New To Strength Training? Start With These Dumbbell Moves

Sure, we'd all love to have a supped up home-gym, with shiny barbells, plates, and a squat rack that beckons, but the reality is that not everyone has the time, space, or money to live the dream. What's more, if you're just starting out, you may not even know what you want or need.

The truth is, you can still get your heart rate up, build muscle, and burn calories when all you have are a set of dumbbells. Hell, maybe you only have one — and that's still enough to challenge your entire body. It isn't always about having more equipment — it's knowing how to use what you've got. From your back and core, to your hamstrings and quads, this full body dumbbell workout is built to do exactly that.

Expert Contributor: This full-body dumbbell workout for beginners was programmed by NASM-CPT and REP Fitness blog contributor Rosie Borchert.

Umm... What Weight Should I Use?

While it's totally fine to work with what you have — maybe a lone 10lb dumbbell that's been passed down from generation to generation or one of the best adjustable dumbbells for beginners like the QuickDraw™ adjustable dumbbell — it's worthwhile to understand how much you should, could, and can lift.

For this beginner dumbbell workout, you'll be working in a hypertrophy/endurance rep range. Hypertrophy refers to the growth of muscles cells, and it's typically achieved by doing 8-15 reps per set so long as your last few reps feel challenging. This is different from training for pure strength, which involves heavier weights, fewer reps (typically 1-6), and longer rest periods between working sets. A recap: strength work builds max output with the use of heavier weights; hypertrophy work builds size and muscle definition with lighter weights.

So how should it feel? And how much should you be lifting? Use failure as a general guideline. Let's say, hypothetically, the maximum number of reps you can complete with good form is 15. Instead of pushing all the way to 15, stop at 13 or 14 — leave 1 to 2 reps in the tank, aiming for 13 or 14 reps per set. This will trigger hypretrophy while also reducing the risk of injury.

Armed with this guidance, adjust the db weight you're using so you hit that 1 to 2 reps left in the tank feel in that 8-15 rep range. If you finish a set and feel like you could knock out five more, it's time to go heavier or slow down your tempo to increase time under tension. If you're struggling to complete your reps, find a lighter weight to lift.

Full Body Dumbbell Workout

Grab your dumbbell(s) and set your focus as we dive into beginner-friendly dumbbell exercises to target your arms, legs, chest, back, and core. Before starting any workout, always make sure you warm up properly to get your heart rate up and prime your muscles for the work ahead. 

Bicep Curls

How To Bicep Curl: With a dumbell in each hand, stand tall and set your feet hip-width distance apart. With palms facing forward, curl the weight up to your chest while keeping your elbows at your side. Squeeze your biceps at the top of the move, then lower the dumbbells back to start with control.

Tip: When doing a dumbbell curl, keep your torso steady throughout your reps and avoid using momentum to move the weight.

Muscles Worked: The bicep brachii — the long head of your bicep — is the primary working muscle during this move, with assistance from your brachialis and brachioradialis to flex your elbow, and the deltoid muscle on your shoulder which brings your upper arm forward.

RELATED: How To Do Incline Dumbbell Curls

Overhead Press

How To Overhead Press: With a dumbell in each hand, stand tall and set your feet hip-width distance apart. Bring the dumbbells up to your shoulders, stacking your wrists and elbows directly beneath the weight. Squeeze your glutes and engage your core — like you're preparing for a punch to the stomach — and keep a neutral spine, avoiding any arch in your lower back. Press the dumbbells straight up over head, then slowly return the weights back to start.

Tip: If you find your lower back arches as you press overhead, this may mean the weight is too heavy. Try swapping in a lower weight and completing your reps. Or if you don't have different dumbbells to switch to, stop your reps when your form starts to suffer.

Muscles Worked: This shoulder staple primarily targets the deltoids (anterior, posterior, and lateral), triceps, and trapezius muscles, with assistance from the serratus anterior, abdominals, and pectoral muscles.

Front Raise

How To Front Raise: Start standing tall with feet hip-width apart and a dumbbell in each hand. Brace your core and keep your arms straight as you lift the weight up to shoulder height with your palms facing down. Then, lower with control back to start.

