- Hold a dumbbell in your left hand with an overhand grip. Stand in place with your feet at shoulder-width. Tighten your core and keep your shoulders back.
- Begin the movement by walking forward. Contract your obliques and abs as you move.
- Once you reach the prescribed distance, turn around and begin again. Once you reach the starting point, switch arms.
Dumbbell Full-Body Functional: Pure Strength
50 min
·
11 exercises
An intermediate dumbbell full-body functional strength workout for serious muscle gain and tone. Each exercise hits multiple muscles at once—compound training: check. Fat burn: check. Aches and pains (in a good way): check!
Take hold of 2 dumbbells that give you a slight challenge and walk for 30 seconds! Nice and steady.
0:30 rest
Spend 3 seconds lowering and 3 seconds pushing yourself back up.
0:30 rest
Almost ready to go?
0:30 rest
8 reps per leg per set. Aim to make these a little uncomfortable with the resistance amount.
0:45 rest
Another 8 reps per side per set. Those last 2 - 4 reps should really push you!
0:45 rest
The burn is real! 8 per side per set!
0:45 rest
Control these and aim to use a weight that creates a point of failure at 12 reps.
0:45 rest
Allow the weight to extend your upper body fully. Big pulls!
0:45 rest
Alternate those arms here, and keep that raised arm strong and controlled.
0:45 rest
Reduce that weight and burn out with these. Watch your chin!
0:45 rest
Here we go! Work on your form here, use a light weight, and own every squat.
About this workout
Dumbbell Full-Body Functional: Pure Strength is a free 50 min workout plan with 11 illustrated exercises for your core, quadriceps, triceps and abs. Follow the workout online, save it to your WorkoutLabs Fit account or download it as a printable PDF.
Tap any exercise in the workout to see the muscles worked, clear exercise illustrations and step-by-step instructions. Each workout includes sets, reps, rest times and notes so you can follow the plan without guessing.
Workout details
- Duration: 50 min
- Exercises: 11
- Training focus: Core, quadriceps, triceps and abs
- Equipment: Dumbbells
- Level: Intermediate
- Format: Interactive workout and printable PDF
For more ready-made training plans, try WorkoutLabs Fit. You can follow visual workouts, build your own routines, manage your training calendar and track your progress. Sign up today to claim your free week.
Questions about this workout
What equipment do I need for this workout?
You'll need dumbbells for this workout. Tap any exercise to see form instructions and possible substitutions if a piece of equipment isn't available.
How long does the Dumbbell Full-Body Functional: Pure Strength take?
The full workout takes about 50 minutes, covering 11 exercises with prescribed sets, reps and rest periods. Using the built-in timers and auto-advance keeps you on pace from start to finish.
Is this workout suitable for my fitness level?
This is an intermediate workout, best suited to people with some training experience. Beginners can still follow it by reducing the weight, doing fewer sets or resting longer between sets – each exercise includes illustrated form instructions.
What muscles does this workout target?
This routine primarily works your obliques, chest, glutes & hip flexors, quadriceps, shoulders, hamstrings. Tap any exercise in the workout to see a muscle diagram showing exactly which primary and secondary muscles it activates.
How often should I do this workout?
For gain muscle, get toned, aim to do this workout 2–3 times per week with at least one rest day between sessions. Progress by gradually adding weight or reps, and pair it with workouts for other muscle groups during the week.
Can I download or save this workout?
Yes – you can download this workout as a free printable PDF using the download button, or save it to a free WorkoutLabs Fit account to follow it on your phone, customize the exercises and track your progress.
Dumbbell Full-Body Functional: Pure Strength
50 min
·
11 exercises
An intermediate dumbbell full-body functional strength workout for serious muscle gain and tone. Each exercise hits multiple muscles at once—compound training: check. Fat burn: check. Aches and pains (in a good way): check!
Single Arm Dumbbell Carry
Take hold of 2 dumbbells that give you a slight challenge and walk for 30 seconds! Nice and steady.
