows in direction of your ribcage earlier than urgent each dumbbells up in a straight line, finishing a slender chest press.
11. Single-Arm Chest Press and Straight Leg Elevate
Targets: Deep core muscular tissues (transverse abdominis), decrease abs, hips, chest, shoulders and triceps.

How one can Do a Single-Arm Chest Press and Straight Leg Elevate
- Lie flat in your again with a slight pelvic tilt, urgent your decrease again into the mat. Bend your proper knee, planting your foot on the ground, and prolong your left leg straight above your hip.
- Maintain a dumbbell in your proper hand, arm prolonged straight towards the ceiling.
- Inhale as you bend your proper elbow to decrease the dumbbell towards your pecs. On the similar time, decrease your left leg towards the ground, hovering your heel simply above the mat.
- Exhale as you press the dumbbell again overhead, guiding it towards your prolonged left ankle.
Modification: Scale back vary of movement of your legs, performing bent leg lowers quite than extending the legs absolutely.
12. Dumbbell Overhead Pull and Crunch
Targets: The decrease abs and obliques. Additionally improves stability all through the decrease again, hips and backbone.

How one can Do a Dumbbell Overhead Pull and Crunch
- Begin mendacity in your again, core engaged, holding a single dumbbell horizontally between each arms. Prolong your legs and arms away from one another, floating them off the mat.
- Squeeze by way of your higher abs to elevate your torso off the mat, crunching the dumbbell from overhead to your chest as you carry out a sit-up.
- Slowly and with management, roll again to the mat and prolong your legs and arms away from one another, returning to beginning place.
Modification: Choice to carry out a weighted dead bug.
FAQs
The very best dumbbell exercise routines embody a mixture of arm exercises, leg exercises, full physique exercises, core exercises and mobility exercises. Beginner workout routines could concentrate on three days of training a week, whereas extra superior cut up coaching exercise plans are usually structured in 5-day workout splits, or coaching 5 days per week.
Sure, you may completely construct muscle mass with a dumbbell full-body workout plan. In comparison with many weightlifting fitness center machines, dumbbell workout routines typically enable for a higher vary of movement and sometimes have interaction extra of the smaller, stabilizing muscular tissues within the decrease physique, higher physique and core. In addition they mean you can power prepare in a number of planes of movement, mimicking real-life motion patterns. In the end, you’ll want to implement progressive overload so as to construct muscle and see outcomes (utilizing heavy weights).
I’ve been within the health house for over 10 years and have built out my own home gym. For those who’re trying to spend money on dumbbells, a barbell set, or begin constructing your personal setup, I extremely suggest Torque Fitness Gear (you need to use code NML5 for a reduction).
You possibly can construct muscle utilizing solely home dumbbell workouts. In comparison with utilizing fitness center machines (corresponding to a leg press machine or lat pull-down machine), dumbbells have interaction extra of the smaller, stabilizing muscular tissues within the decrease physique, higher physique and core. In addition they mean you can strength train in a number of planes of movement, mimicking real-life motion patterns.
Pin This At-House Dumbbell Exercise (Energy, Energy and Abs)

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