The American College of Sports Medicine recommends doing eight to 10 strength-training exercises twice a week. That's enough exercises to work every major muscle group in your body, and you can do it all with nothing but two pairs of dumbbells and a weight bench. You need a light pair of dumbbells for arm workouts and a heavier pair for doing leg workouts or working multiple muscle groups at once.
Dumbbell Chest Press
Chest presses work your chest, triceps and shoulders. Lie face up on a weight bench and press two dumbbells straight up over your chest. Let your hands move down and out, tracking directly over your elbows, as you lower the weights to just above the line of your chest. Repeat.
Pullover
Use just one weight for a dumbbell pullover, which works both your back and chest. Grip one end of the weight in both hands. With your arms almost completely straight, lower the weight slowly back and down behind your head. Stop before your elbows reach ear level, then swing your arms -- still straight but not locked -- back up over your chest.
Pec Flyes
If your chest muscles aren't fatigued yet, try a round of pec flyes. Lie face up on the bench with a weight in each hand, arms extended straight over your chest, palms facing together. Spread your arms apart as if they were the covers of a book; your elbows should point down. Then swing your hands back together over your chest.
Dumbbell Rows
Dumbbell rows work every major muscle group in your back. Place one knee and one hand on a weight bench, with your back flat and horizontal. Grasp a single dumbbell in your free hand. Pull the weight up alongside your body, keeping your elbow close to your body throughout the motion.
Biceps Curls
This well-known exercise works one of the major pulling muscles in your arms. Stand or sit with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward. Bend your elbows, curling the weights up toward your shoulders -- then lower the weights back to your sides to prepare for the next repetition.
Triceps Extension
You can perform this triceps exercise with just one dumbbell. Sit or stand, holding the dumbbell by one end; your thumbs should cross over the dumbbell handle so you have a firm, safe grip. Extend both arms straight overhead, elbows pointing forward. Keep your elbows stationary as you bend your arms, lowering the weight back behind your head.
Squats
Squats work your glutes, hamstrings, quads and hip adductors. Practice squatting down as if you're sitting in a chair; your shoulders should move up and down in a straight line over your heels. Once you're confident with your form, hold one large dumbbell hanging straight down between your legs, or one dumbbell in each hand, hanging straight down to either side of your body.
Lunges
Lunges work your glutes, quads, hamstrings and adductors too -- but they also work your calves. Take a big step forward and bend both knees; think of dropping your hips straight down. Your back heel should come off the ground, and both knees should bend at about 90-degree angles. When you're ready for extra weight, carry a dumbbell in each hand.
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