Best Dumbbell Exercises

This shortlist highlights 144 exercises that use dumbbell equipment. It is a curated editorial roundup built from movement type, equipment, and difficulty data — not a lab ranking or coaching substitute.

How we chose these exercises

•We group exercises by the attribute a reader is most likely filtering on first, such as target muscle, equipment, or difficulty.
•We favor exercises with clear movement intent and dependable metadata for muscle group, equipment, and difficulty.
•Beginner-friendly movements and low-equipment options are surfaced earlier when the shortlist serves broad training intent.
•This page is a curated editorial ranking rather than a personalized training plan or medical recommendation.

Featured exercises

144 curated exercises for this shortlist.

3D lunge warmup

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Cardio
Secondary Muscle: None

Concentration Curl

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Arms
Secondary Muscle: None

Dumbbell Bench Press

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Chest
Secondary Muscle: Triceps, Shoulders

Dumbbell Fly

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Chest
Secondary Muscle: Shoulders

Dumbbell Shoulder Press

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle: Triceps

Farmer Walk

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Core
Secondary Muscle: Arms, Shoulders, Legs

Front Raise

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle: None

Goblet Squat

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Legs
Secondary Muscle: Core, Glutes

Hammer Curl

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Arms
Secondary Muscle: None

Incline Dumbbell Curl

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Arms
Secondary Muscle: None

Lateral Raise

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle: None

Overhead Tricep Extension

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Arms
Secondary Muscle: None

Reverse Fly

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle: Back

Single-Arm Dumbbell Row

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Back
Secondary Muscle: Biceps, Core

Step-Up

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Legs
Secondary Muscle: Glutes

Walking Lunge

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Legs
Secondary Muscle: Glutes, Core

45° lateral raises

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle: None

Alternating bicep curls

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Arms
Secondary Muscle: None

Alternating Biceps Curls With Dumbbell

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Biceps
Secondary Muscle: None

Alternating dumbbell hammer curl

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Biceps
Secondary Muscle: None

Alternative DB Gorilla rows

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Lats
Secondary Muscle: None

Arnold Press

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle: Triceps

Arnold Shoulder Press

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle: None

Axe Hold

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Arms
Secondary Muscle: None

Barbell Clean and press

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle: Chest

Bench Press Dumbbell

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Chest
Secondary Muscle: Shoulders

Bent High Pulls

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Traps
Secondary Muscle: None

Biceps Curls With Dumbbell

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Biceps
Secondary Muscle: Brachialis

Bizeps Curls Trifecta

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Biceps
Secondary Muscle: None

Bulgarian Split Squat

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Legs
Secondary Muscle: Glutes, Core

Curl - With Shoulder Elevated

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Biceps
Secondary Muscle: None

Curl de biceps con agarre prono

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Biceps
Secondary Muscle: None

DB Cross Body Hammer Curls

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Biceps
Secondary Muscle: None

DB Skull Crushers

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Triceps
Secondary Muscle: None

DB UCV

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Chest
Secondary Muscle: Shoulders

DB Upper Chest Variation

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Chest
Secondary Muscle: Shoulders

DB Wrist Extension

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Arms
Secondary Muscle: None

Decline Bench Press Dumbbell

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Chest
Secondary Muscle: None

Drop Curl

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Biceps
Secondary Muscle: None

Dumbbel Bradford press

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle: None

Dumbbell bicep curl to press

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Biceps
Secondary Muscle: None

Dumbbell Cheat Curl

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Biceps
Secondary Muscle: None

Dumbbell close grip bench press

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Chest
Secondary Muscle: Triceps

Dumbbell Concentration Curl

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Brachialis
Secondary Muscle: Biceps

Dumbbell Crunches

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Abs
Secondary Muscle: Obliques

Dumbbell Deadlift

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Legs
Secondary Muscle: None

Dumbbell Decline Bench Press

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Chest
Secondary Muscle: None

Dumbbell drag curls

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Biceps
Secondary Muscle: None

