We don’t always have access to a full gym with fancy machines and all the equipment we could ever want. Maybe you’re traveling and stuck with a minimal hotel gym, or you can’t make it to the gym one day and have to improvise at home. No matter where life finds you, having a single dumbbell is more than enough equipment to get in a productive full-body workout. Speed and performance coach Judd Lienhard shared exactly how he uses one dumbbell to implement a variety of movement patterns, targeting several muscle groups in a time-efficient workout.
“Buy one dumbbell that’s about 50 percent of your body weight before you buy a pair,” Lienhard suggests. “And also, buy a dumbbell that’s about 15 to 20 percent of your body weight. So, buy two dumbbells at those weights, and it’s going to let you do a lot of exercises.”
Having a heavier dumbbell is ideal for challenging the larger muscles of the lower body, while a lighter one is useful for upper body exercises and movements that require more control. Below, Lienhard shares what he calls one of his favorite workouts of all time, originally posted to his YouTube channel. Give it a try next time you’ve only got a single dumbbell available.
Full-Body Single-Dumbbell Workout
How to Do Dumbbell Pendulum Squats
- Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width, holding a dumbbell with both hands in front of your body and between your knees.
- Bend your knees and push your hips back to lower into a deep squat, keeping your chest lifted and your weight through your feet.
- Drive through your feet to return to standing.
How to Do Single-Arm Dumbbell High Pulls
- Stand holding a dumbbell in one hand with your arm extended in front of your thigh.
- Slightly bend your knees and hinge at your hips, then explosively extend your hips and pull the dumbbell upward toward your shoulder, leading with your elbow.
- Lower the dumbbell under control to the starting position and complete your reps before switching arms.
How to Do Single-Arm Dumbbell Snatches
- Stand holding a dumbbell in one hand between your legs with your knees slightly bent.
- Drive through your feet and explosively extend your hips to propel the dumbbell overhead, guiding it close to your body as you straighten your arm.
- Bring the dumbbell up overhead, then lower under control to the starting position and repeat before switching arms.
How to Do Single-Arm Dumbbell Incline Presses
- Lie on an incline bench with your feet flat on the floor, holding a dumbbell in one hand at chest level with your palm facing forward.
- Press the dumbbell overhead until your arm is extended, keeping your core braced and your torso stable against the bench.
- Slowly lower the dumbbell to chest level, complete your reps, and switch arms.
How to Do Single-Arm Dumbbell Rows
- Place one hand and the same-side knee on a flat bench, keeping your back flat and holding a dumbbell in your opposite hand with your arm extended.
- Pull the dumbbell toward your hip, keeping your elbow close to your body and avoiding twisting your torso.
- Lower the dumbbell until your arm is extended, complete your reps, and switch sides.
How to Do Contralateral Bulgarian Split Squats
- Stand a couple of feet in front of a bench with your back foot resting on it, holding a dumbbell in the hand opposite your front leg.
- Bend your front knee and lower your hips toward the floor, keeping your chest upright and your front foot flat on the ground.
- Drive through your front foot to return to standing, complete your reps, and switch legs and dumbbell hands.
How to Do Hip Flexor Situps
- Sit on a flat bench with both knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
- Engage your core and lean back, bending one knee and bringing it up towards your chest as you maintain a neutral spine.
- Return to the start. Complete all reps on one side before switching legs.
How to Do Single-Leg Hip Thrusts
- Sit with your upper back against a bench and both feet planted firmly on the floor. Set the dumbbell up on one thigh.
- Drive through one foot to raise your hips until your torso and thigh form a straight line, keeping your core braced.
- Pause briefly at the top, then lower your hips under control and complete your reps before switching legs.
How to Do Half-Kneeling Single-Leg RDLs
- Start in a half-kneeling position on a flat bench. One knee should be on the bench, and the opposite foot should be planted on the ground, holding a dumbbell in the outside hand.
- Keeping your back flat and your core engaged, hinge at your hips and reach the dumbbell toward the floor.
- Squeeze your glutes to return to the starting position, complete your reps, and switch sides.
How to Do Single-Arm Dumbbell Lateral Raises
- Stand holding a dumbbell in one hand at your side with your palm facing inward.
- With a slight bend in your elbow, raise your arm out to the side until the dumbbell reaches shoulder height.
- Slowly lower the dumbbell to your side, complete your reps, and switch arms.
Experts
- Judd Lienhard, a speed and performance coach, via YouTube: The Ultimate Full-Body Workout With Just ONE Dumbbell
