A strength training regimen, along with a solid cardio and stretching routine, is an essential part of a well-rounded workout. A full body dumbbell workout will help keep all of your muscles and bones strong, according to MayoClinic.com. Knowing which dumbbell exercises to perform during the strength training portion of your workout will not only help you address all of the major muscle groups, but also help you save time.
Squat-Curl-Press
The combination dumbbell exercise squat-curl-press targets your thighs, biceps and shoulders, and can replace individual dumbbell exercises such as shoulder presses, curls and squats. Choose a weight you can curl and press overhead. From an erect standing position, hold your dumbbells at your sides. Slowly bend your knees and lower into a squat position, but don't let your knees extend over your toes. As you return to a standing position, bend your elbows and curl your hand weights up toward your shoulders. Once the dumbbells are parallel with your shoulders, begin turning your arms so that they face away from you and lift the weights straight up above your head. As you lower your arms and the weights, turn your arms in again; once at shoulder height, perform a reverse curl and bring the weights down by your sides again. Then squat, curl, lift and squat again repeatedly until you've completed eight to 12 repetitions.
Chest Press-Flye
The chest press-flye combines bench press and flyes to work chest, arm, shoulder and abdominal muscles. Use a set of dumbbells you'd normally use for flyes. Lie flat on a bench or another stable surface, and bend your elbows 90 degrees with hands facing forward and grasping both dumbbells. Push the weights directly above your chest for a chest press, and fully extend your arms. Avoid locking your arms at the elbows. Hold for a couple of seconds. Lower your arms and weights, and return to the starting position. Move into the flye position by extending your arms and the weights out to your sides. Keep your elbows slightly bent. Raise your arms and weights up in an arc movement until your weights meet at the top. Lower your arms and weights straight down again. Begin the exercise again with a press. Complete eight to 12 repetitions.
Triceps Kickback
Stand next to a bench or another low, stable and flat object. From the left side, place your right knee on the bench and hold one dumbbell in your left hand next to your side. Lean over and place your right hand flat in front of you on the bench. Grasp the weight and rest your left hand and weight next to your right hand, but keep hands shoulder-width apart. Keeping your upper arm glued to your side, pull the dumbbell in toward your chest just beside your armpit. Lower your arm and weight and extend them straight out behind you with your hand facing the ceiling. Pull in again and place your hand and weight in front of you. Repeat for eight to 12 repetitions. Switch sides and complete the same amount of reps with the right arm.
Triceps Extension
From a standing position, hold one dumbbell with both hands in front of you. Raise it up above your head with elbows bent. Curl it back behind your head without moving your head forward. Hold for a couple of seconds and raise the weight back up just above your head again. Hold for a couple of seconds and curl the weight back again. Avoid shrugging your shoulders during the exercise, and complete eight to 12 repetitions. You can also perform this exercise from a prone position on a bench. Make sure you have clear space above your head.
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