Dumbbell farmer's carrie

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Legs
Secondary Muscle: None

Dumbbell Frog Press

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Glutes
Secondary Muscle: None

Dumbbell Goblet Squat

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Quadriceps
Secondary Muscle: None

Dumbbell Hang Power Cleans

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Back
Secondary Muscle: None

Dumbbell Hex Press

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Chest
Secondary Muscle: None

Dumbbell Hip Thrust

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Glutes
Secondary Muscle: Quadriceps

Dumbbell Incline Curl

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Biceps
Secondary Muscle: Brachialis

Dumbbell Incline Fly

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Chest
Secondary Muscle: None

Dumbbell Lunges Walking

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Quadriceps
Secondary Muscle: Glutes

Dumbbell Pullover

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Chest
Secondary Muscle: Back

Dumbbell Push-Up

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Chest
Secondary Muscle: None

Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Hamstrings
Secondary Muscle: Glutes

Dumbbell Romanian Deadlifts

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Quadriceps
Secondary Muscle: Glutes

Dumbbell Scaption

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Traps
Secondary Muscle: Shoulders

Dumbbell Shoulder Rotations

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle: None

Dumbbell Shrug

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle: None

Dumbbell Side Bend

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Obliques
Secondary Muscle: None

Dumbbell Split Squat

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Legs
Secondary Muscle: None

Dumbbell sumo deadlift

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Legs
Secondary Muscle: None

Dumbbell Underhand Dead Row

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Biceps
Secondary Muscle: Lats

Dumbbell wide bicep curls

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Biceps
Secondary Muscle: None

Flexión lateral

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Abs
Secondary Muscle: None

Floor dumbbell bench press

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Chest
Secondary Muscle: Triceps

Fly With Dumbbells

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Chest
Secondary Muscle: None

Fly With Dumbbells, Decline Bench

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Chest
Secondary Muscle: None

Forearm Curls (underhand grip)

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Arms
Secondary Muscle: None

Hammer Curls

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Biceps
Secondary Muscle: None

Helms Row

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Lats
Secondary Muscle: Traps

Incline Bench Reverse Fly - Hello

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle: Traps

Incline Chest Press DB

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Chest
Secondary Muscle: Triceps

Incline DB Y-Raise

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle: Traps

Incline Dumbbell Bench Press

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Chest
Secondary Muscle: Shoulders

Incline Dumbbell Fly

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Chest
Secondary Muscle: None

Incline Dumbbell Row

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Back
Secondary Muscle: Lats

Incline OHP DB

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle: Triceps

Incline Static Hold

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Chest
Secondary Muscle: None

Jalon caballero unialteral

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Brachialis
Secondary Muscle: Obliques

Kettlebell One Legged Deadlift

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Glutes
Secondary Muscle: None

Kong Curl

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Biceps
Secondary Muscle: None

Lat Pull DB

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Lats
Secondary Muscle: Glutes

Lateral Raises

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle: None

Lateral-to-Front Raises

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle: Traps

LYING DUMBBELL ROW SS SEATED SHRUG

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Lats
Secondary Muscle: None

Lying Rotator Cuff Exercise

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle: None

Lying Triceps Kickback

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Triceps
Secondary Muscle: None

One-Arm Heavy Row

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Lats
Secondary Muscle: None

Patada de burro con mancuerna

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Hamstrings
Secondary Muscle: Glutes

Preacher Curl - Externally Rotated

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Biceps
Secondary Muscle: None

Preacher Curl - Internally Rotated

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Biceps
Secondary Muscle: None

Pullover

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Chest
Secondary Muscle: Lats

Rear Delt Raises

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle: None

Renegade Row

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Lats
Secondary Muscle: Traps

Romanian deadlift, single leg

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Hamstrings
Secondary Muscle: None

Schoulder Raise (Dumbbell)

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle: None

Seated Dumbbell Calf Raise

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Calves
Secondary Muscle: None

