The best dumbbell exercises for building muscle could entail a lot of movements, but which ones are the best? In this video, I am going to show you my selection of the 30 best dumbbell exercises to build muscle. Not only that, but I am going to break them down into specific muscle groups as well to help you select the right dumbbell exercises for you.
BICEPS
1. Kneeling Waiter’s Curls
2. Standing DB Alternating Curls
3. Cross Body Hammer Curls
4. DB Drag Curls
5. DB Weighted Chins
The Waiter’s Curl is excellent for developing the biceps peaks. The Standing DB Alternating Curl is a classic way to hit the short head, in contrast to the DB Drag Curls which targets the long head. We can’t forget the brachialis, which is well targeted by the Cross Body Hammer Curl. To round it all out, the DB Weighted Chins allows for the opportunity to overload the muscle with more weight than is available with just dumbbells.
TRICEPS
6. Lying Tricep Extensions
7. JM Press
8. DB Kickbacks
9. DB Incline Powerbombs
The Lying Tricep Extensions and Incline Powerbombs allow us to get that long head on stretch through the exercises’ full range of motion. To put the long head in its peak contracted position, we would select the DB Kickback. The JM Press allows for the use of some heavier weight to overload the triceps overall which will help assist in muscle growth.
BACK
10. DB Tripod Rows
11. DB High Pulls
12. DB Pullovers
13. DB Weighted Pullups
The DB Tripod Row is a great replacement for the 1-Arm DB Row as it gives a better base of support to avoid a hernia. The DB High Pull is excellent for targeting the upper back muscles with the added benefit of external rotation. The DB Pullover is a great selection for being able to put the lats on stretch while giving them an opportunity to overload. And while the pullup itself is great for building your lats, adding weight allows for more overload for greater size.
LEGS
14. DB Bulgarian Split Squats (Upright / Leaning)
15. DB Reverse Lunges
16. DB RDL’s
17. DB Offset Lunges
The DB Bulgarian Split Squat is great for loading up the quads or the posterior chain (based on your torso position). The DB Reverse Lunge is great for those with knee pain but still want to engage in a dynamic, unilateral leg movement. The DB RDL’s are great for putting the hamstrings and glutes on stretch before engaging them to return the weight to its starting position. The DB Offset Lunge is another great option that adds the challenge of not allowing the weight to pull you over to one side.
CHEST
18. DB Bench Press
19. DB Upper Chest Pullover
20. DB Incline Squeeze Press
21. DB Weighted Dips
22. DB Floor Flies
The DB Bench Press is a staple exercise that I believe is one of the absolute best for building a bigger chest. While I mentioned previously the pullover as a back exercise, by changing the orientation of our elbows, we can effectively target the upper chest. The DB Incline Squeeze Press is another great option for hitting the upper chest, but gives the added benefit of isometric adduction. The Dip will definitely build the lower chest, but adding some extra weight and overload to the exercise will help spark even greater muscle growth. The Floor Fly takes the risk of the regular bench fly and negates it by offering the support of the ground through the movement
SHOULDERS
23. DB Scoop Press
24. DB Cheat Laterals
25. DB Push Press
26. DB Hip Huggers
27. DB Rear Delt Rows
28. DB Front Raise
29. DB Over and Backs
The DB Scoop Press gets additional front delt activation before a combination of shoulder muscles are used. Cheat Laterals allow for overload on the middle delt through using a heavier weight, but also a controlled eccentric. Speaking of overload, the DB Push Press allows for more weight to be used in comparison to a traditional overhead press by allowing momentum from below. To really hit the side and rear delts, the DB Hip Huggers offers a great option. The Rear Delt Row will effectively target the rear delts, an often ignored muscle in the shoulder. The DB Front Raise is a great option for targeting the front delts while limiting the activation of the rest of the shoulder. The DB Over and Back is solid as well.
MISC.
30. DB Carries
Heavy DB Carries offer a great opportunity to not just build mental toughness, but bigger forearms and traps as well.
Leave a comment below letting me know what your top 5 dumbbell exercises are!
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Chris Wright
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Hi Jeff, please! Tell me can I gain muscle mass if I work overnight until 1am?…
Feeling a pump in side delts in dumbell high pulls
Yo Jeff. Been watching for a couple years now. Need to get in shape for my wedding happening in June. I’m a bit “skinny fat” (mostly belly) at 5’7″ and around 170 lbs. Help me with what to eat and how to workout to be around a lean 145-150 by June? Don’t sugar coat man hit me with real truth. I’d even consider buying a program from you if you’d help me out on this. I look my best at around 145-148. I’m lean but no 6-pack and a little bit of muscle. Let me know brother!
Hey Jeff a lot any athletes and Strength & Conditioning coaches have been talking about training the Tibialis muscle or the tibia. What’s your view on that? And can you help us with some exercises to train them?
Thank you for all these years mate!
@Kev no it’s true, I can prove it!
Some of my top 5 DB exercises are:
1. Alternating DB Curls
2. Incline DB bench press
3. DB Bench Press
4. Dumbbell Lateral Raises
5. Hammer Curls
6. (BONUS) Seated DB shoulder press
I recently started lifting weights, at home using dumbbells and an old rusty barbell and rusty plates. And it’s honestly the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I have complicated issues involving grief of loved ones, and just the burn of lifting and gaining muscle makes things a lot better.
Training will change your life for the better. I can tell you that firsthand. Glad to see you caught the bug, though. Keep grinding!
@Jesse Laico I second this. I’ve struggled with mental health (depression, anxiety and PTSD) for at least 28 years of my life. Working out has allowed me to get off all meds and given me a healthy outlet. It’s been a blessing I never believed it could be.
