Be sure to use a comfortable surface below your elbows, & keep your core tight & engaged throughout the entire exercise.
About this workout
Morning Full Dumbbell Builder 💪 is a free 42 min workout plan with 6 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.
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 Morning Full Dumbbell Builder 💪 take?
The full workout takes about 42 minutes, covering 6 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 glutes & hip flexors, quadriceps, shoulders, chest, abs. 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.
More free core, quadriceps, triceps and abs workouts
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.
Hold a kettlebell in your left hand and bring it to the center of your body. Throughout this movement, be sure to keep your abdominals braced and your gaze straight ahead.
Begin the movement by bending at the knees then driving yourself up as you pull the kettlebell up. At the top, rotate the wrist so the kettlebell flips to the other side of your hand.
Bend at the knees again with a slight lowering of the hips then drive yourself back up to create momentum. Push the kettlebell straight overhead. Carefully bring the weight down and repeat.
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.
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.
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.
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.