Top 8 Dumbbell Exercises for Beginners
Strengthen and sculpt your muscles with our Dumbbell Exercises for Beginners.
Level: Beginner / Equipment: Dumbbells / Focus: Full Body / Strength
1. Shoulder Press
1: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart whilst holding a dumbbell in each hand.
2: Tighten your core and glutes while pressing your feet firmly into the ground.
3: Raise the dumbbells up to shoulder height, bending at the elbow.
4: Begin to lift the dumbbells upward by straightening your arms, exhaling as you do so.
5: Pause for a second or two at the top of the movement, then slowly lower the dumbbells back to shoulder height.
6: Breathe in as you lower the dumbbells, keeping your elbows close to your body.
Step 7: Repeat the exercise for the desired number of repetitions.
1: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart whilst holding a dumbbell in each hand.
2: Tighten your core and glutes while pressing your feet firmly into the ground.
3: Raise the dumbbells up to shoulder height, bending at the elbow.
4: Begin to lift the dumbbells upward by straightening your arms, exhaling as you do so.
5: Pause for a second or two at the top of the movement, then slowly lower the dumbbells back to shoulder height.
6: Breathe in as you lower the dumbbells, keeping your elbows close to your body.
Step 7: Repeat the exercise for the desired number of repetitions.
2. Crossover Punch
1: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
2: Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing each other.
3: Bring the right dumbbell up to shoulder height, then punch forward, extending your arm out as if you were throwing a punch. As you extend your arm, rotate it so your palm is facing down.
4: Once your arm is fully extended, retract it back to your starting position.
5: Next, repeat the punch with your left arm, extending it straight out in front of you while rotating your palm down.
6: Continue alternating punches with each arm, focusing on speed and power.
1: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
2: Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing each other.
3: Bring the right dumbbell up to shoulder height, then punch forward, extending your arm out as if you were throwing a punch. As you extend your arm, rotate it so your palm is facing down.
4: Once your arm is fully extended, retract it back to your starting position.
5: Next, repeat the punch with your left arm, extending it straight out in front of you while rotating your palm down.
6: Continue alternating punches with each arm, focusing on speed and power.
3. Standing Weighted Twist
1: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart whilst holding a dumbbell with both hands.
2: Grip the dumbbell in front of your chest with your elbows bent and your palms facing each other.
3: Next, tighten your abs and slowly twist your torso to the right while keeping your hips and legs facing forward.
4: Hold the position for a second and then slowly twist back to centre.
5: Finally, repeat the twist, this time twisting your torso to the left.
6: Keep your arms and shoulders steady throughout the exercise. You should also focus on using your core muscles to perform the twist.
1: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart whilst holding a dumbbell with both hands.
2: Grip the dumbbell in front of your chest with your elbows bent and your palms facing each other.
3: Next, tighten your abs and slowly twist your torso to the right while keeping your hips and legs facing forward.
4: Hold the position for a second and then slowly twist back to centre.
5: Finally, repeat the twist, this time twisting your torso to the left.
6: Keep your arms and shoulders steady throughout the exercise. You should also focus on using your core muscles to perform the twist.
4. Bent Over Row
1: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart whilst holding a dumbbell in each hand.
2: Bend forward at the waist while keeping your back straight and your knees slightly bent.
3: Grip the dumbbells with your palms facing towards your body and your arms extended straight down towards the floor.
4: Next, pull the dumbbells back up towards your chest while keeping your elbows close to your body and your palms facing your torso.
5: Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement, then slowly lower the weight back down to the starting position.
6: Repeat the exercise for the desired number of reps.
1: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart whilst holding a dumbbell in each hand.
2: Bend forward at the waist while keeping your back straight and your knees slightly bent.
3: Grip the dumbbells with your palms facing towards your body and your arms extended straight down towards the floor.
4: Next, pull the dumbbells back up towards your chest while keeping your elbows close to your body and your palms facing your torso.
5: Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement, then slowly lower the weight back down to the starting position.
6: Repeat the exercise for the desired number of reps.