Muscles Worked: The anterior deltoids are the primary working muscle here, with engagement and assistance from the lateral deltoids, upper pectorals, trapezius, and triceps.

Lateral Raise

How To Lateral Raise: Stand tall with feet set hip-width apart. With a slight bend to your elbow, and palms facing in towards your body, lift the weight straight out to the side, stopping just below shoulder height. Then, lower with control.

Tip: Stop the lift just below shoulder height to avoid targeting your traps, and avoid swinging your arms or usining momentum to move the weight.

Muscles Worked: This lift is all about the lateral deltoid with some engagement from the anterior deltoids. The upper trapezius and serratus anterior also tap in to stabilize the shoulder.

Tricep Kickback

How To Tricep Kickback: Start standing tall, feet set shoulder-width apart, and dumbbells in both hands with your palms facing toward your body. With a flat back, and a slight bend to your knees, hinge at your hips like you're closing a door behind you with your butt. Row the weight up bringing your elbows by your side. Keeping your elbows in place, send the weights back so that your upper and lower arm run paralell to your torso. Lower the weight with control while maintaining that hinge for the duration of your reps.

Tip: Keep your upper arm set in place as your forearm moves to complete each rep.

Muscles Worked: This move targets your tricep — the largest muscle in your upper arm — getting all three heads of the muscle involved, with the most focus on the tricep brachii.

Bent-Over Row

How To Bent-Over Row: Stand tall, set your feet shoulder-width apart, and grip a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing in. With a flat back, and a slight bend to your knees, hinge at your hips. Engage your core as you row the dumbbells up towards your torso, sending your elbows back and up as you pinch your shoulder blades together. Then, lower the weight back to start with control, maintaining that hinge position until you've completed your reps.

Tip: Make a mind-muscle connection and think about engaging your lats to pull the weight.

Muscles Worked: This dumbbell row is a back builder — targeting the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, and trapezius.

Dumbbell Bench Press

How To Dumbbell Bench Press: Seated on a bench, place your dumbbells on your lap and close to your body. As you lie back, allow your body's momentum to shift the weight up over your chest with arms extended. Plant your feet firmly on the ground, arch your back, and pinch your shoulder blades together. With a proud chest, press the dumbbells up over your chest. Then, lower with control back to start.

Tip: If you don't have a bench, try a floor press variation which places you lying on the ground with your knees bent. This option works a shorter range of motion and can be easier on the shoulders.

Muscles Worked: This press targets your pectorals, anterior deltoids, and triceps.

Goblet Squat

How To Goblet Squat: Set your feet shoulder-width apart with toes slightly angled out. Hold a dumbbell close to your chest, using your palms to cradle the weight. Keeping a proud chest and your back straight, bend your knees and push your hips back to lower down. Once your thighs are parallel to the floor, drive through your heels to come back to standing.

Tip: Your knees may try to cave in as you squat, but keep them pressed out to avoid unnecessary stress on your knees.

Muscles Worked: The quadriceps are the primary mover here, with assistance from the glutes, hamstrings, adductors, and calves. Plus, holding the weight up to your chest throughout the movement also engages the deltoids, biceps, triceps, and pectorals.

Split Squat

How To Split Squat: Standing tall with a dumbbell in each hand, take a big step back with one leg. Now, try to keep your torso moving straight up and down as you bend both legs and lower to the ground. When both knees form 90-degree angles, return to standing by driving through your front heel.

Tip: A slight forward torso lean can place the emphasis on your glutes, while a more up-and-down torso position places the work primarily on your quads.

Muscles Worked: This move targets your quadriceps with some engagement and stabilization assistance from your glutes, hamstrings, adductors, and core.

Romanian Deadlift (RDL)

How To RDL: Start standing tall, feet hip-width apart, and a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your legs. Send you hips back as you lower the dumbbells along your legs, keeping your back straight, shoulders back, and chest up. Lower to about mid-shin — or until you feel a good stretch in your hamstrings — then reverse the move to return to standing.