Primary muscle group(s):
Obliques
Secondary:
Abs, Calves, Glutes & Hip Flexors, Quadriceps, Shoulders
Primary muscle group(s):
Forearms, Neck & Upper Traps, Shoulders
Secondary:
Abs, Calves, Hamstrings, Quadriceps
- Place a pair of dumbbells or kettlebells at your feet. Brace your core and keep your chest up as you kneel down. Pick the dumbbells up, maintaining your form and keeping your gaze straight ahead.
- Standing up, walk forward in a straight line, holding the dumbbells at your sides.
- The trick is to use very heavy dumbbells. Walk as far as you can then set the weights down. Take a short break and repeat going back the other way.
Knee Push-ups
Spend 3 seconds lowering and 3 seconds pushing yourself back up.
Primary muscle group(s):
Chest
Secondary:
Abs, Shoulders, Triceps
- Come to the ground on your knees. Tighten your core and maintain a flat back.
- Position your hands on the ground in front of you, directly below your shoulders. Cross your feet in the back.
- Lower your chest towards the ground. Bend your elbows at a 60-degree angle until your chest is just above the ground. You should feel a stretch across your chest. Hold for a count of one.
- Without locking your elbows, push yourself back to the starting position by straightening your arms.
Primary muscle group(s):
Chest
Secondary:
Abs, Shoulders, Triceps
- Place a pair of dumbbells on the floor. Lie on your back in between the dumbbells. Bend your knees and move your feet towards your butt.
- Grab the dumbbells and hold them above you. Allow your upper arms to remain on the floor. Begin the movement by pushing the dumbbells over your chest. Pause at the top and squeeze your chest muscles.
- Slowly bring the weights down to the starting position, allowing your arms to rest for a brief moment before beginning the next repetition.
Primary muscle group(s):
Chest
Secondary:
Abs, Shoulders, Triceps
- Get into position by placing your hands flat on the floor, directly below your shoulders.
- Extend your legs out behind you, with only your toes and balls of your feet touching the floor.
- Hold your body up and keep your back straight by tightening your abdominal muscles.
- Your neck and head should be bent slightly back.
- Lower your chest towards the ground by bending your elbows until your chest is just above the ground or you feel a stretching of your chest and shoulders. Hold for a count of one.
- Press upwards from your chest and shoulders, straightening your arms as you return to the starting position. Hold for a count of one.
- Repeat.
Dumbbell Squat Clean and Press
Almost ready to go?
Primary muscle group(s):
Glutes & Hip Flexors, Quadriceps, Shoulders
Secondary:
Hamstrings, Lower Back
- With dumbbells at your sides, stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and fee pointing slightly outward. Look straight ahead.
- Squat down until your upper legs are parallel with the floor by bending your knees, keep your back straight.
- With an explosive but controlled movement, push up through your heels and press the dumbbells above your head as you return to standing position.
- Still standing, slowly lower the dumbbells down to your chest and then down to your sides by extending your arms.
- Repeat.
Primary muscle group(s):
Shoulders
Secondary:
Calves, Glutes & Hip Flexors, Hamstrings, Lower Back, Quadriceps
- Shoulder-width stance. Tight core and flat back. Bend at the knees and hips. Lower yourself. Arms fully extended. Chest up and gaze straight ahead.
- Bring knees in and shoulders up. Drive hips forward. Keep the bar close to your body. Forcefully exhale and perform a full extension of the knees and hips.
- Use the momentum to bring elbows high. Rotate your elbows around and under the bar. Rack the bar across the front of your shoulders.
- Press the barbell above your head. Lower the bar.
Primary muscle group(s):
Glutes & Hip Flexors, Quadriceps, Shoulders
Secondary:
Hamstrings, Lower Back
- With water bottles at your sides, stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and feet pointing slightly outward. Look straight ahead.
- Squat down until your upper legs are parallel with the floor by bending your knees, keep your back straight.
- With an explosive but controlled movement, push up through your heels and press the water bottles above your head as you return to standing position.
- Still standing, slowly lower the water bottles down to your chest and then down to your sides by extending your arms.
