Below is a list of exercises best performed with a set of Dumbbells. Take care to read the description carefully before you try to perform an exercise as method is just as important as posture and physical effort. If you do not have a set of dumbbells, you may wish to look at using a Barbell or other type of exercise instead.
1 INCLINE FLYING: Lie flat on the floor or on an exercise bench, with a dumbbell in each hand. Hold you arms out sideways at shoulder level, taking care not to lower the dumbbells too far below body level. Slowly raise both arms vertically, making sure you keep both arms at full stretch as you raise, until both arms are straight and above your chest. Pause for a second before lowering your arms back to their original position. Breath out as you raise the arms, in as you lower them. Recommended for: Pecs, Shoulders
2 STRAIGHT ARM PULL-OVERS: Lie flat on the floor or on a bench (with both feet firmly on the floor.) If possible, load a single dumbbell with the weight in the middle of the rod and grip either side. Otherwise, load the rod as normal and grip in the middle, between the weights. Take the weight directly above your chest with arms straight and palms facing towards the feet. Slowly lower the dumbbell behind your head, keeping both arms straight and stretched, but taking car not to lower the dumbbell too far below the height of the head. Now arc the dumbbell over your body with arms straight until it arrives at the hips. Continue with this back and forth motion without a pause, making sure your hips do not lift and you do not sit up. Breath in as you lower and out as you raise the weight. Recommended for: Pecs, Shoulders, Rib cage, Abs
3 BENT ARM PULLOVERS: Lie flat on the floor or on a bench with legs on the floor. Load a dumbbell with the weight in the middle and grip either side or load the rod as normal and grip in the middle, between the weights. Take the weight directly above your chest with arms straight and palms facing towards your head. Bend both arms at around 90 degrees so the weight is lowered slightly towards you. Keeping the lower arm locked in this position, take the weight behind the head by bending the elbows and moving the upper arm, making sure you don't lower the weight too far below head level. Then bring the weight back up over the chest again only using the elbows and upper arms for movement. Breath in as you lower the weight, out as you raise it. Recommended for: Triceps, Chest
4 ALTERNATE DUMBBELL PRESSES: Stand straight with your feet normal distance apart. Take a dumbbell in each hand and rest them on the shoulders, palms facing towards the head. Raise the right weight as far above your head as you can, keeping the arm close to the head and straight as you can. Hold the stretch for a second or two and then lower the weight back to your shoulder. Repeat this with the left arm before returning to the right arm. Recommended for: Upper Back, Shoulders, Chest
5 LATERAL RAISES: Stand with feet astride with a dumbbell in each hand. Hang the weight at your sides with the palms facing towards the body. Keeping the arms straight and stretched at all times, raise the weights out level with the shoulders. Then rotate the wrists so the palms are now facing upwards. Continue the raise until both weights are above the head. Pause and then lower both arms back to their original positions, making the rotation of the wrists again at shoulder level so they return to the correct position. Breath out as you raise, in as you lower the weights. Recommended for: Shoulders, Latissimus Dorsi
6 LATERAL HALF RAISES: Stand with feet astride with a dumbbell in each hand. Hang the weight at your sides with the palms facing towards the body. Keeping the arms straight and stretched at all times, raise the weights out level with the shoulders. Pause and then lower both arms back to their original positions. Breath out as you raise, in as you lower the weights. Recommended for: Shoulders, Latissimus Dorsi
7 FORWARDS AND UPWARDS SWING: Stand with feet normal distance apart and a dumbbell in each hand. Hold the weight in front of the body with palms facing upwards. Raise the right arm until the weight is above the head and keeping the arm straight and stretched at all times. Now lower the arm back to its starting position - and at the same time start to raise the left arm so both are in front of the chest together. When the left arm is over the head, lower and start to raise the right arms again. Repeat this process and breath freely. Recommended for: Pecs, Shoulders
8 BENT OVER (SINGLE HAND) ROWING: Take a single dumbbell in the right hand and find a suitable bench or table at knee level. Bend forwards at the waist and rest the left hand on the bench for support. Start with the right arm straight down below you with palms facing inwards. Raise the weight to shoulder level by bending the elbow and upper arm - keeping the lower arm vertical at all times. Try to lift the weight as far into the arm pit as possible without bending the wrist, before lowering to the starting position again. After completing a set with the right hand, swap the weight into the left hand, lean with the right and repeat the procedure. Breath out as you raise and in as you lower the weight. Recommended for: The Back, Latissimus Dorsi
9 TRICEP EXTENSIONS: Stand normally with the weight in your right hand. Carefully lift the weight behind your head so your hands are about the same height as the back of your neck and the palms are facing towards the body and knuckles pointing to the left. The arm should be bent at the elbow with the lower arm as horizontal as possible. Now raise the weight directly above the head only using the elbow and upper arm for movement and as little movement in the lower arm as possible. When the weight is above the head, pause and begin to lower the weight again to the starting position, avoiding the head but keeping the weight as close as possible. Try to lower the arm as far behind the back as you can as this is where the triceps work the most. Breath out as you raise and in as you lower the weight. Recommended for: Triceps