Tip: As you lift and lower, allow the dumbbells to travel as close to your legs as possible to limit strain on your lower back.

Muscles Worked: The RDL is a posterior chain power house, primarily targeting your glutes and hamstrings with some assistance from the adductors of the inner thigh and your abdominals.

Russian Twist

How To Russian Twist: Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Hold a single dumbbell up to your chest with both hands and lean back slightly, engaging your core and maintaining a tall posture. Now, rotate your torso from side to side, sending the dumbbell towards one hip then the other.

Tip: Choose how much of a challenge you'd like with this move by adjusting the amount you lean back or by lifting your legs off the ground.

Muscles Worked: The obliques manage the trunk rotation of this exercise, while the rectus abdominis and transverse adbominis tap in to stabilize the core, support the twist, and maintain posture.

Dumbbell Crunch

How To Dumbbell Crunch: Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. With a dumbbell held up above your chest, engage your abs and curl up off the floor. Lower back to start with control.

Tip: If comfort or mobility is an issue, try placing your back on a balance ball trainer when completing your reps.

Muscles Worked: This variation adds resistance to your standard crunch, targeting your rectus abdominis, with some assistance from your obliques, transverse abdominis, and erector spinae.

How To Program A Full Body Workout With Dumbbells

If you're building a weight training routine, there are a few things to consider when programming a workout. How much time do you have? How many days a week are you able to train? What are your goals? What equipment do you plan on using?

While it's common for more experienced lifters to follow muscle group splits (like chest day, back day, etc.) or push/pull routines, beginners are usually better off starting with full-body workouts two or three times a week (with 48 hours of rest between sessions). 

For those ready for more intensity, there's also the 4-2-1 dumbbell method, which includes four days of strength training, two days of cardio, and one day of mobility or active recovery each week. It's a balanced way to build consistency without over doing it, just be sure you space out the days you lift, and the muscle groups you target, to give your body time to recover.

For example, with the 4-2-1 method, you could lift lower body on Monday and Thursday, upper body on Tuesday and Friday, do cardio on Wednesday and Saturday, and wrap up the week with yoga on Sunday.

Using a selection of the moves we detailed above, here's a basic dumbbell only program to get you started:

Lower Body Superset

Complete three rounds, with 60 seconds rest between rounds. Remember to choose a rep range — between 6 and 15 reps for hypertrophy — that has the last few reps feeling difficult, but not impossible. 

• Romanian Deadlift (RDL) — 8 to 12 reps
• Split Squat — 8 to 12 reps per leg
• Goblet Squat — 8 to 12 reps

Upper Body Superset

Complete three rounds with 60 seconds rest between rounds.

• Bent-Over Row — 8 to 12 reps
• Lateral Raise — 8 to 12 reps
• Front Raise — 8 to 12 reps

Upper Body Superset 2

Have a sip of water then tackle three rounds with 60 seconds rest after each round.

• Bench Press — 8 to 12 reps
• Overhead Press — 8 to 12 reps
• Tricep Kickback — 8 to 12 reps

Core Finisher

Drop down to your mat and finish things off with two rounds of a core circuit with 30 seconds rest between rounds.

• Dumbbell Crunch — 10 to 15 reps
• Russian Twist — 20 total reps

The Benefits of Dumbbell Workouts for Beginners

Whether you're looking to build strength, support weight loss, improve your health, or you just need a well rounded routine to tackle during your lunch break, utilizing dumbbells for your workout is one of the most accessible and effective ways to train. Dumbbells offer the versatility to hit every major muscle group, scale to your fitness level, and can keep your workouts fresh — whether you're at home, in the gym, or squeezing in a session between Zoom calls.

Rosie Borchert is NASM-CPT, former Nike Volleyball coach, and fitness writer whose work has appeared on BarBend and Tonal. If anyone would like to hire her to play beach volleyball, snowboard, binge watch TV, or go climbing, please get in touch.

This article was reviewed by Ashley Boyer, ACE-CPT, for accuracy.