A trainer says you can work your entire body and build muscle with just a pair of light dumbbells and these four simple moves

A man performs a reverse weighted lunge in his living room. He wears shorts, t-shirts and sneakers and holds a pair of dumbbells in his hands, which hang by his sides. He's in the middle of a lunge, with his left leg behind him and left knee hovering just above the floor, and his right leg bent at a right angle in front of him. Behind him we can see a bookcase filled with decorative items and a television mounted on a brick wall.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

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How to do the beginner dumbbell workout
1. Dumbbell march
2. Arnold press
3. Suitcase squats
4. Reverse weighted lunge

published 16 July 2024

I’m a personal trainer and one thing I always tell newcomers to strength training is that they need to build up their resistance slowly to avoid injury. That’s where light dumbbells can be useful.

Free weights are the first bit of fitness equipment I recommend that my personal training clients buy and if you invest in a lighter set it doesn’t mean you can’t get a good workout.

This 20-minute beginner circuit is super effective because it hits the entire body, working all the major muscle groups. You only need one pair of weights, ideally 3-8lbs, and a mat to get started.

How to do the beginner dumbbell workout

Dumbbell march: 2x8-10
Arnold press: 2x8-10
Suitcase squats: 2x8-10
Reverse lunge with weights: 2x8-10

Start the workout with a five-minute warm-up to get your heart rate up and increase blood flow to your muscles. I recommend a two-round circuit of 20 jumping jacks, 20 arm circles, 20 toe touches, 20 squats, 20 lunges with a twist and 20 hip openers.

For the workout, do each exercise one after the other, taking a 30-second rest in between each move, then repeat the routine once more. When you get stronger you can add another round.

Make time at the end of the main workout to stretch for at least five minutes. Check out our stretching guide if you need some ideas to get started. If you’re new to these exercises, scroll down to see how to perform each one.

Don't have a pair of dumbbells? See our guide to the best Prime Day weights deals.

1. Dumbbell march

Personal trainer Maddy Biddulph stands in her well-lit living room performing a dumbbell march. She wears a black vest and leopard print leggings with white sneakers. In her hands is a single light dumbbell; one leg is lifted off the floor and bent at the knee as she marches. Behind her is a window, showing a leafy garden, and next to her is an exercise bike.

Sets: 2 Reps: 8-10

Stand up straight with feet shoulder-width apart.
Hold a dumbbell in front of your chest then slowly lift your left leg until your knee is at hip height. Pause and lower your leg to the ground.
Repeat on the other side and continue for 8 to ten reps on each side.

2. Arnold press

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(Image credit: Maddy Biddulph)

Stand with your feet hip-width apart with a dumbbell in each hand. Bend your elbows and curl the weights up to shoulder height. Your palms should be facing your face, close to your shoulders. This is your starting position.
Rotate your wrists so your palms face forward and begin to push the dumbbells up overhead. Pause at the top of the movement when the dumbbells are directly overhead and your arms fully extended.
Reverse the move back to the starting position and repeat.

3. Suitcase squats

Personal trainer Maddy Biddulph performs a suitcase squat in her living room. She holds light dumbbells in her hands, which hang low by her sides as she holds a light bend in the knee for her squat position. She wears a black vest, leopard print leggings and white sneakers. Behind her is a window showing a leafy garden and next to her is an exercise bike.

Sets: 2 Reps: 8-10

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and pointing slightly out, and hold a dumbbell in each hand by your sides.
Push the hips back and squat down as if sitting on a chair. Keep the weights at your sides, heels flat on the floor and your chest up.
Pause for two seconds at the bottom of the movement then push through the heels as you drive back up to the starting position in one explosive movement.

4. Reverse weighted lunge

Personal trainer Maddy Biddulph performs a weighted reverse lunge in her well-lit living room. She wears a black vest, leopard-print leggings and white sneakers. Her arms hang down and in her hands are a pair of light dumbbells; her right leg is bent behind her, knee hovering just off the floor, while her left leg is bent in front of her. There is an exercise bike beside her and a leafy garden behind her.

Sets: 2 Reps: 8-10 on each leg

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and a dumbbell in each hand by your sides.
Step back with one leg and lower the knee until the shin is parallel to the floor.
Drive through the front foot and return to the standing position. Swap legs and repeat.

Maddy Biddulph is a freelance journalist specializing in fitness, health and wellbeing content. With 26 years in consumer media, she has worked as a writer and editor for some of the bestselling newspapers, magazines and websites in the US and UK.

She is also a qualified L3 personal trainer and weight loss advisor, and helps women over 40 navigate menopause by improving their physical and mental strength. At Maddy Biddulph Personal Training, she runs one-to-one and small group training for menopausal women who want to get fit to ease symptoms and feel like themselves again.