Before you start lifting heavy weights and doing advanced exercises [1], it's important you master the basic movements. Learning the basics will give your body time to adapt and will help you prevent injuring yourself. If you're new to weightlifting [2], this beginner workout will help teach you the fundamentals.
The Beginner Dumbbell Workout
Before getting started, you need to get your muscles warm. Here's a quick dynamic warmup [3] you can follow. Grab a set of light/medium dumbbells (five to 10 pounds is a good starting point). If the exercise feels too easy, increase the weight. If your form is falling apart or it's too hard to complete a set, lighten your weight.
Complete the designated sets and reps for each exercise before moving on to the following exercise. Be sure to rest in between each set so that your muscles have time to recover; your rest should be no longer than 60 seconds between each set.
- Bicep curl: three sets of 12 reps
- Single-arm row: three sets of 10 reps (each arm)
- Overhead shoulder press: three sets of 10 reps
- Dumbbell squat: three sets of 15 reps
- Side lunge: three sets of 10 reps (each leg)
- Romanian dead lift: three sets of 12 reps
Bicep Curl
- Start by holding a dumbbell in each hand at the sides of the body.
- Keeping your elbows close to your side, slowly raise the dumbbells to the chest.
- Moving with control, lower back to the starting position. This counts as one rep.
- Complete three sets of 12 reps.
- Take no more than 60 seconds of rest in between each set.
Single-Arm Row
- Hold a dumbbell in your right hand — 10 pounds is a good starting point — and place your left knee and left hand on a bench. Your hand should be underneath your shoulder and your knee should be underneath your hip. Your spine and head should be in a neutral position.
- Engage your core, relax your shoulders, and extend your right arm towards the floor. Do not rotate your torso or let your shoulder lower towards the floor.
- On an exhale, pull the dumbbell up with control, driving your elbow towards the ceiling. Do not rotate your torso.
- On an inhale, lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position. This completes one rep.
- Complete three sets of 10 reps on each arm.
- Take no more than 60 seconds of rest in between each set.
Overhead Shoulder Press
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand just above the shoulders, palms facing in.
- Straighten the arms above you.
- Bend the elbows coming back to the starting position to complete one rep.
- Complete three sets of 10 reps.
- Take no more than 60 seconds of rest in between each set.
Dumbbell Squat
- Stand with your feet hip-distance apart, holding a dumbbell at each shoulder.
- Slowly bend your knees as if you were going to sit in a chair, keeping all the weight in your heels. Don't let your knees move beyond your toes, and don't let the knees roll out or in. Squat down as low as you can, keeping your head and chest lifted, your spine long, and your shoulders relaxed.
- Press through your heels, and slowly straighten your legs to stand up. Make sure to keep your spine neutral. Do not round your back.
- Complete three sets of 15 reps.
- Take no more than 60 seconds of rest in between each set.
Side Lunge
- Holding the weight in your right hand, stand with your feet and knees together.
- Take a large step with your left foot to the left side, lunging toward the floor.
- Make sure your left knee does not extend past your toes, and keep your right leg relatively straight.
- Push off through your left foot, emphasizing the weight in the heel, to return to the start to complete one rep.
- Complete three sets of 10 reps on each leg.
- Take no more than 60 seconds of rest in between each set.
Romanian Deadlift
- Stand holding a pair of medium-weight dumbbells in each hand, arms at your sides, with your knees slightly bent.
- Keeping your arms straight and knees slightly bent, slowly bend at your hip joint (not your waist), and lower the weights as far as possible without rounding your back, which should remain straight.
- Now squeeze your glutes to slowly pull yourself up (don't use your back).
- Complete three sets of 12 reps.
- Take no more than 60 seconds of rest in between each set.