5 Dumbbell Exercises You Can’t Afford to Skip in the Gym

Working out with dumbbells is an absolute must. They can be easier on your joints than their barbell equivalent – allowing for more natural movement – since each side can be moved independently of the other. Dumbbells can also be safer than barbells when you’re training solo and don’t have a spotter. They’re at every single EOS Fitness gym location and should absolutely incorporate them into your workout.

Today we introduce the 5 Dumbbell exercises you can’t afford to skip in your solo gym workout:

The Alternated Biceps Curl is a great way to improve your biceps and forearms. The exercises vary, but a common element is the curling motion: The weight is raised until the forearms are vertical, while the elbows and upper arms stay close to the body. There are multiple variations that you can use: raising both dumbbells at the same time; keeping your palms facing each other throughout the movement for a hammer variation; limiting your movement to halfway up for a concentrated version; or using a preacher curl pad.

The Triceps Kickback boosts your triceps, which assist the chest in virtually every pushing movement. You’ll need to rest one knee on a flat bench, and keep your upper arm steady throughout the exercise to increase the input from your triceps. Otherwise, your back and shoulder muscles wind up taking the strain off of your main target, resulting in a less effective workout.

The Shoulder Press is done either by raising both hands at the same time, or by pushing one hand up while lowering the other. This can also work while you’re seated, or with a back-supported vertical bench to remove your back from the equation altogether. In this case, you’ll hold a dumbbell in each hand, while placing them upright on top of your thighs. Then, bring the dumbbells to shoulder height individually, using your thighs to help push them into position. While your shoulder muscles will be worked the hardest, they’ll need support from your triceps, making this an excellent upper body exercise.

The Kneeling One Arm Row might just be the best back exercise involving dumbbells. Resting your knee and hand on a flat bench makes targeting your middle back muscles much more comfortable. While your lats will be stressed the most, the rear deltoid muscle will also get a workout. Exercising one side of the back at a time, one arm rows are great for concentrating on the lats, upper back, outer back, and rear deltoids. This has long been one of the most popular exercises for targeting back muscles, since it’s an effective and easy alternative for athletes of any experience level.

The Dumbbell Bench Press is one of the most useful ways to build your chest, triceps, and shoulders. If you have a reclining and declining bench, you can also use the Incline Bench Press and Decline Bench Press. The incline press works the upper region of the pectorals, while the decline press works the lower levels of the chest muscles.