25-Minute Dumbbell Workout for Beginners

How To Do A Goblet Squat

1. Stand with your feet hip width apart, holding a dumbbell vertically at your chest in a goblet-hold.
2. Inhale as you bend your knees and sit your hips back (as if sitting down in a chair). Aim for 90-degree bends at each knee, focusing on pushing your knees out (not letting them cave in). Keep your torso upright.
3. Exhale as you press through your heels to stand tall, driving your hips forward to return to standing.

How To Do A Shoulder Press and Overhead Tricep Extension

1. Begin in neutral standing position, feet shoulder width apart. Hold a single dumbbell horizontally between both hands at your chest.
2. Press the dumbbell straight overhead, locking out the elbows, performing an overhead shoulder press. Repeat, performing two shoulder presses. After completing the second shoulder press, keep the dumbbell extended straight overhead.
3. Then, bend your elbows to lower the dumbbell behind your head. Keeping your elbows close to your ears as you lower the dumbbell.
4. Then, squeeze the back of your arm (triceps) to extend the dumbbell overhead. Think “hide the dumbbell, show the dumbbell” if you were watching yourself in a mirror. Repeat, performing two tricep extensions.

How To Do Alternating Reverse Lunges

1. Stand with feet hip-distance apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
2. Step your right leg back into a reverse lunge, dropping your right knee down towards the ground as you lower your hips until both knees reach a 90-degree angle, front thigh is parallel to the floor. Lower slowly and with control.
3. Exhale, squeezing your left glute and keeping the weight in your left heel as you push up, returning to standing position.
4. Repeat on the left side, stepping your left foot back into a reverse lunge, dropping your left knee down towards the ground until both knees reach 90 degree angles.
5. Exhale, squeezing your right glute to push up and return to starting position.

Modification: Hold one dumbbell horizontally at your chest, or do this exercise with just your body weight.

How To Do 1.5 Bicep Curls

1. Start standing, feet shoulder width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing outward (underhand grip or supine curl).
2. Keeping your elbows locked by your sides, squeeze your bicep muscle to curl the weights up to shoulder-height as you exhale.
3. With control, slowly lower the dumbbells down half way, stopping when your elbows form a 90 degree angle.
4. Then curl the dumbbells back up to shoulder height.
5. And finally lower the dumbbells all the way back down to your thighs, returning to starting position.
6. Think: all the way up, halfway down, back to the top and all the way down.

How To Do A Staggered Deadlift and Back Row

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing in towards your body.
2. Stagger your feet, so your left leg is slightly in front of your right foot. Kickstand your back right foot, right heel floating off the ground. Keep 80% of your weight in your front foot, 20% in your back toe.
3. Maintain a staggered stance as you hinge at the hips. Push your hips back towards the wall behind you as you glide the dumbbells down the front of your legs.
4. Once you feel a stretch in the back of your leg, pause, and pull your elbows towards your rib cage (performing a back row). With control, lower the dumbbells back down.
5. Then, press through your front heel to push your hips forward, pulling the dumbbells back up towards your hips as you stand tall.

Modification: Hold one dumbbell in the opposite hand from your working foot.

How To Do Two Sumo Squats and Two Push Ups

1. Start in a high plank position, hands on dumbbells, core engaged. Creating a straight line from head to tailbone and heels.
2. Lower your chest towards the ground, elbows fall back towards your hips (performing a push up). Exhale as you press back up to high plank. Repeat, performing two push ups.
3. Then step your feet outside of your hands, landing in a low wide squat position (or sumo squat stance).
4. Drive through your heels to stand tall, holding one dumbbell in each hand between your legs. Perform two wide stance sumo squats, knees pushing out towards your outer three toes.
5. On the second squat, lower the dumbbells all the way down to the mat; then step or jump your feet back to high plank position.

Modification: Perform this exercise with one dumbbell or drop weight and use just your bodyweight. Place your hands on an elevated surface (couch or counter top) to reduce the intensity of the push ups.