Dumbbell
A short handheld weight used for strength and fitness training.
Overview
A dumbbell is a short bar with a weight at each end, designed to be held in one hand. It can be used singly or in pairs and allows each arm to work independently through a wide range of exercises.
Dumbbells come in fixed weights or adjustable versions, making them one of the most versatile pieces of gym and home-fitness equipment.
Good to know
- Used singly or as a matched pair.
- Lets each arm work independently.
- Available in fixed and adjustable versions.
Where it’s used
Sports that use dumbbell:
Fitness
Strength and general fitness training — the foundation that supports every other sport.
Weightlifting
A technical strength sport built around lifting a loaded barbell overhead with speed and control.
Functional Fitness
Varied, whole-body training built around everyday movement patterns like squatting, lifting and carrying.
Bodybuilding
Resistance training focused on building muscle size, symmetry and definition through consistent effort.
How it connects
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Used with
Turns up alongside this across the same sports.
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Beginner guides
- Your First Fitness Session: What to Expect and How to Enjoy ItA friendly, no-pressure guide to walking into your first fitness session at a gym or studio, so you know what happens and can focus on moving well rather than lifting heavy.
- Your first football sessionA warm, practical picture of what actually happens when you turn up to your very first football session — how it runs, what surprises beginners, and how to enjoy it without any pressure.
Exercises
- Goblet squatA squat variation where you hold a single weight close to your chest for balance and control.
- LungeA single-leg movement where you step forward and bend both knees to lower your body.
- Bulgarian split squatA single-leg squat where the back foot is raised on a bench behind you.
- Step-upA movement where you step up onto a raised platform one leg at a time and step back down.
- Romanian deadliftA hinge variation focused on the back of the legs, lowering the weight without returning it to the floor.
Training methods
- Circuit TrainingCircuit training moves you through a series of stations back to back with little rest, blending strength and cardio into one time-efficient session.
- Strength TrainingStrength training uses resistance — bodyweight, bands or weights — to challenge your muscles so they gradually adapt and get stronger over time.
- Hypertrophy TrainingHypertrophy training is resistance work structured to encourage muscle growth, typically using moderate repetitions and a steady, controlled tempo.
- Cross-TrainingCross-training mixes different activities into your routine so you build all-round fitness and give repeatedly-used muscles a change of stimulus.
- Interval TrainingInterval training alternates short bursts of harder effort with easier recovery periods, letting you accumulate more quality work than a single continuous push.
Muscle groups
- ChestThe broad muscles across the front of the ribcage that push the arms forward and across the body.
- ShouldersThe rounded muscles capping the shoulder joint that lift and rotate the arms in every direction.
- BicepsThe muscles on the front of the upper arm that bend the elbow and turn the forearm.
- ForearmsThe muscles of the lower arm that move the wrist and fingers and drive grip strength.
Training plans
- Beginner Full-Body WeekA general example of a simple full-body week that spreads a push, a pull, a lower-body movement and some core evenly across three unhurried sessions.
- Beginner Strength WeekA general example week for someone learning the basic strength movements, built around a few short, technique-focused sessions with plenty of rest.
- General Fitness WeekA balanced example week that mixes some cardio, a little strength and gentle mobility for well-rounded, all-round fitness.
- Three-Day Split ExampleA general example of a simple three-day training split that divides the week into a few focused sessions with rest built in between.
- Home Bodyweight WeekA general example week of short, equipment-free bodyweight sessions you can do at home, built from simple movements like squats, push-ups and planks.
Training guides
- How to start strength trainingStarting strength training means gradually introducing resistance movements and learning good form before doing anything more demanding.
- Bodyweight training basicsBodyweight training uses your own body as resistance, making it a simple and accessible way to build strength almost anywhere.
- How to track progress simplyTracking progress simply means keeping a light, low-effort record of your training so you can see how far you have come.
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How this page is maintained
- Content type
- Equipment
- Provenance
- Tier A — evergreen educational
- Verified external sources
- 0
- Content updated
- 2026-07-09
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