Gym Workout Planner

Dumbbell Exercises

With a pair of dumbbells and a bench you can train every major muscle; here they are grouped by the muscle they work most.

Open planner →
Build a dumbbell-only plan →

Dumbbell chest exercises

View all →

Dumbbell Bench Press · Dumbbell Incline Press · Dumbbell Fly

Dumbbell Floor Press

Dumbbell Floor Press

Chest

DumbbellNo bench3 × 8–12
How to
  1. Sit on the floor with a dumbbell on each thigh, then lie back with your knees bent and feet flat.
  2. With your palms facing each other, press the dumbbells up over your chest until your arms are straight.
  3. Lower them until your upper arms touch the floor, elbows about 45° from your body.
  4. Pause for a moment, then press back up.

Dumbbell Floor Fly

Dumbbell Floor Fly

Chest

DumbbellNo bench3 × 10–15
How to
  1. Lie on the floor with your knees bent and press two dumbbells over your chest, palms facing each other.
  2. Bend your elbows slightly and keep that bend.
  3. Open your arms out to the sides until your upper arms touch the floor.
  4. Bring the dumbbells back together over your chest along the same arc.

Dumbbell back exercises

View all →

Dumbbell Row · Dumbbell Bent-over Row · Chest-supported Dumbbell Row

Dumbbell Row

Dumbbell Row

Lats · Upper Back

DumbbellFlat bench3 × 8–12 per side

Dumbbell Bent-over Row

Dumbbell Bent-over Row

Lats · Upper Back

DumbbellNo bench3 × 8–12
How to
  1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other, feet hip-width apart.
  2. Bend your knees slightly and hinge at the hips until your torso is at about 45° or lower, back flat.
  3. Pull both dumbbells toward your lower ribs, elbows close to your body.
  4. Lower them slowly until your arms are straight, keeping the same torso angle.

Chest-supported Dumbbell Row

Chest-supported Dumbbell Row

Lats · Upper Back

DumbbellIncline bench3 × 8–12
How to
  1. Set a bench to about 30–45° and lie face down on it with a dumbbell in each hand.
  2. Let the dumbbells hang straight down, palms facing each other.
  3. Pull the dumbbells up toward your hips, keeping your chest on the pad.
  4. Lower them slowly until your arms are straight.

Dumbbell Wide-elbow Row

Dumbbell Wide-elbow Row

Upper Back · Rear Delts

DumbbellNo bench3 × 8–12
How to
  1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing behind you, and hinge forward until your torso is close to parallel with the floor.
  2. Let the dumbbells hang below your shoulders.
  3. Pull the dumbbells up toward your upper ribs with your elbows pointing out to the sides.
  4. Lower them slowly until your arms are straight.

Dumbbell shoulder exercises

Dumbbell Shoulder Press · Dumbbell Lateral Raise · Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly

Dumbbell Shoulder Press

Dumbbell Shoulder Press

Front Delts

DumbbellNo bench3 × 8–12
How to
  1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold the dumbbells at shoulder height, palms facing each other.
  2. Tighten your core and glutes.
  3. Press the dumbbells straight overhead until your arms are straight.
  4. Lower them slowly back to shoulder height.

Dumbbell Lateral Raise

Dumbbell Lateral Raise

Side Delts

DumbbellNo bench3 × 10–15
How to
  1. Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
  2. Bend your elbows slightly and keep that bend for the whole set.
  3. Raise your arms out to the sides until they reach shoulder height.
  4. Lower slowly back to your sides.

Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly

Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly

Rear Delts

DumbbellNo bench3 × 10–15
How to
  1. Hold a light dumbbell in each hand and hinge forward until your torso is close to parallel with the floor.
  2. Let the dumbbells hang below your chest, palms facing each other, elbows slightly bent.
  3. Raise your arms out to the sides until they are in line with your shoulders.
  4. Lower slowly, keeping your torso still.

Dumbbell Wide-elbow Row

Dumbbell Wide-elbow Row

Upper Back · Rear Delts

DumbbellNo bench3 × 8–12
How to
  1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing behind you, and hinge forward until your torso is close to parallel with the floor.
  2. Let the dumbbells hang below your shoulders.
  3. Pull the dumbbells up toward your upper ribs with your elbows pointing out to the sides.
  4. Lower them slowly until your arms are straight.

Dumbbell arm exercises

Hammer Curl · Bicep Curl · Incline Dumbbell Curl

Hammer Curl

Hammer Curl

Biceps · Brachialis

DumbbellNo bench3 × 10–15

Two-arm Overhead Triceps Extension

Two-arm Overhead Triceps Extension

Triceps

DumbbellNo bench3 × 10–15
How to
  1. Stand tall and hold one dumbbell overhead with both hands cupped under the top plate.
  2. Keep your upper arms close to your head and bend your elbows to lower the dumbbell behind your head.
  3. Straighten your elbows to lift the dumbbell back overhead.
  4. Repeat, keeping your ribs down and your core tight.

Concentration Curl

Concentration Curl

Biceps

DumbbellFlat bench3 × 10–15 per side
How to
  1. Sit on the end of a flat bench with your feet wide and a dumbbell in one hand.
  2. Lean forward and rest the back of that upper arm against your inner thigh, arm extended and palm facing forward.
  3. Curl the dumbbell up toward your shoulder, keeping your upper arm on your thigh.
  4. Lower slowly until your arm is straight.
  5. Finish all reps, then switch arms.

Dumbbell leg exercises

Goblet Squat · Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift · Single-leg Romanian Deadlift

Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift

Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift

Hamstrings · Glutes

DumbbellNo bench3 × 8–12
How to
  1. Stand holding a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs.
  2. Bend your knees slightly and keep that bend.
  3. Push your hips back and lower the dumbbells along your legs until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings.
  4. Push your hips forward to stand up straight.

Single-leg Romanian Deadlift

Single-leg Romanian Deadlift

Hamstrings · Glutes

DumbbellNo bench3 × 8–12 per side
How to
  1. Stand on your left leg holding a dumbbell in your right hand, left knee slightly bent.
  2. Hinge forward at your left hip while your right leg reaches straight back.
  3. Lower until your torso and back leg are close to parallel with the floor, or until you feel a stretch in your hamstring.
  4. Push your hip forward to stand back up.
  5. Finish all reps, then switch legs.

Standing Calf Raise

Standing Calf Raise

Calves

DumbbellNo bench3 × 10–15
How to
  1. Stand tall holding a dumbbell in each hand, feet hip-width apart.
  2. Rise onto the balls of your feet as high as you can.
  3. Pause at the top for a second.
  4. Lower your heels slowly back to the floor.

Dumbbell Reverse Lunge

Dumbbell Reverse Lunge

Quads · Glutes

DumbbellNo bench3 × 8–12 per side
How to
  1. Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
  2. Step one foot back and lower until both knees are bent at about 90°.
  3. Push through your front foot to stand back up.
  4. Finish all reps on that leg, then switch.

Do you need a bench?

A flat bench adds presses, flys, pullovers and supported rows; without one, floor presses and bent-over rows cover the same muscles.