March 19, 2020

How To: Full Body Workout At Home With Dumbbells | Elverys

We’re looking at exercises tailoring to a full body workout that can be done with just two dumbbells at home. Most of these exercises require just dumbbells but for some a chair or some flat surface for support will do just fine. Also a mat or a carpet for comfort for some exercises.

Exercises 

This is not a program but rather a list of useful exercises for you to experiment with and find what works for you.

Try 6-8 exercises per workout.

You can mix and match between upper body and lower body, chest and shoulders, back and arms etc.

We recommend 3sets x 8-10reps per exercise if you’re starting out.

You can increase sets or reps if you have lighter dumbbells or you feel you’re comfortable to do so.

UPPER BODY

CHEST 

Floor Press

Have one dumbbell in each hand, lie flat on the floor with your feet face down on the floor. Then press your arms up together getting a good squeeze in the chest, then return them to the starting position. The floor will give you a stable position, the range of motion will be slightly shorter than a bench press so really focus on contracting the chest muscles being worked.

Floor Fly’s

Again lie flat on the floor with your feet face down with the dumbbells, reach both arms out in front of you with the dumbbells above your chest and slowly move your arms to each side until you feel a pull in the chest, bring both arms up again and squeeze when they’re together. For this keep a slight bend in the arms and we’d recommend using a lighter dumbbell.

Dumbbell Press

Introduce some dumbbell press push-ups like regular push-ups but the dumbbells are on the ground as support. You can also bring them close in to work the Triceps, move them out further to work the shoulders and back.

BACK

Bent Over Row

For this sit down in just above a full squat, lean forward and bend your body. Have each dumbbell at you side with your arms at a 90° angle. Extend your arms down towards the ground and pull back up getting a squeeze in your back each time. This can be done singularly using a chair to give that added support.

Reverse Fly’s

Get in the same crunched over position as the bent over rows. Hold each dumbbell together with your arms out and in front of your chest like you would with the floor fly’s, slowly move your arms again to each side getting that squeeze in the back. Again you can do this on a chair for added support if needed, just be hunched over and try get your chest close to your knees.

TRICEPS

Extension

Standing tall, hold one dumbbell overhead. Extend with your arms with little movement from your elbows, bring your arms back down to 90° and repeat. These can also be done singularly.

Kickbacks

Use a chair for single use or move into the crunched over position like the bent over rows to do these together. Your arms should be at 90° with the dumbbell facing the ground. Slowly bring the dumbbell back to as far as your arm can go tensing the Tricep at full extension while trying to move the elbow as little as possible, bring back to 90° and repeat.

BICEPS

Bicep Curl

Standing up with the dumbbells at your sides and palms facing forward. Keep your elbows tucked into your sides, slowly curl the dumbbells to the top getting a good squeeze in your biceps. Then slowly bring this down to the starting position. This can also be done seated if you’d prefer.

Hammer Curl

This follows the same instructions as the Bicep curl only your palms will be facing each other rather than outward. A rule of thumb would be on full extension, try and get the bottom part of the dumbbell facing the ceiling.

SHOULDERS

Shoulder Press

This can be done seated or standing. Lift both dumbbells up by your shoulders at 90″ and press upward to full extension and return to starting position.

Lateral Raises

Again standing or sitting have both dumbbells down at your side. Lift both dumbbells outward to your left and right. Until your arms are at your shoulder height keeping a slight bend in the elbows. Return arms to your side and repeat.

TRAPS

Shrugs

Your Traps are the muscles around the neck area. Keep both dumbbells down by your side and using your traps shrug your shoulders up while keeping the dumbbells in the same place. If you’re using a lighter weight you may be able to get more out of this exercise.

 

LOWER BODY

Lunges

Stand with your feet hip width apart. Holding a dumbbell at both your sides. Step one foot forward and lower your other knee to the ground. As your knee comes close to the ground bring it back up to the starting position and repeat with the other leg. Try these as reverse lunges to add a bit more of a challenge.

Goblet Squats

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and a dumbbell in both hands in the middle of your chest. Sit down with your body weight into a squat position. Power back up to the standing position, getting a squeeze in your bum and repeat. Squats are one exercise that you can mix up with dumbbells while also adding in an upper body shoulder press into the movement. Be sure to check out some variations.

CORE

Russian Twist

Sit on the floor in the ‘V’ position, where your legs are bent and slightly in the air and you’re sitting with your back at a ‘V’ angle. With the dumbbell twist your core from left to right. Some try to touch the dumbbell off the surface nearest to you on each side but go with whatever is comfortable. Slow this one and keep control and you’ll feel the burn quick.

Weighted Sit Ups

Lie down with your feet anchored and a light weight to start in both hands near your chest. Try and get someone to support your feet. Maybe your kids or partner can help out with this one. Roll yourself  and the weight up toward your knees using your core, then back again and repeat.

Weighted Crunches

Again lie on the floor with your feet anchored and a light weight in both hands by your chest. Engage your core and lift your head and shoulders up towards the top of your torso squeezing the core and back down again.

These are our top dumbbell workouts. There are still a number of variations you can try out, let us know in the comments section on our channels the workouts you like to incorporate. Again these are here to pick and choose from to suit your weekly exercise. Stay active at home!

You can check out our Dumbbells HERE and Free delivery on standard delivery’s over €60.