Front-Racked Squat
How to:
- Hold one dumbbell in each hand at shoulders, elbows forward (not flared out to sides).
- With core engaged and chest tall, lower into a squat so that hips are in line with knees or slightly lower.
- Return to standing position. That’s 1 rep.
Good for: Quads, glutes, hamstrings, core, shoulders, upper back
Why it’s great: You’re targeting multiple muscle groups and working on stabilization.
Reverse Lunge
How to:
- Stand with feet slightly separated with one dumbbell in each hand at sides.
- Step one leg back into a split squat position, so that each leg is forming roughly a 90-degree angle.
- Push through front leg and back toe to bring back leg back up to starting position. That’s 1 rep.
Good for: Quads, glutes, core, hamstrings
Why it rocks: This move consists of dynamic stepping, which requires more energy and burns more calories. It also improves your coordination, stability, and balance.
Lateral Lunge
How to:
- Stand with feet roughly hip-width apart.
- With one leg, step out to side while keeping standing leg straight. Bend knee of moving leg and push hip back while lunging.
- Drive into heel of moving foot to push off floor and return to starting position. That’s 1 rep.
Good for: Quads, glutes, hamstrings, inner thighs
Why it rocks: Moving side to side is something we do on a daily basis, yet most people do not do lateral movements regularly in their workouts. This exercise can specifically improve your ability to handle lateral movements.
Step-Up
How to:
- With one dumbbell in each hand, step on box with one leg.
- Push through foot that steps on box to bring back leg up and float leg in front at a 90-degree angle.
- Lower moving leg back to floor behind you with control.
- Step off box completely and return to starting position. Thats 1 rep.
Good for: Quads, glutes, hamstrings, core
Why it rocks: This is a great entryway into single-leg training, especially if you’re still building up your leg strength. It’s also a functional movement (think: how much this will help with walking up stairs).
Romanian Deadlift
How to:
- With one dumbbell in each hand, place feet hip-width apart.
- Engage core, send hips behind, and hinge forward with knees gently bent.
- When you feel the stretch in hamstrings, push through floor and engage glutes to come back to starting position. That’s 1 rep.
Good for: Glutes, hamstrings, core
Why it rocks: This is a great move for beginners who are learning what it feels like to hinge at the hip and load the hamstrings and glutes.
Kickstand Single-Leg Deadlift
How to:
- Stand with one dumbbell in each hand and one leg slightly behind with heel off ground.
- Load front leg, engage core, and send hips behind to hinge forward with knees gently bent.
- Push through floor to return to standing positions. That’s 1 rep.
Good for: Glutes, hamstrings, core
Why it rocks: This can help someone learn how to load their bodyweight properly. For example, in this exercise, the front leg should be loaded 70 to 80 percent, and the back leg should hold 20 to 30 percent of your weight.
Single-Leg RDL
How to:
- With one dumbbell in each hand (not pictured), begin with legs slightly closer than hip-width apart.
- Engage core and send hips back, hinging forward, with knees gently bent. Bring one leg off floor, and send it behind with leg straight or bent.
- Lower torso to floor as far as possible while maintaining balance and a long, straight back.
- With control, return to standing position with feet on floor. That’s 1 rep.
Good for: Glutes, hamstrings, core
Why it rocks: This move improves your single leg strength. It also can help with your stability and balance over time.
Hip Thrusts
How to:
- Sit back on heels, holding a single dumbbell across hips.
- Drive glutes and hips to come to an upright kneeling position.
- Gently lower back down to return to a seated position. That’s 1 rep.
Good for: Glutes, hamstrings
Why it rocks: This is a great entry-level exercise that allows you to really feel your glutes and hamstrings burn.
Bent-Over Row
How to:
- Stand with one dumbbell in each hand and feet slightly apart.
- With spine straight and hips back, hinge at waist and extend dumbbells toward floor and slightly out in front.
- Keeping shoulder blades retracted and down, row one dumbbell toward hip.
- Lower dumbbell to starting position. That’s 1 rep. Continue reps on same side or alternate sides.
Good for: Lower back, traps, lats, core
Why it rocks: This exercise will build strength in the lower back and can improve posture. Doing this in a standing position will also force you to focus on your stabilization skills.
Renegade Row
How to:
- Get into a plank position with one dumbbell in each hand under shoulders.
- Pull one dumbbell back toward waist as other dumbbell remains on floor in other hand.
- Return raised dumbbell to floor with control. Repeat on other side. That’s 1 rep.
Good for: Hips, core
Why it rocks: This move improves your core strength and stability. When done correctly, that stability will prevent you from rotating from side-to-side as you lift the dumbbells.
Floor Press
How to:
- Bend knees and place feet on floor. Hold one dumbbell in each hand with elbows bent to the side at 45-degree angles, palms facing legs.
