Check out these dumbbell exercises if you want to get a full-body workout out of one of the smallest and simplest pieces of exercise equipment.
Hold one dumbbell vertically in both hands, directly in front of your sternum. Do a normal squat, keeping your feet flat on the floor, your head up and back straight. Adopt a wider stance and drop your butt low, so that your arms and the weight go down between your legs. Do 12-15 reps.
Stand with the feet shoulder-width apart holding a dumbbell vertically in both hands, arms extended out in front of the body. Bending from the waist with your legs only slightly bent, reach the dumbbells back between your legs until your back is roughly parallel to the floor. Then thrust your hips and swing the dumbbells forcefully up to shoulder-height. Repeat for 12-15 reps.
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in one hand, with your arm hanging down in the middle of your body. Keeping the chest out and spine long, hinge at the hips and knees slightly in order to prepare yourself for lift off. In one quick, fluid motion, jump straight up and let the momentum of the jump carry the weight in your extended arm up and over your head into a locked overhead extension. Then, bring it back down to the starting position while keeping that arm extended. Do 8-10 reps per arm. Your shoulders, legs, and back will thank you when the burn wears off.
Put your right knee and hand on a bench, with the left foot on the floor a couple inches away from the bench. With a dumbbell in your left hand, pull the weight up toward your chest while keeping your elbow tucked in. Row for 8-10 reps and switch.
Stand with the feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. With a tight core and long spine, raise the dumbbells up to your shoulders, palms facing each other (making sure the elbows rest below the wrists). Press the dumbbells upward until the arms are fully extended overhead (with just a slight bend in the elbows). Without stopping at the top of the motion, lower the dumbbells back to the shoulders. Repeat for 8-12 reps.
This is just a shoulder press with a squat thrown in. Grab two dumbbells and hold them next to your body in front of your shoulders with arms bent and palms facing. As you stand up from your squat, thrust the dumbbells straight up in the air, then return them to your body as you go into the next squat. Do 10-12 reps.
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell out in front of the body (like you’re handing a bouquet of flowers to someone). Squat down, and rotate the torso to the right while bringing the dumbbell to the right foot. Make sure to keep the chest upright and maintain a neutral spine. As you come to standing, keep the arms straight as the dumbbell diagonally crosses the body until it reaches overhead to the left side. Chop wood for 10-12 reps on each side.