12 Free Weight (Dumb Bell) Resistance Exercises to Work Out the Whole Body.

The Legs

Lunges: Works quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteals, hip flexors and calf muscles.

1) Stand upright with your feet a bit less than shoulder width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and hang at your sides.

2) Step forward with your left foot about 2 feet and bend the left knee about 90 degrees. As you step forward with your left foot drop your right leg down until the right knee just touches the ground.

3) Push up with your left foot and return both feet into the starting position. Repeat exercise with the same leg for a set or alternate between legs.

Points to remember:

Try to make sure your trailing leg’s knee comes into slight contact with the ground in order to get the most out of the exercise.

Keep a slight bend in the elbow when dumbbells are hanging at your side and don not lock knees when standing upright.

Keep abdominals tight and back upright.

Squats: Works the quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteals and lower back.

1) Stand upright with your feet shoulder width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and hang at your sides.

2) Bending from the knees lower yourself down until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Try to keep knees from moving in front of your toes.

3) The motion is as if you were going to sit in a chair. Backward and down. Your upper back needs to be straight with the lower back arched slightly inwards and your head kept upright.

4) Once thighs are parallel to the ground bring yourself back upright into the starting position. Repeat the exercise.

Points to remember:

Keep a slight bend in the elbows when hanging at your sides and do not lock knees when standing in an upright position.

Try not to lean forward, remember it is a backward and down motion.

Keep the abdominals tight, upper back straight and lower back slightly arched. Keep that head upright.


Seated calf raises: Works the calf muscles.

1) Sit on the edge of the bench with your feet flat on the ground about 30 cm apart.

2) Hold a dumbbell in each hand and rest on top of your thighs.

3) In this sitting position raise your heels up off the ground by using your toes until it is only your toes and the balls of your feet touching the ground. It is like standing on your tip toes except you are sitting.

4) Slowly lower your heels back down to the ground. Repeat the exercise.

Points to remember:

Keep a firm grip on those weights at all times, we don’t want then falling on your feet.

Keep your back straight and head upright.

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