Dumbbell exercises.

Dumbbells are the most versatile piece of equipment in any gym. They allow unilateral loading, a wider range of motion than barbells, and they fit any home setup. With a pair of adjustable dumbbells and a bench, you can train every muscle group hard. Here are fifteen exercises that cover the body.

• DB Bench Press. Press variations on flat, incline, or decline. Independent arms, deeper stretch.
• DB Row. Single-arm bent-over row. The bread-and-butter back movement with dumbbells.
• DB Shoulder Press. Seated or standing. Easier on the shoulders than the bar for most lifters.
• DB Curl. Biceps work, supinating or hammer grip. Standing, seated, or incline.
• DB Goblet Squat. One dumbbell held at the chest. Excellent quad and core movement.
• DB Romanian Deadlift. Hinge with dumbbells at the sides. Easier to set up than the bar, same stimulus.
• DB Lunge. Walking or stationary. Loads single-leg work without straining the upper body.
• DB Lateral Raise. Side-delt isolation. The single most important shoulder-width builder.
• DB Hammer Curl. Neutral-grip curl. Hits the brachialis and forearms harder than supinated curls.
• DB Tricep Extension. Overhead, one or two dumbbells. Loads the triceps in a deep stretch.
• DB Floor Press. Press from the floor. Triceps-dominant, easy to set up, joint-friendly.
• DB Pullover. Across the bench, loads chest and lats in a stretched position.
• DB Bulgarian Split Squat. Rear-foot-elevated single-leg squat. Loaded from the sides.
• DB Single-Arm Press. Standing overhead press with one dumbbell. Brutal anti-rotation core demand.
• DB Renegade Row. Plank position, alternating rows. Core stability plus pulling strength.