4 Tips to Get a Killer Workout with Just Dumbbells

The gym is great. From its vast selection of machines that work basically every muscle imaginable, to barbells and weight plates, it’s not hard to get a great lift at the gym. But there are times in life when you don’t have access to the health club, whether that’s a pandemic (hopefully that’s behind us), or just because your kids are home from school for a few days. When that happens, it’s time to turn to those trusty ol’ dumbbells. 

Now if you think you can’t get a killer workout with just dumbbells, you’re absolutely wrong – though there are a few tricks to give your dumbbell-only workout a little more kick. To get the low down on how to amp things up, we caught up with fitness instructor and master of at-home workouts, Fiona Judd. Read on to see what she suggests. 

Focus on the Mind-Muscle Connection 

“I like to picture which muscle I’m working, and really squeeze that muscle,” Judd says. Not only can this mind-muscle connection give you a better pump in the moment, but it can also lead to an increase in strength and muscle hypertrophy over time. Crazy how something this simple actually leads to stronger, larger muscles, right? 

Breathe In, Breathe Out 

Judd also suggests syncing your inhales and exhales with your lifts for optimal results. “It helps to inhale to prepare, and then exhale to work the muscle,” she explains. “The exhale has two purposes: to assist in the movement and to engage the deep core to protect the spine. When we learn how to use the breath correctly in a lift, we essentially turn every lift into a core exercise.” 

Incorporate Your Core

Speaking of turning every lift into a core workout, Judd notes that “your core should be working throughout the entire workout.” Keeping your core tight and engaged not only helps to stabilize your lifts but also aids in tightening and toning your core while you’re doing something totally different, like bicep curls or tricep kickbacks. And who doesn’t love that? 

To really get in touch with your core, Judd recommends “people take Pilates, even just a few classes. Pilates focuses heavily on the use of breath in movement, and learning Pilates breathing techniques has really helped to improve my lifting. I’ve also learned lots of fun little tips along the way, like squeezing your pinky finger around the dumbbell in a bicep curl to engage the bicep even more, or squeezing your hands in on your dumbbell in an overhead tricep extension to get more work in the upper arm.”

Go in With a Plan

If you’re working out with only dumbbells, you won’t be able to rely on machines to just sit back and go through the motions, so having a plan is essential. Before beginning your workout, decide which muscle group you want to focus on, and put together a list of 4-5 core movements that your workout will consist of. 

Judd says her favorite dumbbell-only exercises include “bicep curls or any type of curl. The second place would probably be a lateral shoulder raise, and the third place would be a dumbbell RDL (Romanian Deadlift). I also enjoy back rows, any type of ab work involving dumbbells, and any kind of plank work. Dumbbells make floor work so much more challenging and interesting!”

Another way to spice up your dumbbell-only lift is with supersets, or two different lifts, back to back with no rest in between. For example, a set of bicep curls followed by a set of lateral raises would be a great way to target your arms from all angles. And while we’ve talked a lot about upper body lifts here, don’t forget dumbbells can create a super effective lower body workout, as well. Hip thrusts, goblet squats, suitcase squats, split squats, and Judd’s favorite RDLs can all be done with a set or a single dumbbell. 

If you’re not comfortable putting together a list of dumbbell-only exercises on your own, that’s where Judd comes in. Her Instagram is a great resource filled with tons of dumbbell-only workouts. She’s also a trainer on MyQFit – which offers a free, 10-day trial to her Burn Barre and Pilates class. 

So the next time you're at home, working out in a hotel gym, or for whatever reason only have access to dumbbells, don’t stress about not being able to get a killer workout. Remember these tips, and you’ll be good to go.