- Repeat.
Single Straight Leg Dumbbell Deadlift
8 reps per leg per set. Aim to make these a little uncomfortable with the resistance amount.
Primary muscle group(s):
Hamstrings
Secondary:
Abs, Calves, Glutes & Hip Flexors
- Stand tall with a tight core while holding a pair of dumbbells. Keeping your chest up and your gaze straight ahead, shift all of your bodyweight to your left foot. Bend the right knee, allowing the right foot to lift off the ground.
- Maintaining a flat back, tilt your upper body forward. Do not allow the dumbbells to pull you down. Control your descent. Simultaneously, allow the right foot to counterbalance the shift in weight.
- Feel the contraction in your hamstrings and pause once your upper body is parallel with the ground. Slowly return to the starting position.
Primary muscle group(s):
Glutes & Hip Flexors, Lower Back
Secondary:
Abs, Calves, Hamstrings, Quadriceps
- Place two dumbbells on the floor.
- Stand facing the dumbbells with your feet shoulder width apart.
- Bend knees and hips to lower your torso in a squatting movement,keep your back straight.
- At the bottom of the squat grip the dumbbells with an overhand grip,keeping your arms fully extended.
- Return to an upright position holding the dumbbells with your palms facing towards your body and extending your hips forward. Do not round your back.
- Return the dumbbells to the floor in the same manner you picked them up.
- Repeat.
Primary muscle group(s):
Glutes & Hip Flexors, Hamstrings
Secondary:
Lower Back
- Holding the handles of the resistance band, step on to the middle. Place your feet at shoulder-width with toes pointing forward. Tighten your core and keep your chest up.
- Bend your knees slightly and drive your hips back but NOT lower than your knees. Again, keep the chest up. This is the starting position.
- Forcefully contract your glutes, driving them forward. Do not just lean back. Your glutes should be fully contracted. Pause then return to the starting position.
Dumbbell Snatch
Another 8 reps per side per set. Those last 2 - 4 reps should really push you!
Primary muscle group(s):
Upper Back & Lower Traps
Secondary:
Glutes & Hip Flexors, Quadriceps
- Stand over a dumbbell with your feet placed slightly wider than hip width apart either side of the dumbbell.
- Squat down and take a firm grip of the dumbbell; ensure that your shoulders are positioned upright, keeping your back straight and eyes straight ahead.
- Explosively lift the dumbbell by extending your hips from the squatting position and allow the dumbbell to travel along upward and close to your body.
- As the dumbbell reaches your hip level, shrug your lifting shoulder and pull the dumbbell upwards keeping the same line of trajectory if viewed from the side.
- Bending your working elbow and allowing the dumbbell to extend overhead, slightly squat your body below so that your position is semi-squatted with your working arm fully extended above your head.
- Maintaining a solid grip on the now overhead dumbbell, drive your feet into the floor and rise upwards from the semi-squatting position to complete the lift.
This exercise is a complicated explosive lift. If attempting for the first time, start with a light dumbbell for form practice. Ideally, do so with a qualified trainer present.
Lunge with Bicep Hammer Curls
The burn is real! 8 per side per set!
Primary muscle group(s):
Glutes & Hip Flexors, Hamstrings, Quadriceps
Secondary:
Abs, Calves, Lower Back
- Stand tall while holding a pair of dumbbells at your sides with an overhand grip. Your feet should be at shoulder-width. Tighten your core and carefully step forward with your left leg.
- Bend the left knee forward while dropping the right knee towards the ground. Once your left thigh is parallel with the ground, pause and contract the hamstrings.
- Keep your upper arms at your sides as you curl the dumbbell up and towards your shoulder, and rotate them into a hammer position. Slowly lower the dumbbells then kick off the floor with your left foot to return to the starting position. Repeat on the right side. Continue alternating.
Dumbbell Deadlifts
Control these and aim to use a weight that creates a point of failure at 12 reps.
Primary muscle group(s):
Glutes & Hip Flexors, Lower Back
Secondary:
Abs, Calves, Hamstrings, Quadriceps
- Place two dumbbells on the floor.
