The 4 Beginner Dumbbell Exercises Everyone Needs to Know

BUILDING UP YOUR body isn’t as complicated as you might think. Over-involved fitness routines might have discouraged you from taking to the gym in the past—but if you’re ready and willing to put the work in to make real progress, you might be surprised at just how simple it is to get started. All you need is a good plan with staple exercises using equipment you can find just about anywhere.

That’s how strength and performance coach Kurt Ellis, C.S.C.S. designed the new Men’s Health Beginner’s Guide to Muscle workout program, which is now available for MH MVP Premium members. The plan is purpose-built to give starters (and re-starters, too) the tools they need to initiate a lifelong fitness practice and embark on the path toward achieving their goals.

Here, Ellis highlights four exercises that can serve as the foundation of your workouts. Each of these moves requires a pair of dumbbells, so you’ll be able to do them just about anywhere you train to build up a stronger, better body.

The 4 Dumbbell Exercises You Need to Know

Romanian Deadlift (RDL)

WHY: “This simple hinge move sets the tone for everything,” Ellis says. “Set your body up to pick up large loads from the ground and training your hamstrings, glutes, and mid-back.”

HOW TO DO IT:

• Hold a pair of dumbbells in each hand. Keep the dumbbells close to your sides, with your shoulders back, your core tight, and glutes squeezed.
• Begin “pushing” your butt back as far as possible as you begin lowering your torso, taking two seconds with the lowering phase. Keep the dumbbells close to your shins—don’t let them hang too far forward.
• Pause at the bottom, then stand back up, slightly quicker than the lowering phase.

SETS AND REPS: 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 8 reps

Chest-Supported Row

WHY: Ellis prefers to use the bench for rowing because it will take your lower back—a common weak point for bent-over variations of the movement—out of the equation, so you’ll be able to focus totally on the muscles of the mid and upper back. “You’ll also be able to build your grip strength, which is a key indicator of longevity,” he says.

HOW TO DO IT:

• Set up an incline bench at a 30 to 45 degree angle.
• Grab a pair of dumbbells and straddle the bench with your chest resting on the pad, making sure your head is not resting on the bench.
• Plant your feet firmly on the floor and let your arms hang loose, slightly pulling your shoulder blades forward. This is the starting position.
• From here, pull your elbows back to raise the dumbbells to your chest. Squeeze your shoulder blades together.
• Slowly lower your arms back to the starting position, allowing the scapula to protract and get a full stretch at the bottom.

SETS AND REPS: 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps

Goblet Squat

WHY: “If you start with a goblet squat, you’ll challenge quads, glutes, abs, and teach your body how to sit and stand with proper form,” Ellis says.

HOW TO DO IT:

• Stand with your feet just wider than shoulder-width apart holding a dumbbell with both hands at chest-height, elbows high. Turn your toes out slightly to start. Create mid-back tension to pull your shoulders back. Brace your core to keep your balance; you’ll need to maintain this tension throughout the movement.
• Push your butt back, then bend your knees to descend down into the squat. Lower down to a depth just below parallel (i.e., your thighs are parallel to the floor) or to the most comfortable position given your personal mobility.
• Press your knees apart to prevent them from caving in. Maintain tension in your core and shoulders; don’t rest your elbows on your knees.
• Push off the floor and squeeze your glutes to stand back up.

SETS AND REPS: 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps

Bench Press

WHY: Hit the chest to a key physical characteristic which will be more valuable than you might think. “Building pushing strength is key,” Ellis notes. “You’ll blast your chest, shoulders, and triceps in the process.”

HOW TO DO IT:

• Start by lying back on the flat bench holding your dumbbells at your chest, driving your shoulders into the pad and squeezing your abs and glutes. Your feet should be flat on the floor.
• Press the weight straight up, keeping your forearms vertical.
• Lower down to your ribcage. Don’t allow your elbows to flare out.

SETS AND REPSs: 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps

Want more moves like this from Ellis, along with the routines to put them into practice to start making real progress? Check out the Beginner’s Guide to Muscle workout program, available only for MH MVP Premium members.

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