Equipment
Dumbbell Exercises
Each side works on its own, which exposes and then fixes imbalances a barbell lets you hide. They also allow ranges of motion a fixed bar cannot, particularly on pressing.
The catch is the increments: jumping from 20 to 22.5 kg is a big relative step. Chase reps to the top of your range first, then take the jump and start again at the bottom.
74 dumbbell exercises in Gym Journal
39 compound and 35 isolation, each with a default rep range and rest interval already set. Everything here is in the free app.
| Exercise | Muscle | Type | Reps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alternate Hammer Curlalso Forearms | Biceps | isolation | 10–15 |
| Alternate Incline Dumbbell Curl | Biceps | isolation | 10–15 |
| Alternating Deltoid Raisealso Traps | Shoulders | isolation | 10–15 |
| Arnold Dumbbell Pressalso Triceps | Shoulders | compound | 8–12 |
| Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Rowalso Lats, Biceps | Upper back | compound | 8–12 |
| Bent-Arm Dumbbell Pulloveralso Chest, Triceps | Lats | compound | 8–12 |
| Bulgarian Split Squatsalso Glutes, Hamstrings, Calves | Quads | compound | 8–12 |
| Calf Raise With Dumbbells | Calves | isolation | 10–15 |
| Chest Supported Dumbbell Rowalso Lats, Biceps | Upper back | compound | 8–12 |
| Chest Supported Y Raisealso Upper back, Traps | Shoulders | isolation | 12–20 |
| Close-Grip Dumbbell Pressalso Chest, Shoulders | Triceps | compound | 8–12 |
| Concentration Curl | Biceps | isolation | 10–15 |
| Cross Body Hammer Curlalso Forearms | Biceps | isolation | 10–15 |
| Crossover Reverse Lungealso Glutes, Hamstrings, Calves | Quads | compound | 8–12 |
| Cuban Pressalso Traps | Shoulders | compound | 8–12 |
| DB Floor Pressalso Triceps, Shoulders | Chest | compound | 8–12 |
| DB Shoulder Pressalso Triceps | Shoulders | compound | 8–12 |
| DB Thrusteralso Quads, Glutes, Triceps | Shoulders | compound | 8–12 |
| Decline Dumbbell Bench Pressalso Triceps, Shoulders | Chest | compound | 8–12 |
| Decline Dumbbell Flyes | Chest | isolation | 10–15 |
| Decline Dumbbell Triceps Extension | Triceps | isolation | 10–15 |
| Dumbbell Alternate Bicep Curl | Biceps | isolation | 10–15 |
| Dumbbell Bench Press with Neutral Gripalso Triceps, Shoulders | Chest | compound | 8–12 |
| Dumbbell Bicep Curl | Biceps | isolation | 10–15 |
| Dumbbell Cleanalso Glutes, Traps, Quads | Hamstrings | compound | 8–12 |
| Dumbbell Deadliftalso Glutes, Lower back, Traps | Hamstrings | compound | 8–12 |
| Dumbbell Flies | Chest | isolation | 10–15 |
| Dumbbell Front Squatalso Glutes, Abs | Quads | compound | 8–12 |
| Dumbbell Hip Thrustalso Hamstrings | Glutes | compound | 10–15 |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raisesalso Traps | Shoulders | isolation | 10–15 |
| Dumbbell Pressalso Triceps, Shoulders | Chest | compound | 8–12 |
| Dumbbell Pulloveralso Chest, Triceps | Lats | compound | 8–12 |
| Dumbbell Rowalso Lats, Biceps | Upper back | compound | 8–12 |
| Dumbbell Scaptionalso Traps | Shoulders | isolation | 10–15 |
| Dumbbell Shrugsalso Upper back | Traps | isolation | 10–15 |
| Dumbbell Side Bend | Abs | isolation | 12–20 |
| Dumbbell Skull Crusher | Triceps | isolation | 10–15 |
| Dumbbell Split Squatalso Glutes, Hamstrings | Quads | compound | 8–12 |
| Dumbbell Step Upalso Quads, Hamstrings | Glutes | compound | 8–12 |
| Dumbbell Upright Rowalso Traps, Biceps | Shoulders | compound | 10–15 |
| Dumbbell Walking Lungealso Glutes, Hamstrings, Calves | Quads | compound | 8–12 |
| Dumbbell Wrist Curl | Forearms | isolation | 10–15 |
| Dumbbell Wrist Extension | Forearms | isolation | 10–15 |
| Front Raise | Shoulders | isolation | 10–15 |
| Goblet Squatalso Glutes, Hamstrings, Calves | Quads | compound | 8–12 |
| Hammer Curlalso Forearms | Biceps | isolation | 10–15 |
| Incline Dumbbell Curl | Biceps | isolation | 10–15 |
| Incline Dumbbell Fly | Chest | isolation | 10–15 |
| Incline Dumbbell Pressalso Triceps, Shoulders | Chest | compound | 8–12 |
| Incline Dumbbell Rowalso Lats, Biceps | Upper back | compound | 8–12 |
| Incline Neutral Grip Dumbbell Pressalso Shoulders, Triceps | Chest | compound | 8–12 |
| Incline Single Arm Lateral Raise | Shoulders | isolation | 10–15 |
| Lateral Lungealso Adductors, Glutes | Quads | compound | 8–12 |
| Lungesalso Glutes, Hamstrings, Calves | Quads | compound | 8–12 |
| Plie Dumbbell Squatalso Abs, Calves, Glutes, Hamstrings | Quads | compound | 8–12 |
| Renegade Rowalso Lats, Abs, Biceps | Upper back | compound | 8–12 |
| Reverse Flyalso Shoulders | Upper back | isolation | 12–15 |
| Reverse Lungealso Glutes, Hamstrings, Calves | Quads | compound | 8–12 |
| Romanian Deadlift Dumbbellsalso Glutes, Lower back | Hamstrings | compound | 8–12 |
| Seated Bent Over Rear Delt Raise | Shoulders | isolation | 10–15 |
| Seated Dumbbell Curl | Biceps | isolation | 10–15 |
| Seated Dumbbell Triceps Extension | Triceps | isolation | 10–15 |
| Seated Lateral Raisesalso Traps | Shoulders | isolation | 10–15 |
| Shoulder Dumbbell Pressalso Triceps | Shoulders | compound | 8–12 |
| Single Arm Rowalso Lats, Biceps | Upper back | compound | 8–12 |
| Single Leg Romanian Deadliftalso Glutes, Lower back | Hamstrings | compound | 8–12 |
| Spider Curl | Biceps | isolation | 10–15 |
| Step Upalso Quads, Hamstrings | Glutes | compound | 8–12 |
| Sumo Squatalso Glutes, Hamstrings, Calves | Quads | compound | 8–12 |
| Tate Pressalso Chest, Shoulders | Triceps | isolation | 10–15 |
| Tricep Kickback | Triceps | isolation | 10–15 |
| Triceps Extensions | Triceps | isolation | 10–15 |
| Weighted Sit Up | Abs | isolation | 10–15 |
| Zottman Curlalso Forearms | Biceps | isolation | 8–12 |
Log them, and watch the numbers move
Every exercise here is in the free app, with form instructions, its own progression chart and PR tracking. No account needed to start.