Dumbbell Exercises

We've got nothing against barbells, but dumbbells offer a lot more versatility. You don't need much space, and you can find them anywhere—from the dinkiest hotel fitness center to your uncle's garage. With just a few pairs of weights, this dumbbell-only routine will hit the major muscle groups in your body, and in only 30 minutes a day.

Dumbbell exercises form an integral part of most strength training programs. They can be used to develop the various different elements of strength such as maximal strength, hypertrophy or muscle mass, explosive power and strength endurance.

Free weights such as dumbbells activate smaller stabilizing muscle groups to control the exercise. Resistance machines on the other hand, tend to work muscle groups in very strict planes of movement. The downside of this very strict movement is that while some muscle groups will become significantly stronger, other, smaller muscles are neglected.

The other advantage dumbbell exercises have over machines is that they fit around your body so the movement can be performed correctly. Although resistance machines can be adjusted, such as the seat height for example, the movement pattern is still largely governed by how the machine is built.

Athletes typically favor dumbbell exercises over machines as they can replicate sport-specific movements more accurately. They also know that they will develop a more balanced physique and structure if most of their routine employs free weight exercises.

The dumbbell exercises below have been divided into the major muscle groups of the body. There are literally an unlimited number of routines you can put together with just a handful of these exercises. The first step is to determine an outcome - general fitness, increased muscle mass, strength endurance, improved athletic performance for example. Not only will this dictate which dumbbell exercises you select it will also dictate the weight and number of sets and repetitions you choose:

Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
Dumbbell Hang Clean and Press
Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift
Single-Arm Dumbbell Snatch
Dumbbell High Pull
Russian Dumbbell Swing
Dumbbell Floor Press
Alternating Dumbbell Bench Press
Dumbbell Front Squat
Bulgarian Split Squat
Dumbbell Pistol Squat
Dumbbell Side Lunge
Dumbbell Pull-Over
Dumbbell Chest Supported Row
Bent-Over Dumbbell Raise
Bent-Over Dumbbell Reverse Flys
Dumbbell Upright Row
Shoulder-to-Shoulder Press
Incline Lateral Raise
Prone Rear Delt Raise
Dumbbell Skull Crushers
Dumbbell Spider Curls
Dumbbell Incline Biceps Curls
Renegade rows
Dumbbell Russian Twist
Dumbbell Overhead Side Bend
Dumbbell Windmills
Dumbbell Wood Chop

All the exercises are illustrated with clear photographs, easy-to-read instructions, giving you a clear understanding of what you are doing with the dumbbell, each exercise target specific muscle groups. This means that the app will be useful as you can work through each exercise.