What a dumbbell is good for
A pair of dumbbells is the most complete thing you can own for the money. Each arm works on its own, so the stronger side cannot quietly carry the weaker one, and the range of motion is yours rather than the bar's — a dumbbell press can travel further than a barbell one, and a dumbbell row can finish where your shoulder actually wants it to.
The limit is load. Past a certain point the difficulty is getting heavy dumbbells into position rather than pressing them, which is where a barbell or a machine earns its place.
Every dumbbell exercise
Chest
Back
Traps
- Dumbbell ShrugBeginner · Isolation
- Farmer's CarryBeginner · Compound
- Prone Y-RaiseBeginner · Isolation
- Chest-Supported Kelso ShrugIntermediate · Isolation
Shoulders
- Dumbbell Lateral RaiseBeginner · Isolation
- Seated Dumbbell Shoulder PressBeginner · Compound
- Bent-Over Rear Delt FlyBeginner · Isolation
- Arnold PressIntermediate · Compound
- Lu RaiseAdvanced · Isolation
Biceps
- Dumbbell CurlBeginner · Isolation
- Hammer CurlBeginner · Isolation
- Incline Dumbbell CurlIntermediate · Isolation
- Concentration CurlBeginner · Isolation
- Spider CurlIntermediate · Isolation
Triceps
Forearms
- Seated Wrist CurlBeginner · Isolation
- Reverse Wrist CurlBeginner · Isolation
- Heavy Farmer HoldBeginner · Isolation
- Zottman CurlIntermediate · Isolation
Lower Back
Quads
- Goblet SquatBeginner · Compound
- Bulgarian Split SquatIntermediate · Compound
- Walking LungeBeginner · Compound
- Dumbbell Step-UpBeginner · Compound