10 TRICEPS STRETCH STANDING: Load a dumbbell with the weight in the centre and grip at either side or load normally and grip between the weights. Stand normally with the weight directly above the head with knuckles to the front. By bending the elbows only, lower the weight behind the head and as far down the back as you can - keeping the lower arms as vertically straight as possible. Hold the stretch for a second and then return both arms back straight over the head. Breath in as you lower and out as you raise the weight. Recommended for: Triceps
11 TRICEPS STRETCH SEATED: Load a dumbbell normally and sit on a suitable bench or chair. Place the weight in the right hand and raise the weight above the head so the arm is straight and the palm faces behind you. You should also support the right arm by gripping it below elbow level with the left hand. By bending the elbow only, lower the weight behind the head as far as it will comfortably go. Pause for a second before returning the arm to the upright position. After a set with the right hand, exchange the weight into the left hand and repeat the procedure. Breath in as you lower and out as you raise the weight. Recommended for: Triceps
12 DUMBBELL RAISES: Stand with the feet slightly further apart than normal and take a single dumbbell in you right hand. Hold the dumbbell straight with the knuckles of the hand facing upwards and your thumb underneath. Slowly raise the weight out in front of you or better to your side while keeping the arm as straight as possible and maintaining a comfortable stretch. When the weight is level with your chest or neck, hold it in position before slowly lowering the weight back to its original position. The arm must be kept straight throughout the exercise. Breath out as you raise and in as you lower the weight. Recommended for: Biceps, Triceps, Shoulders
13 SIDE BENDS: Take a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing towards the body, and stand with feet a normal distance apart. Bend the whole body, from the hips upwards, as far left as you can. The weight in your left hand should slide down the side of your leg as you bend while the weight in the right hand should raise and curl under the armpit. Also lower the head onto the left shoulder to gain a little extra bend. Hold for a second without bouncing and then bend as far right as you can, lowering the right hand and curling the left weight under the armpit. Continue this motion and breath freely. Recommended for: Oblique Abs, Tensors, Neck
14 OVERHEAD SIDE BENDS: Load a single dumbbell with the weight at the centre and grip either side, or load normally and grip between the weights. Stand normally and take the dumbbell directly above the head with arms straight and both palms facing to the front. Bend as far as you can to the right while lowing the weight to the right, keeping the arms straight and knees locked. Hold the position before bending as far left as you can. Bring the weight back over the head and lower to the right side. Continue this motion and breath freely. Recommended for: The Trunk
15 TRUNK TURNS: Stand with feet astride and take a dumbbell in each hand - palms facing towards the body. Lift both arms out to the side until they become level with the shoulders. The arms should now be straight and locked with knuckles facing upwards. Try to keep the hips steady and turn from the waist as far to the right as possible, bringing the arms and the head around to the right as you do so. Keep the arms straight and level with the shoulders as much as you can. Now rotate and turn as far to the left as you can, pausing briefly when your body reaches the frontal position, and bringing the arms and head around as you do so. Continue turning from side to side and breath freely. Recommended for: The Trunk
16 DUMBBELL SQUATS: Stand with the feet slightly further apart than normal with a weight in each hand. Bring both weight up to rest on your shoulders with the palms facing downwards. With the dumbbells locked in a comfortable position, lower the body by bending the knees until the legs are at a 90 degree angle and your bottom is level with the knees. You find it easier to bend the knees to the side of you rather than in front as this will help spread the weight. Pause for a few seconds before returning to the standing position. Breath in as you lower and out as you raise the body. Recommended for: Upper Legs, Biceps, Chest
17 BENCH PRESS: Lie flat on the floor or on an exercise bench, with a dumbbell in each hand. Hold both weights at arms length and lift them above the chest, palms facing towards each other. By bending the elbows, lower the weights back to the chest, making sure not to put pressure on the chest area. Pause before returning both arms back straight above the chest. Breath in as you lower and out as you raise the weight. Recommended for: Pecs, Biceps
18 BENT OVER FLYING: Stand with feet a slightly wider than normal with a dumbbell in each hand. Lean forwards at the hip until the back is horizontal, keeping the legs straight and knees bent. Bend both elbows a little so that the arms are lifted away from the body. Now lift both arms to the side until the weights are level with the shoulders and keeping the elbows bent at all times. Pause and lower both arms back to the hip area. Breath in as you lower and out as you raise the arms. Recommended for: Back
19 SEATED TWIST: Sit on a bench or chair with the back and legs straight. Take a single dumbbell and place it comfortably behind the neck, with the hands gripping it into position at either side. Bend the elbows and hold the arms out to the side so the arms are in line with the shoulders. Turn the body by rotating the hips with the arms and head following. Turn as far as you can to the left and bring the arms around to give a little extra stretch. Return to the frontal position before bending to the body to the right. Breath freely. Recommended for: Shoulders, Abs
20 DUMBBELL CURLS: Stand with the feet a comfortable distance apart, a little wider than normal. Take a single dumbbell in the right hand and let it hang at arms length with palms facing towards the leg. Raise the weight up to shoulder height as far as it will go using the elbow. Then return the weight back to arms length making sure you take it all the way down before raising it again. Breath out as you raise and in as you lower the weight. Recommended for: Biceps, Triceps