- Stand facing the dumbbells with your feet shoulder width apart.
- Bend knees and hips to lower your torso in a squatting movement,keep your back straight.
- At the bottom of the squat grip the dumbbells with an overhand grip,keeping your arms fully extended.
- Return to an upright position holding the dumbbells with your palms facing towards your body and extending your hips forward. Do not round your back.
- Return the dumbbells to the floor in the same manner you picked them up.
- Repeat.
Primary muscle group(s):
Lower Back
Secondary:
Abs, Calves, Forearms, Glutes & Hip Flexors, Hamstrings, Quadriceps, Upper Back & Lower Traps
- Place a barbell in a clear space on the floor. (Make sure there are no obstructions in your way.
- Stand facing the barbell with your legs about 4-6 inches from the bar.
- Place your feet shoulder width apart.Your feet can be pointed straight ahead or turned outwards slightly.
- Squat down, keeping your back straight and grip the bar with an overhand grip at shoulder width.
- Keep your arms fully extended and stand up with the barbell.
- As you lift the barbell, your hips and shoulders should rise together and your back should be straight.
- As you reach the top of the lift and are standing straight, rotate your shoulders back slightly until you feel a slight stretch in them.
- Lower the barbell back to the floor in the same squatting motion you used to lift it.
This exercise can be very dangerous if performed incorrectly. If you are a novice, only perform this exercise with an experienced trainer's supervision.
Primary muscle group(s):
Glutes & Hip Flexors, Hamstrings
Secondary:
Lower Back
- Holding the handles of the resistance band, step on to the middle. Place your feet at shoulder-width with toes pointing forward. Tighten your core and keep your chest up.
- Bend your knees slightly and drive your hips back but NOT lower than your knees. Again, keep the chest up. This is the starting position.
- Forcefully contract your glutes, driving them forward. Do not just lean back. Your glutes should be fully contracted. Pause then return to the starting position.
Dumbbell Pullovers
Allow the weight to extend your upper body fully. Big pulls!
Primary muscle group(s):
Chest, Upper Back & Lower Traps
Secondary:
Abs, Shoulders, Triceps
- Lie with your upper back perpendicular on a bench.
- Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor and flex your hips so that your body is in line.
- Grasp a dumbbell between your hands under the inner plate, palms facing up.
- Position the weight over your chest with your elbows slightly bent.
- Keep your elbows bent as you lower the dumbbell over your head until your upper arms are in line with your torso.
- To return to the starting position, pull the dumbbell up and over your chest.
Try to avoid raising your hips and maintain a small bend in your elbows throughout the movement.
Primary muscle group(s):
Abs, Chest, Shoulders, Upper Back & Lower Traps
Secondary:
Biceps, Forearms, Triceps
- With slightly bent knees and a tight core, hold a medicine ball in front of you at hip-level.
- Begin by raising the medicine ball upward above your head with both hands.
- Keeping your elbows bent, forcefully throw the ball at the ground.
- Catch the ball as it bounces back up, and bring it back up above your head.
- Repeat this slam and catch movement.
Alternating Dumbbell Press
Alternate those arms here, and keep that raised arm strong and controlled.
Primary muscle group(s):
Chest
Secondary:
Triceps
- Lie on a flat bench holding a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip.
- Start by holding the dumbbells slightly wider than shoulder-width apart above your shoulders. Your palms should be facing forward.
- Keeping your right arm stationary, slowly bend your left elbow until it reaches a 90-degree angle and your upper left arm is parallel to the ground.
- Push the weight back up by contracting your chest and straightening your arm.
- Repeat the same motion with your right arm while now keeping your left arm locked in position.
Upright Dumbbell Rows
Reduce that weight and burn out with these. Watch your chin!
Primary muscle group(s):
Shoulders
Secondary:
Abs, Biceps, Forearms, Upper Back & Lower Traps
- Holding a dumbbell in each hand,stand with your feet shoulder width apart.
- The dumbbells should be resting on your thighs with your palms facing in.
