Dumbbell exercises

If you only buy one piece of equipment, buy dumbbells. They load nearly every movement pattern in this library, and they fit in a closet. Because each hand works on its own, they also show you when one side is stronger than the other. A barbell lets the strong side quietly cover for the weak one.

Adjustable dumbbells are the practical choice for a home setup. A single pair covers light lateral raises and heavy goblet squats. Fixed pairs feel better in the hand, but you will outgrow a single weight quickly on squats and hinges.

Expect to lift less with dumbbells than with a barbell on the same movement, especially on presses. Two weights that move independently take more balancing than one bar does. That is mostly a good thing, because more muscle works on every rep, but it does mean the numbers will not match and they are not supposed to.