- Push dumbbells up and over chest so that arms are extended, with both dumbbells meeting above chest.
- Bring arms back down slowly and controlled to starting position. That’s 1 rep.
Good for: Chest, triceps, shoulders
Why it rocks: This exercise is ideal for beginners who are still building their stabilization skills.
Shoulder Press
How to:
- Hold dumbbells at shoulders, core engaged, feet about hip-width apart with a slight bend in knees.
- Keeping elbows tucked, press upward to extend both arms and dumbbells overhead.
- Lower dumbbells back to shoulders, bringing elbows back down to rib cage. That’s 1 rep.
Good for: Shoulders, core, triceps
Why it rocks: A shoulder press can improve your overall stability because of the way it activates your core. Being in a standing position makes it harder to press upwards, and therefore, burns more calories.
Hammer Curl
How to:
- Hold one dumbbell in each hand at sides.
- Keeping wrists in a neutral position and palms facing in, bend dumbbells upward at elbow so that they land near shoulders.
- Slowly lower dumbbells back down to starting position. That’s 1 rep.
Good for: Biceps
Why it rocks: This move isolates your biceps, which can improve your pulls and rows down the line. It’s also a great functional move that mimics what you’d have to do to lift up everyday items.
Lying Overhead Triceps Extension
How to:
- Hold one dumbbell in each hand so that they are extended parallel above chest.
- Bend at elbows to let dumbbells come down to sides of head. Upper arms should stay perpendicular to floor the whole time.
- Lift weights toward sky to return to starting position above chest with arms extended. That’s 1 rep.
Good for: Triceps
Why it rocks: This move is great at isolating the triceps. But, you can also make it a compound move by lifting you legs on a bench to engage your core and improve stability.
Lateral Raise
How to:
- Stand with one dumbbell in each hand at sides.
- Maintaining a very slight bend in elbows, lift arms and weights out to sides so they are still just in periphery, forming somewhat of a T position.
- Slowly bring arms back down to start position. That’s 1 rep.
Good for: Shoulders
Why it rocks: This exercise will target the very tops of your shoulders. It can also improve your mobility over time and increase your overall arm strength.
Half-Kneeling Wood Chop
How to:
- Get into half kneeling stance with one hand gripping on either side of a dumbbell.
- Fully rotate toward back leg so that dumbbell lowers to outside of open hip.
- Rotate torso other direction while bringing weight from hip up over opposite shoulder, keeping arms straight. Weight should cross up and over front bent leg. Keep hips still, and let gaze follow weight.
- Return weight to open hip. That’s 1 rep.
Good for: Core
Why it rocks: While this is sure to work your core, it can also target your inner and out obliques. It can also improve your shoulder mobility just by raising and lowering the dumbbell.
Weighted Sit-Up Overhead Press
How to:
- Lay down with legs and knees bent. Hold a dumbbell or medicine ball at chest.
- Reach weight up over head and sit up.
- With control, lower down and return weight to chest. That’s 1 rep.
Good for: Core, shoulders
Why it rocks: This move works your overhead mobility. If you struggle with reaches and overhead presses, you may start to feel stronger doing these motions over time.
Lying Dumbbell Pullover
How to:
- Lay on back with knees bent and one dumbbell held overhead by base of weight.
- While keeping arms straight, take dumbbell from above chest and lift it up and over head and lower it toward ground.
- Bring weight back over chest. That’s 1 rep.
Good for: Triceps, lats, core
Why it rocks: This is similar to a weighted sit up and can help you gain more overhead mobility in the long run.
Halo
How to:
- Hold one dumbbell with one side in each hand at chest.
- Move dumbbell in a circular motion around head by opening up elbows. That’s 1 rep. Be sure to repeat in opposite direction.
Good for: Shoulders, core
Why it rocks: Because you’re using a full range of motion, moving the weight in a full circle around your head will help improve your mobility and core strength.
Sabrina Talbert is the beauty editorial assistant at Women’s Health. With over five years of experience, her bylines have appeared in Byrdie, Nylon, Daily Front Row, and more. She’s passionate about covering topics related to haircare, skincare, and the latest happenings at the intersection of beauty and sports. When she’s not working, you can catch her training for her next race (NYC Marathon loading!) and binge-watching F1 or combat sports.
Olivia Luppino is an editorial assistant at Women’s Health. She spends most of her time interviewing expert sources about the latest fitness trends, nutrition tips, and practical advice for living a healthier life. Olivia previously wrote for New York Magazine’s The Cut, PS (formerly POPSUGAR), and Salon, where she also did on-camera interviews with celebrity guests. She’s currently training for her first half marathon, inspired by her many colleagues at WH who have run one.
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