Dumbbell only full body workout

If you’re looking for a full body blast, then this is the workout for you. This dumbbell only workout is designed to challenge your upper body, lower body and your abs too. It’s packed full of compound movements and also has a couple of unilateral movements – such as the single arm snatch – to help develop coordination and muscular balance. 

1. Single Arm Snatch To Reverse Lunge

This is an accumulator so you will start at 2 reps of each exercise and work your way up to 10 reps adding 2 reps on every time.

1. Start with your legs hip-width apart with the dumbbell in between
2. Take the dumbbell from the floor and snatch it up the front of the body, driving to the top of the overhead extension position
3. Once you’ve completed the snatch drive the leg back into that lunge position whilst keeping the dumbbell overhead
4. Place the opposite arm out to the side to help stabilise yourself and counterbalance the weight
5. Repeat and keep your core engaged throughout

2. Pulsing Goblet Squats – 20 reps x 3 sets

• Start by positioning your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, rotated to approximately a 45-degree angle
• Complete one squat, followed by four squat pulses
• Keep the dumbbell close to your midline, tuck the elbows in and avoid bringing it away from your body
• Make sure that your knees are tracking over your toes so they don’t cave in
• Keep your abs braced and sit nice and tall throughout

3. Single Leg Romanian Deadlift – 12 reps on each leg x 3 sets

• Stagger your legs, with your back leg acting as a stabiliser throughout the movement
• Hinge at the hip and move the dumbbells down your thighs
• Feel the stretch in your hamstring and then return back to standing
• Keep the weight close to the centre throughout and squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement

4A. Dumbbell Ski Swings – 10 reps x 3 sets

• Start with your feet hip-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand
• Push the hips back and swing the dumbbells behind you
• Explosively thrust forward your hips whilst swinging the dumbbells to the front
• Remember to squeeze your glutes in the drive for power generation

4B. Push Press – 10 reps x 3 sets

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and front rack the dumbbells up to your the shoulders
• Dip into a shallow squat keeping your core engaged
• Explosively push up through your legs and shoulders and drive the dumbbells up above your head
• Lock out safely, and keep the weight directly above the shoulder joint

Looking for more dumbbell only workouts to try? We've shared a full body dumbbell only workout for beginners here. You can also find more workouts you can try from our Back to Gym series here.