Pilates and Pilates-like floor calisthenics should be at the core of your program like some of the stuff on Athlean-XX. Consider learning total body kettlebell movements and possibly steel club & steel mace exercises as well. Most popular DB/BB exercises emphasize the superficial muscles that move the arms & legs but only through partial range of motion and neglect stabilizing muscles. Be sure to incorporate end-range contraction. For example, don’t do squats without also doing hip thrusts for max hip extension and exercises involving knee raises and/or rotation as well as lateral stability such as for the glute medius.
Also favor asymmetrical/unilateral exercises with 1 DB for 1 arm or 1 leg at a time. Working one side at a time will work the obliques, hips, & other rotators which are super important for athleticism. Strange but true, working one side at a time promotes symmetry because neither side can dominate the other and you can torque through to end range contraction for each side without interference from the other side.
The superficial muscles pivot off the central column of muscles of, e.g., your trunk, scapula, & hips. Like Jeff has said in the past, you don’t want to fire a canon off of a canoe. If you let your superficial muscles and non-postural muscles dominate your deep muscles and postural muscles, you will screw up your mechanics, have imbalances, won’t develop as intended, develop chronic muscle strains/pains, be more prone to injury, feel more tired more often, and it just won’t look good. Be sure to work out the kinks first or at least at the same time before progressing to heavier DB/BB lifts.
More power to you!
Strenuous exercise is great therapy, just don’t use it to cover up your mental health struggles.
1) split squats
2) should tri-set (front, medial, and rear)
3)supine tricep extension (w long head stretch)
4)bicep tri-set (decline, upright and drag hammer)
5) incline bench press
1) incline bench press
2) split squat
3) modified Arnie press
4) single leg RDL’s
5) weighted explosive jumps
Edit: 6) single arm bent over rows
As my hips and lower abdomen are my major weaknesses due to spinal stenosis, I personally prefer all the the exercises that strengthen this area and the legs, for instance:
1. Bulgarian split squats
2. Hip thrusts
3. RDLs
4. Reverse lunges
5. Step ups
As an older person who had invasive abdominal surgery my lifesaver have been Thrusters with DBs as seen in Xfit training
My favorite dumbell exercies are:
1. Incline DB Benchpress
2. Incline DB curls
3. DB Seated Overhead Tricep Extension
4. DB Front Raise
5. Seated DB shoulder press
@rudro row? sorry would you mind clarifying what is bad for your spine?
@Samuel Ting barbel row,dumbell row all of them kinda harms your spine,cause slowly you loose form,and all of the weights goes to your lower back. And if you gotta do it,do it like jeff showed in bench, it activates your lats and doesnt harm spine.
@rudro ah okay. yeh that makes sense. i always make sure to stop my barbell rows before i break form, and to look in the mirror to ensure my spine is neutral. but yes, it can be very bad for your spine, especially if you ego lift.
Agree with you except the Front Raise is an unnecessary exercise because the front delts get plenty of work during overhead and bench press exercises. The side and (especially) rear delts are what need the extra isolation work to keep the shoulders balanced.
1: single leg RDL’S
2: Bulgarian split squats
3: chest press
4: Single arm rows
5: Arnold Press
Unilateral approach – clearly attacking any muscle imbalances there
Arnold press go stoopid frfr
The five I think would be mandatory are:
DB bench press
DB overhead press
Bulgarian split squat
Goblet squat
One arm row/regular DB row
Bonus (corrective): W raise
Going with a corrective is a bold strategy!
1)Seated DB overhead press
2) Incline DB chest Press
3)DB Goblet Squat
4) Lying down tricep skull crushers
5) DB Bicep curl
Hey Jeff, long time subscriber and always will be. I would like to see a ranked list of leg exercises similar to your videos on the shoulders, and the abs. Always following your advice!!
Sure thing. Let me just let him know.
This channel has helped me so much. I went from being a 5”9 172 pound 14 year old with basically no muscle, to now being 5”11 158 with very low fat
Bro that weight is mostly just a growth spurt. But keep up the working out! You have far greater gains coming your way!
I am 45. Although I love most of these exercises, some of them are out of my possibilities. I have hip arthrosis, as well as cervical and lumbar hernias. Actually, two cervical disks were removed from my body five years ago. Fortunately, thanks to Jeff and others, I have been improving my body.
Do you have some advices for people with my kind of physical limitations?
My five favorite exercises to do with dumbbells are:
1) Bulgarian split squat (alternating high to low)
2) Bench-press – incline and flat
3) Bicep trifecta (both heads of the bicep, plus brachialis)
4) Dead row
5) Speed press (overhead)
5 I can’t do without are:
1. Inclined Dumbbell Press
2. Overhead Press
3. Lateral Raise
4. Cross Body Hammer Curls
5. JM Press
My top 5 favorites that I made up:
1. Plyo contralateral Pull-ups (close grip) on 3×3 beam w/ slow eccentric to dead-hang
2. Dumbbell/Kettlebell “Overload” Clean combined w/ Plyo Overhead Press & slow eccentric to ground
3. Single-leg slow concentric Bilateral weighted Squat, hold for a second, then back to neutral
4. Archer Rows (either w/ band or an actual bow) ; can be done standing or knealing
5. Single-leg weighted Plyo Bridges, hold concentric position, slow eccentric back to neutral
For my eyes only!!!!
DB Bench – 7:13
DB incline bench
DB floor fly – 7:41
DB squeeze press – 8:06
DB incline power bomb – 3:58
DB Jim stretch – 3:14
Incline dB kickback – 3:33
Front dB raise – 10:15
DB scoop press – 8:52
DB hip hugger – 9:16
DB over and back – 10:52
DB carry – 11:22
Neck curl front
Neck curl back