Dumbbells

Dumbbell-Only Full Body Workout

If you train two or three times a week, full-body beats a split, and dumbbells are all you need to build one properly. The structure below is the one that has survived every training fashion of the last fifty years: a push, a pull, a squat, a hinge, and something for the middle.

The session · 6 exercises
  1. 1

    Dumbbell Floor Press

    3 × 8–12

    Chest · also Triceps

    • Lie on the floor with knees bent and dumbbells over the chest.
    • Lower until the upper arms touch the floor, pause for a beat.
    • Press back up. The floor caps the range, which is easy on the shoulders.
  2. 2

    Renegade Row

    3 × 8–12

    Back · also Core, Lats

    • Start in a push-up position gripping two dumbbells, feet wide for stability.
    • Row one dumbbell to the hip while keeping the hips completely square.
    • Set it down softly and alternate. Any hip rotation means go lighter.
  3. 3

    Goblet Squat

    3 × 10–15

    Quads · also Glutes, Core

    • Hold one dumbbell vertically against the chest.
    • Squat between the knees, keeping the elbows inside the thighs.
    • The front load naturally keeps you upright — perfect for learning to squat.
  4. 4

    Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift

    3 × 10–12

    Hamstrings · also Glutes

    • Dumbbells in front of the thighs, knees soft.
    • Hinge at the hips, keeping the dumbbells close to the legs.
    • Feel the stretch, then squeeze the glutes to stand tall.
  5. 5

    Dumbbell Shoulder Press

    4 × 8–12

    Shoulders · also Triceps

    • Start with the dumbbells at ear height, palms facing forward.
    • Press up and slightly in until they nearly touch overhead.
    • Lower under control until the elbows drop just below shoulder height.
  6. 6

    Dumbbell Squat

    3 × 10–15

    Quads · also Glutes

    • Dumbbells hanging at your sides, feet shoulder-width.
    • Squat down until the thighs are at least parallel.
    • Stand up through the mid-foot, keeping the chest tall.

Getting the most out of it

Run this two or three times a week with a day between. Because every session hits everything, missing one costs you far less than missing chest day in a five-day split — which is the real reason full-body works for people with unpredictable weeks.

Keep track of it

Solviro logs every set, remembers what you lifted last time, and builds your plan around the equipment you actually own. Free, and you don't need an account to look around.

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Other equipment, other sessions

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General fitness information, not medical advice. If something hurts in a way that feels wrong, stop.