5. Standing Side Bend
1: Start by standing up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2: With a dumbbell in each hand, extend your arms down along the side of your body.
3: Slowly bend your torso to one side while engaging your core, then let the weight pull your arm down towards your knee.
4: Keep your head and neck in a neutral position and avoid bending forwards or backwards.
5: Hold the stretch for a few seconds, then slowly return to the starting position.
6: Repeat the same movement on the other side.
1: Start by standing up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2: With a dumbbell in each hand, extend your arms down along the side of your body.
3: Slowly bend your torso to one side while engaging your core, then let the weight pull your arm down towards your knee.
4: Keep your head and neck in a neutral position and avoid bending forwards or backwards.
5: Hold the stretch for a few seconds, then slowly return to the starting position.
6: Repeat the same movement on the other side.
6. Front Squat
1: Begin by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing each other.
2: Rest the dumbbells on the front of your shoulders with your elbows pointing forward and your upper arms parallel to the ground.
3: Engage your core and slowly lower your body into a squat while keeping your back straight and your knees in line with your toes.
4: Lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the ground, or as low as you feel comfortable going.
5: Pause for a few seconds at the bottom of the squat and then slowly push yourself back up to the starting position.
6: Repeat the exercise for 10-15 repetitions, or as many as you feel e doing.
1: Begin by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing each other.
2: Rest the dumbbells on the front of your shoulders with your elbows pointing forward and your upper arms parallel to the ground.
3: Engage your core and slowly lower your body into a squat while keeping your back straight and your knees in line with your toes.
4: Lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the ground, or as low as you feel comfortable going.
5: Pause for a few seconds at the bottom of the squat and then slowly push yourself back up to the starting position.
6: Repeat the exercise for 10-15 repetitions, or as many as you feel e doing.
7. Dumbbell Pullover
1: Start by lying flat on your back with your knees bent and your feet firmly on the ground.
2: Hold a dumbbell in each hand, then extend them over your chest with your arms straight.
4: Keep your arms straight and slowly lower the dumbbells behind your head in an arc-like motion until you feel a stretch in your chest and laterals.
5: Breathe in while lowering the dumbbells and breathe out as you bring them back to the starting position.
6: Once you've reached the end of your range of motion, pause for a moment, and contract your chest and lats.
7: Finally, lower the dumbbells to the starting position, repeating the exercise for the desired number of repetitions.
1: Start by lying flat on your back with your knees bent and your feet firmly on the ground.
2: Hold a dumbbell in each hand, then extend them over your chest with your arms straight.
4: Keep your arms straight and slowly lower the dumbbells behind your head in an arc-like motion until you feel a stretch in your chest and laterals.
5: Breathe in while lowering the dumbbells and breathe out as you bring them back to the starting position.
6: Once you've reached the end of your range of motion, pause for a moment, and contract your chest and lats.
7: Finally, lower the dumbbells to the starting position, repeating the exercise for the desired number of repetitions.
8. Floor Press
1: Begin by lying flat on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the ground.
2: Grip a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your feet and the dumbbells positioned slightly wider than should-width apart.3: Slowly raise the dumbbells over your chest, so your arms are fully extended.
4: Breathe in while lowering the dumbbells back towards your chest, keeping your elbows slightly bent.
5: Continue lowering until the dumbbells are just above your chest.
6: Breathe out while pushing them back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
7: Stop briefly at the top of the movement, contract your chest muscles, and then slowly lower the dumbbells back down towards your chest.
8: Repeat the exercise for the desired number of repetitions.
1: Begin by lying flat on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the ground.
2: Grip a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your feet and the dumbbells positioned slightly wider than should-width apart.3: Slowly raise the dumbbells over your chest, so your arms are fully extended.
4: Breathe in while lowering the dumbbells back towards your chest, keeping your elbows slightly bent.
5: Continue lowering until the dumbbells are just above your chest.
6: Breathe out while pushing them back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
7: Stop briefly at the top of the movement, contract your chest muscles, and then slowly lower the dumbbells back down towards your chest.
8: Repeat the exercise for the desired number of repetitions.
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