Full Body Workouts 10 Dumbbell Exercises for Fat Burn By Chris Freytag Chris Freytag Chris Freytag is an ACE-certified group fitness instructor, personal trainer, and health coach. She is also the founder of GetHealthyU.com. Learn about our editorial process Updated on May 03, 2024 Reviewed Verywell Fit articles are reviewed by nutrition and exercise professionals. Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Tara Laferrara, CPT Reviewed by Tara Laferrara, CPT Tara Laferrara is a certified NASM personal trainer, yoga teacher, and fitness coach. She also created her own online training program, the TL Method. Learn about our Review Board Print There's a common misconception that if we aren’t jumping around the room, racing on a bike, or sprinting down a running path we aren’t being efficient. Using dumbbells is an accessible, simple way to burn fat and get a great workout. A few reasons to incorporate dumbbell exercises into your workouts include: Resistance training to fatigue creates a breakdown in muscle tissue, making muscle come build back stronger and leaner. Strength training increases muscle density, which helps to burn fat while at rest—not just during your workout. There is such a thing as the post-workout burn, where your body continues to burn calories at a higher rate after your strength training session. Verywell / Ben Goldstein Dumbbell Exercises for Weight Loss Plank to upright rowSquat thrusterForward lunge bicep curlCross behind lunge lateral curlDeadliftLateral curlRenegade rowPlie V raiseSide-to-side squat and swingSurrendersLeg loop Dumbbell Exercises for Fat Burn This workout is not your average strength training session. By multitasking your muscle use and incorporating powerlifting and a bit of cardio, you end up with a high calorie and fat burn. Most of these moves are full-body, including dumbbell exercises for belly fat. Try eight reps of each exercise initially and work your way up to 12 reps.The weight of your dumbbells is relative to your strength, but after your eight reps, you should feel your muscles burning. Challenge yourself with varying sets of dumbbells to work with heavier and lighter weights. 1 Plank to Upright Row Verywell / Ben Goldstein Start in a plank position with arms and legs long, hands shoulder-distance apart holding dumbbells. Walk or jump both feet outside your hands coming into a low squat like you're sitting back into a chair. Press your weight back onto your heels. Squeeze your glutes and come to standing. Perform an upright row by pulling the dumbbells up slowly to chest height, letting elbows point out to the sides as you lift the dumbbells. Release arms back down with control. Targets: Core, glutes, chest, arms, shoulders 2 Squat Thruster Verywell / Ben Goldstein Start standing with feet hip-distance apart and lower into a squat position by bending your knees. Keep your spine straight, chest lifted, and knees behind your toes. The elbows are bent and dumbbells are at shoulder height. Using your lower body, thrust up to standing and press the dumbbells overhead extending your arms long.Lower back to the starting position Targets: Shoulders, glutes, hamstrings 3 Forward Lunge Biceps Curl Verywell / Ben Goldstein Stand tall with your feet hip-distance apart. Take a large step forward with one foot and lower your body toward the floor. Both legs should be bent at a 90-degree angle at the bottom of the lunge. Bring weights in toward your shoulders to complete the biceps curl then push off with the front foot and return to start. Repeat on the other side. Targets: Quads, hamstrings, glutes, biceps 5 Dumbbell Leg Exercises to Workout Every Muscle 4 Cross Behind Lunge Lateral Curl Verywell / Ben Goldstein Begin in a standing position with feet shoulder-width apart and dumbbells in hands alongside the legs. Cross your right foot behind your left leg landing on the ball of your back foot with both knees bent.Step your right foot back to the starting position and lengthen your arms out to your side with a slight bend in the elbow.Slowly lower the arms back to your sides and repeat with your left foot stepping back. Targets: Quads, glutes, back, shoulders 5 Deadlift Verywell / Ben Goldstein Begin this dumbbell exercise in a standing position with your feet hip-distance apart and the weights resting in front of your thighs. Tighten your abdominals and keep a flat back as you bend your knees slightly, lowering the dumbbells toward the floor.Squeeze your glutes and use your hamstrings and legs to lift and return to your upright position. Targets: Glutes, hamstrings 6 Renegade Row Verywell / Ben Goldstein Begin this dumbbell exercise in a full plank position with the weights in your hands and arms extended while balancing on your toes (a kneeling variation is fine if you are not able to do a full plank). Engage your abdominals drawing the belly inward toward your spine. Pull the right dumbbell up toward your right hip bone keeping the weight close to your side. Slowly return it to the floor and repeat with the left dumbbell. Targets: Triceps, core, back 7 Plie V Raise Verywell / Ben Goldstein For this dumbbell exercise, stand with weights in your hands and your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, toes turned out. Bend your knees lowering down into a deep plié.Squeeze your glutes and straighten your legs to come to a standing position.Tighten your abdominals and lift your arms up and out forming a V shape.Lower your arms to return to the starting position. Targets: Glutes, back 8 Side-To-Side Squat and Swing Verywell / Ben Goldstein Start with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, with a dumbbell in your right hand. Take a step out to the side with your right foot and sit back into a deep squat.Let the dumbbell swing back under your legs then up to chest height while jumping.Switch the dumbbell to the other hand, and come into a side squat on the other side. Targets: Chest, glutes, quads, hamstrings 9 Surrenders Verywell / Ben Goldstein Start in a kneeling position holding the dumbbells at your sides. Make sure you are kneeling on a cushioned surface or workout mat to protect your knees. Step forward with one foot and stand all the way up while pressing the weights overhead.Kneel down on one knee at a time returning the weights to your sides. Repeat from the starting position with the opposite leg. Targets: Glutes, quads, hamstrings, shoulders 10 Leg Loop Verywell / Ben Goldstein For this dumbbell exercise for belly fat and core, start seated on a mat with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. Have a dumbbell nearby. Engage your core, lean back, and lift your legs into a tabletop position so they are parallel to the floor. Take a dumbbell in one hand.Drive your knee on the same side toward your chest and extend the other leg long so you can loop the dumbbell under the bent knee through to the other hand.Once the dumbbell is through repeat on the other side. Targets: Core 6 Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Mcallister MJ, Schilling BK, Hammond KG, Weiss LW, Farney TM. Effect of grip width on electromyographic activity during the upright row. 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J Strength Cond Res. 2014;28(6):1573-80. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000000302 Del monte MJ, Opar DA, Timmins RG, Ross J, Keogh JW, Lorenzen C. Hamstring myoelectrical activity during three different kettlebell swing exercises. J Strength Cond Res. 2017. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000002254 By Chris Freytag Chris Freytag is an ACE-certified group fitness instructor, personal trainer, and health coach. She is also the founder of GetHealthyU.com. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Helpful Report an Error Other Submit Advertiser Disclosure × The offers that appear in this table are from companies that partner with and compensate Verywell Fit for displaying their offer. These partnerships do not impact our editorial choices or otherwise influence our editorial content.