- Lift the dumbbells straight up in single smooth movement until they are just below your chin making sure to keep your shoulders back and your elbows out.
- At the top of the movement, flex or squeeze your biceps and forearms. Hold for a count of one.
- Return to the starting position slowly to keep tension on the muscles.
- Repeat.
This exercise can be performed using a barbell,EZ bar or a cable station with a straight bar or EZ bar attachment.
Primary muscle group(s):
Shoulders
Secondary:
Abs, Neck & Upper Traps
- Stand with your back straight, holding a barbell with an overhand grip slightly less than shoulder width apart.
- The bar should be level with the tops of your thighs.
- Keep your arms extended with a slight bend at the elbows. This is the start position.
- Exhale and using the sides of your shoulders lift the bar.
- As you do so, raise your elbows up and out to the side.
- Keep the bar close to your body as you raise it.
- Continue lifting the bar until it is just below your chin. Pause for a count of one.
- Return to the start position in a single smooth movement. Inhale as you do so.
- Repeat.
This exercise can be performed using a straight bar attached to a low pulley or using dumbbells.
Primary muscle group(s):
Shoulders
Secondary:
Abs, Upper Back & Lower Traps
- Attach a straight bar to the low pulley on the cable station.
- Stand facing the station with your feet shoulder width apart either side of the pulley.
- Grip the bar with an overhand grip, with your hands shoulder width apart and arms fully extended.
- Keep your shoulders back.
- Raise the bar straight up in one smooth movement, until it is just below your chin.
- Hold for a count of one while squeezing your biceps and forearms.
- Slowly lower to the start position and repeat.
Overhead Dumbbell Squats
Here we go! Work on your form here, use a light weight, and own every squat.
Primary muscle group(s):
Glutes & Hip Flexors, Quadriceps
Secondary:
Shoulders, Upper Back & Lower Traps
- Place a firm grip on two appropriately weighted dumbbells. Before driving the dumbbells above your head, make sure that your core is tight and your chest is up.
- Push the dumbbells straight above your head, locking out your elbows.
- Once you feel stabilized, slowly bend the knees and drive your hips backwards, maintaining a tight, solid core as you do so.
- Once your upper thighs become parallel with the ground, slowly push back up, returning to the starting position. Be sure to keep those dumbbells fixed overhead throughout the entire movement.
This, like all overhead weighted movements, should be performed in a controlled environment. Be sure to check the weight before attempting, if working with an adjustable dumbbell ensure all is locked tightly into place.
Primary muscle group(s):
Glutes & Hip Flexors, Quadriceps
Secondary:
Hamstrings, Shoulders
- Place a firm grip on an appropriately weighted plate. Before driving the plate above your head, make sure that your core is tight, your chest is up, and your grip is solid.
- Push the plate straight above your head, locking out your elbows.
- Once you feel stabilized, slowly bend the knees and drive your hips backwards, maintaining a tight, solid core as you do so.
- Once your upper thighs become parallel with the ground, slowly push back up, returning to the starting position. Be sure to keep that plate fixed overhead throughout the entire movement.
This, like all overhead weighted movements, should be performed in a controlled environment. Be sure to check the weight before attempting, if working with an adjustable dumbbell ensure all is locked tightly into place, and your hands are dry.
Primary muscle group(s):
Glutes & Hip Flexors, Quadriceps, Shoulders
Secondary:
Hamstrings, Lower Back, Middle Back / Lats, Upper Back & Lower Traps
- Place a firm grip on two water bottles. Before driving the water bottles above your head, make sure that your core is tight and your chest is up.
- Push the water bottles straight above your head, locking out your elbows.
- Once you feel stabilized, slowly bend the knees and drive your hips backwards, maintaining a tight, solid core as you do so.
- Once your upper thighs become parallel with the ground, slowly push back up, returning to the starting position. Be sure to keep those water bottles fixed overhead throughout the entire movement.
This, like all overhead weighted movements, should be performed in a controlled environment. Be sure to check the weight before attempting.
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