Exercise library · Dumbbells
Dumbbell exercises for the whole body
A pair of dumbbells goes further than most people think. Here is everything they can do.
Tap an exercise to see how it's done.
Chest6
Back3
Shoulders9
Arnold press
VideoDumbbell front raise
Videoalso called front raiseDumbbell lateral raise
Videoalso called sidolyft, lateral raise, side raise, hantellyft åt sidanDumbbell rear delt flyVideo
Starting position
Stand hip-width apart, lean your torso forward and hold the dumbbells below your shoulders with palms facing each other.
The movement
Move your arms out to the sides with slightly bent elbows, stop at shoulder height and lower with control.
Most common mistake
Don't swing the dumbbells or shrug, move your arms with control and keep your shoulders down.
Dumbbell Y raise
VideoLying lateral raise
VideoRear delt fly
Videoalso called reverse flySeated shoulder press
Videoalso called sittande hantelpress, dumbbell shoulder press, axelpress med hantlar, seated dumbbell shoulder pressStanding shoulder press
Videoalso called standing dumbbell press, hantelpress stående, stående hantelpress
Biceps7
Triceps5
Quads7
Hamstrings2
Glutes3
Abs1
Calves2
Forearms3
Full body5
How to train with dumbbells
With dumbbells each arm and leg works on its own. That means your stronger side can't take over, you can see whether one side is weaker, and your joints move more freely than with a bar. A pair of dumbbells is enough for a whole programme: the dumbbell press for your chest, the dumbbell row for your back, the seated shoulder press and lateral raises for your shoulders, the goblet squat and the dumbbell Romanian deadlift for your legs.
The hard part is adding load when you only have a few weights at home. There are more ways forward than heavier dumbbells:
- More reps with the same weight, until it is a lot of them.
- A slower tempo and a pause where it is hardest.
- One leg at a time, like the Bulgarian split squat instead of the goblet squat.
Common mistakes
- Swinging the dumbbells. Move them calmly and evenly with both arms, so your muscles do the work and not momentum.
- Uneven sides. Start with your weaker side and do the same number of reps on the stronger one.
Want them set out in a programme?
Tell BIP what equipment you have, and BIP builds a weekly programme from exactly what you can use, with sets, reps and rest worked out. You log your weights as you train and see your progress afterwards. The first week is free, no card.
Create a programme →