The versatility of dumbbells is beyond all else. Whether you are looking to build muscle, get stronger, or just get in a quick workout, dumbbells can be an excellent option to transform the body. The content ahead dives deep into the 5 best dumbbell workouts for total body transformation that you should consider. 
The Benefits of Dumbbells
If you’re new or advanced with using dumbbells, there is always something new to try, learn, or consider. Dumbbells offer various benefits for any fitness program and can help to maximize your performance in no time. Let’s look at some of these benefits.
- More range of motion. Dumbbells are notorious for allowing essentially any range of motion. Regardless if you want a wide or small range of motion, dumbbells offer this versatility.
- Unilateral work. Perhaps one of the best reasons to incorporate dumbbells in your workout is to work each part of the body at a time. Working bicep curls? Dumbbells can make sure each arm is working independently of the other.
- Core stability. Dumbbells push the body to its limits by working a specific muscle or group at a time. However, using free weights, such as dumbbells, can shred the core due to the amount of stabilization needed with every rep.
- Progressions are smoother. Progressions are necessary in any fitness routine as this is how to grow muscle, build strength, and move through gains. Dumbbells are great for progressions as the next weight size up typically is the next level.
Programming for a Body Transformation
Establishing a program that is designed to shred and transform the body is paramount for reaching goals. The training volume is crucial for establishing muscle adaptations that are critical for creating strength gains. This means nailing down the sweet-spot of reps, sets, and weight will be important for total body transformation. Here are some potential training volume options to consider.
- Strength Volume. Strength Training is designed to target a specific area of the body and build muscle. Aim for 2-4 sets, with 8-12 reps, and moderate weight that is challenging with the final 2-3 reps to encourage strength building.
- Hypertrophy Volume. It seems the best gains are performed at 3-4 reps while in reserve with heavy weight. This reserve is what is created at the end of a set or when few reps are designed in an entire set. For this, hypertrophy training should include 3-4 sets, with low reps (about 2-8 per set), and increasing weight for best results.
- HIIT Volume. While HIIT is not a reachable goal like with strength or hypertrophy, this type of training deserves its own programming. In order to transform the body, HIIT workouts should involve high volume to truly reach goals. If your HIIT workout includes an AMRAP, challenge yourself to do high reps and heavy weight. If you have a circuit-type of format, then don’t be afraid to climb quite high with your weight to maximize results.
Best Dumbbell Exercises to Target Total Body Strength
The selection of your exercises is a big part of the equation. Here are a handful of exercises that can be added for a total body transformation.
- Dumbbell Burpees. This is a take from the original, but using dumbbells can make the exercise more challenging. Start with smaller dumbbells as you nail down your form.
- Renegade Rows. The renegade row utilizes a plank and single arm row. Use this to target the core, shoulders, glutes, and chest.
- Dumbbell Deadlift. Having a heavy set of dumbbells is definitely great for deadlifts. However, if you don’t have a large selection of equipment, you can add more reps, decrease the rest between sets, or change the tempo.
- Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat. Rather than perform a lunge, the Bulgarian split squat offers unilateral work for fast gains. While a bench is ideal for this exercise, you can utilize a platform, ledge, or step to great the back leg elevation.
- Dumbbell Thrusters. When performed with great form, thrusters target upper and lower body muscles for a full-body workout. Slow and controlled movements will help to develop numerous muscles in the upper and lower body, while HIIT programming will add more calorie burn.
- Dumbbell Chest Press. Using a stability ball can help to work the core and glutes during the chest press. If you don’t have a stability ball handy, standard, incline, or decline chest press variations can work well and changing the hand grip configuration can be crucial for gains.
- Hammer Curls. Adding hammer curls as a finisher exercise for the biceps and arms is a great way to add growth. The use of dumbbells allows for standard, hammer, and reverse grip options and changing hand configurations can excite the biceps and brachioradialis muscles for optimal growth.
- Overhead Triceps Extension. You can use one or two grip options to isolate the triceps heads, but single arm extensions add the most resistance. For shoulder limitations, a supine skull crusher can make a great alternative.
The 5 Best Dumbbell Workouts for Total Body Strength
Piecing together a workout based on dumbbell exercises that target the entire body. Here are the 5 best dumbbell workouts for total body transformation.
- Workout 1: HIIT. For this workout, there will be less time between sets, faster movements, and more volume overall.
- Complete as many rounds as possible of:
- 30 seconds of dumbbell push-ups
- Dumbbell deadlifts x 12
- Dumbbell burpees x 12
- Dumbbell Bulgarian split squat x 12
- Dumbbell thrusters x 12
- Workout 2: Strength. This workout will focus on slow and controlled movements so that you can isolate upper and lower body muscles.
- Complete 3 sets of:
- Dumbbell chest press x 12
- Dumbbell tricep extension X12
- Dumbbell bicep curls x 12
- Dumbbell squats x 12
- Dumbbell side lunges x 12
- Dumbbell shoulder lateral raises x 12
- Workout 3: Hypertrophy. Adding a hypertrophy-based workout can help to transform the body quickly. Increase your workout volume by selecting heavier weights and every set should be very challenging on the last two reps.
- Complete 4 sets of pyramid drop sets of 10, 8, 6, and 3-4 reps:
- Supine chest Fly
- Dumbbell chest press
- Dumbbell deadlifts
- Dumbbell squats
- Dumbbell single leg lunge pulses
- Dumbbell high pull
- Workout 4: Endurance. This workout will be headlined by higher reps and functional strength.
- Complete 3 sets of 12 of the following:
- Renegade rows
- Dumbbell push-ups
- Dumbbell dead bugs
- Dumbbell Bulgarian split squats
- Dumbbell Romanian deadlifts
- Dumbbell shoulder lateral raises
- Workout 5: Concentric and Eccentric Phases. This workout will focus on quicker concentric movements and slower eccentric actions for a complete muscle transformation.
- Complete 3 sets of 10 with quicker concentric and slower eccentric phases:
- Dumbbell push-ups
- Dumbbell chest press
- Dumbbell bicep curls
- Dumbbell overhead tricep extensions
- Renegade rows
- Dumbbell deadlifts
- Dumbbell Bulgarian split squats
Conclusion
Transforming your body can be a process that can come with hard work and a regular schedule. Follow along with the five workouts above to help guide you through various ways to tone, build, and grow more muscle.
Resources
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10426227
