If you’ve ever picked up a pair of dumbbells, looked around, and thought:
“Uhhh… what do I do with these?”
Or maybe, you just want to know a quick, safe, and effective workout to get stronger, build muscle, and improve body composition.
In either case, I got you! 🙌 Today, in the spirit of our most popular blog post of all time, I’m giving you a Beginner Dumbbell Workout you can do at home or at the gym, plus a list of my favorite dumbbell exercises and answers to the most common questions we get from readers and Nerd Fitness Coaching clients.
Let’s get into it 👇
🏋️♀️ Beginner Dumbbell Workout
Do this 2–3x per week with a rest day between each session:
Exercise #1: Goblet Squats – 3 sets of 8–12 reps
Exercise #2: One-Arm Dumbbell Rows – 3 sets of 8–12 reps per arm
Exercise #3: Dumbbell Floor Presses – 3 sets of 8–12 reps
- Have a bench lying around? Feel free to switch this to a dumbbell chest press!
- To get a bit more range of motion, try doing this while holding a glute bridge at the same time, or resting your upper back and head on a long foam roller.
…and that’s it. Three exercises that are big “bang for your buck” movements, and you’ve got yourself a workout! 🙌
A couple of other things to keep in mind:
👉 Rest 60–90 seconds between sets. Focus on slow, controlled movement on the way down, and then smooth and athletic movement on the way up.
👉 Warm up with some arm circles, bodyweight squats, and light cardio (marching in place works great), and then do a few reps of each exercise with a lighter weight (if you have one) or just with the weights you have to get your body moving and ready to workout.
👉 Once these start to feel easier? Increase reps, increase the weight, slow down the tempo, or add 1 or 2 more exercises to your circuit.
🎯 My Favorite Dumbbell Exercises
When you’re ready to mix things up or go deeper, here’s your go-to list of awesome dumbbell moves:
🔽 Lower Body
🔼 Upper Body Pull
🔼 Upper Body Push
🧩 Accessory Lifts
⚡ Power Moves (for full-body strength & conditioning)
No machines, no problem.
You can build a complete and effective strength routine with just one or two dumbbells and some floor space.
🤔 Common Dumbbell Questions (answered!)
Q: I only have one set of dumbbells. What do I do?
A: No worries! The key is adjusting your reps and variations.
If you can do 20+ reps with ease, it’s time to:
- Add a tempo (like 3 seconds down)
- Do single-leg or staggered-stance versions
- Reduce your rest between sets
- Add another 1-2 exercises from the selection to your circuit.
There are tons of ways to make things harder without heavier weights. Just like you can make your bodyweight exercises harder by changing the leverage angle or progressing to a more challenging variation, you can do the same even with a limited weight selection!
Q: Will dumbbells make me bulky?
A: Not unless you’re trying really hard to bulk up.
This concern pops up a lot, but the reality is:
Building visible muscle takes years of consistent training, lots of food, great sleep, and favorable genetics.
What will happen: you’ll build strength, improve joint and tendon health, and help prevent osteoporosis (especially important for women in peri-menopause and beyond).
Q: What weight should I start with?
A: Ultimately, you want a weight where the last 2–3 reps feel challenging, but doable with good form.
As a general rule of thumb, always start with less weight than you think. It’s always easier to progress when something feels too easy than to back off once you’ve overreached. You can use it to warm up and feel out the movement. As you get more experience with dumbbells, you’ll know what weights you used last time and when to push yourself a little harder (though you still want to make sure you do a warm up round!)
Too easy? Go heavier or add reps. Too hard? Go lighter or reduce reps.
Your form is always the priority. Strength gains follow. Still unsure if you are lifting enough weight? Read this.
Q: How long should a dumbbell workout take?
A: 20–30 minutes is plenty when you’re starting out.
If you’re short on time, even one solid set of each exercise is better than nothing. You can always build from there.
Q: Do I need to do cardio too?
A: Dumbbells can be your cardio (or at least, a part of it!)
Moves like thrusters, snatches, and skier swings elevate your heart rate and build muscle. Heck, any dumbbell exercise can elevate your heart rate if you perform the reps on a timer. Try one of these options: Level 1: 30 seconds of work with 60 seconds of rest between each exercise for 3-5 rounds.
Level 1: 30 seconds of work with 30 seconds of rest between each exercise for 3-5 rounds. Level 2: 40 seconds of work with 20 seconds of rest between each exercise for 3-5 rounds. Trust me, you’ll feel your heart rate getting up there. 😬
But if you love walks, bike rides, or dance breaks? That counts too. Just move.
🧠 Final Thought
You don’t need a perfect plan to get started. You just need a plan that’s simple, sustainable, and repeatable.
Dumbbells are one of the best tools for strength training beginners because they’re:
✅ Versatile
✅ Accessible
✅ Scalable
So pick up those dumbbells. Try the beginner workout. Then reply to this email and let me know how it goes!
If you want help building your own plan, our 1-on-1 coaching program does that and so much more: guidance for how to get started, accountability when you aren’t feeling motivated, and a plan built specifically for you, your goals, and your life. See which coach would be a great fit for you with our quick quiz.
You got this!
Coach Matt
P.S. Have other questions about dumbbells, getting started with exercise, or anything else? Shoot them my way!