Seated Dumbbell Curls

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Biceps
Secondary Muscle: Brachialis

Seated Dumbbell Side Lateral

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle: None

Seated rear delt rise

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Lats
Secondary Muscle: None

Shoulder Press (Dumbbell)

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle: None

Shoulder Press, Dumbbells

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle: None

Shoulder Raise Side and Front DB

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle: None

Shrugs, Dumbbells

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle: None

Side Dumbbell Trunk Flexion

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Obliques
Secondary Muscle: Abs

Single-arm Preacher Curl

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Biceps
Secondary Muscle: None

Single-Leg Deadlift with Dumbbell

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Hamstrings
Secondary Muscle: Glutes

Suitcase Carry

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Abs
Secondary Muscle: None

Supine Hip Abduction

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Glutes
Secondary Muscle: Quadriceps

Tricep Dumbbell Kickback

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Triceps
Secondary Muscle: None

Triceps Overhead (Dumbbell)

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Triceps
Secondary Muscle: None

Weighted Crunch

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Obliques
Secondary Muscle: None

Wrist curl, dumbbells

Category: Isolation
Primary Muscle: Arms
Secondary Muscle: None

YTWL Exercise

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle: Traps

Zottman curl

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Biceps
Secondary Muscle: Brachialis

Bear crawl pull through

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle: Glutes, Quadriceps, Abs

Bulgarian Squat with Dumbbells

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Glutes
Secondary Muscle: Quadriceps, Hamstrings

Cross-Bench Dumbbell Pullovers

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Lats
Secondary Muscle: Chest, Serratus Anterior

Devil’s Press

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle: Glutes, Chest, Hamstrings

Dumbbell Bent Over Face Pull

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle: Lats, Traps

Dumbbell Bent Over Row

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle: Biceps, Lats, Serratus Anterior

Dumbbell Floor Press

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Chest
Secondary Muscle: Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps

Dumbbell Front Squat

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Glutes
Secondary Muscle: Quadriceps, Shoulders, Abs

Dumbbell rear delt row

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle: Brachialis, Traps

Dumbbell Rear Lunge

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Glutes
Secondary Muscle: Quadriceps, Soleus

Dumbbell Snatch

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle: Legs, Back, Core

Dumbbell Thruster

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Hamstrings
Secondary Muscle: Glutes, Quadriceps, Shoulders

Dumbbell Triceps Extension

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Triceps
Secondary Muscle: Shoulders, Chest

Dumbbell upright-row

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle: Biceps, Serratus Anterior

Glute Bridge Single-Arm Press

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Chest
Secondary Muscle: Shoulders, Biceps, Hamstrings

Incline Bench Press - Dumbbell

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Chest
Secondary Muscle: Shoulders, Triceps

Incline Dumbbell Press

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Chest
Secondary Muscle: Shoulders, Triceps

Kreis Press DB

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle: Biceps, Chest, Abs

Rear Delt Raise

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle: Traps, Lats

Shoulder Dumbbell Pendular Exercise

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle: Lats, Chest, Traps

Shoulder External Rotation with Dumbbell

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle: Brachialis, Traps

Standing Bicep Curl

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Biceps
Secondary Muscle: Brachialis, Brachialis

Upright Row w/ Dumbbells

Category: Compound
Primary Muscle: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle: Traps, Biceps

Training references

wger exercise database API — Source dataset used for exercise names, muscle targets, equipment, and difficulty tags.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best dumbbell exercises?

Best Dumbbell Exercises highlights options such as 3D lunge warmup, Concentration Curl, Dumbbell Bench Press. The right pick depends on your training goal, available equipment, and experience level.

How did you choose these dumbbell exercises?

We curated this shortlist using muscle-targeting data, equipment tags, movement type, and difficulty so the page reflects practical training intent.

Should beginners start with every exercise in this dumbbell list?

No. Start with the exercises that match your current technique, mobility, and equipment access, then progress as your form and strength improve.