You can do dumbbell workouts at a gym, too, and anywhere else, as a matter of fact. That's why I love them; for example, when I moved houses and ended up 30 minutes from my local gym, I missed more workouts than I'd like to admit. Since I work and have kids, I only have an hour of free time to work out on some days. This is enough time to drive to my gym, touch the door, and then drive back home; it makes the whole thing irrelevant.

I needed a solution, and at the time, creating a garage gym seemed like the best decision to make, and it definitely was. My garage gym has allowed me never to miss workouts again. However, the main problem with a garage gym is the lack of equipment selection. Unless you have an 800-square-foot garage and $5-10k invested in equipment, you will probably never be able to recreate the professional gym experience. I had to figure out how to reach my goals without the plethora of equipment that I was used to. Introducing the dumbbells.

Dumbells are filled with possibilities. They are as free weight as free weight gets; there is no favoring one side with dumbbells. They are compact in size and easy to rack. Most garage gym owners nowadays will opt for a variable-weight dumbbell, making them even more compact. They are affordable, making them perfect as garage equipment. The exercise can usually be done almost anywhere, without any extra equipment. Finally, they get good results. I have to say I love my dumbbells, and I will always have them as a staple at my garage gym.

I have been lifting for about 10 years, and I have accumulated a lot of knowledge and experience in this discipline. In this article, I would like to share 10 of my favorite dumbbell exercises to build my upper body muscles. They all pair together very well, so you can do them all as a total upper-body workout, or you can add some to your body-specific days if you split your upper-body workouts into multiple zones.

I perform my dumbbell curls in the standing position most of the time, and in this article, I demonstrate it a so because I assume some people don't have a bench to do preacher curls. That being said, you can just put your bench into an incline, then flip it around and use that as a base for the preacher curl variation. To perform a curl, you want to isolate your bicep muscle, keeping your shoulders straight and locked in place. Also, don't swing your hips. The movement starts with your arm fully extended and your elbows close to your body. Maintain a neutral spine throughout the movement. Keep a good posture (chest lifted). From the starting position, curl the dumbbells upward by bending your elbows. Keep your elbows stationary and against your body as you lift the weights toward your shoulders. Focus on contracting your biceps. After you reach the top of your rep (when your bicep is contracted), slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position. Avoid swinging the weights or using momentum; doing so can lead to injury, plus smooth lifts create better results anyways. Perform this exercise for as many sets and reps as needed. Read more about rep ranges here. The curl is designed to build the bicep muscle; this will give your arm strength and definition.

The dumbbell front raise is a tremendous shoulder-building workout. Front raises focus on the front deltoids, the shoulder muscles that can raise the arm and move it forward. If you ask me, that is a pretty important muscle group to build. Not only do they improve your functionality, but they also create a strong, defined look from the front. To perform a front raise, start with your arm hanging down against your torso, keeping your arm straight and elbow slightly bent throughout the exercise. I use a neutral grip for this lift (palms facing each other). Slowly lift your arm up in front of you without swinging or using momentum; the only joint moving here is the shoulder joint. Keep your shoulder in the neutral position, not swinging it or rolling it forward. Lift your arm until 90 degrees max (when your arm is perpendicular to your body), that is the top of the movement. Next, lower your arm to the starting position in a controlled fashion to finish the rep. Any lift involving the shoulder should be done with care and control so make sure you choose the appropriate weight and rep counts.

The lateral raise, or side raise, is another fantastic shoulder workout. Much like the front raise, this exercise targets the delts, but unlike the front raise, the lateral raise targets more of the middle deltoids. The middle delts are responsible for the ability to raise your arm up laterally, a key movement in human life. If you are going to build your front delts, I highly recommend also building your middle delts; this will help give a balanced look and reduce muscular imbalances, which can be responsible for injuries. Building the lateral delts creates an appearance of width near the shoulder area, this is a great mechanism to build the V tapper. Building bigger middle delts can make you look stronger and skinnier at the same time!

There are a couple of advantages to a dumbbell bench: First, you don't need a rack or barbell, and second, you can't favor one side. This exercise is better for preventing muscular imbalance. The bench press is used to target your pectoral muscles. Building this will give you a strong-chested appearance both from the front and from the side. These muscles are also functional, maybe not to the extent that most people work them, but they are still a highly valuable muscle group to build for functionality. So good for form and function, I'll take that deal. In order to perform this exercise you will need a bench, if you do not have a bench you can do floor chest presses (I'll cover that in another post) or pushups. For those that do have a bench, grab your dumbbell and lay flat on your back on the bench. Start the rep with your dumbbells on or slightly above your chest level, then extend your arms up toward the sky. I keep my palms at a 45-degree angle rather than a 90-degree one, as I feel this is a better position for my shoulders. Make sure to do this lift in a controlled way, don't let your arms move around laterally, and try to move both arms equally. Once you reach full extension, lower your arms back down to the starting position in a controlled way. Maintain control during the entire rep and keep your shoulders in a neutral position.

Balance is key with lifting; if you work your front, you should also work your back. Since we did chest in the previous exercise, I am adding the dumbbell bent-over row exercise to balance out the workout. The bent-over row will work your lats and your rear delts. Building these muscles will add a wing-like shape to your figure while also helping you lift objects from the floor. In the picture, you can see that I am doing the single-arm variation of the dumbbell row; I prefer this method as it allows me to use more weight and focus more on each arm. The drawback is that the single-arm variation takes more time. If you are short on time or just like the two-arm variation better then you can do that version by following the same steps just making sure to do it with both arms. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, hold the dumbbell in your hand with a neutral grip (palms facing your body). Push your hips back and lean your torso forward to about a 45-degree angle. Keep your spine neutral (straight) and core engaged. Let the dumbbell hang straight down from your shoulders, this is the starting position. Next squeeze your shoulder blades together as you pull the weights toward your body, aiming for your lower chest. Keep your elbows close to your body and avoid using momentum to pull the weight. This is a slightly more complex movement than the previous ones but just make sure you focus on form and if you feel pain stop and lower the weight.

In keeping with the idea of a balanced workout, the next exercise is the dumbbell overhead press. Since the bench press worked more of the mid-lower chest, we need to also hit the upper chest with the overhead press. The overhead press also works the front deltoids and your triceps. This exercise will help you develop a strong-shouldered look and help you lift objects into high places. It is both functional and good for building your figure. To perform this exercise; start with your feet shoulder-width apart, keeping a slight bend in your knees for stability. Hold the dumbbells at shoulder height with your elbows bent at a 90-degree angle. Keep a neutral spine and prevent arching your back. Press the dumbbells upward in a controlled motion until your arms are extended above your head. Next, slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position, keeping the motion smooth and controlled. You can do this exercise seated if you want to feel like you are arching your back or using momentum (which you definitely should not do). Next, I want to touch on palm facing. I am a big proponent of trying to keep your palms in a neutral position as much as possible and if you look this exercise up people will tell you to face your palms forward, I believe this puts your shoulder joint in a vulnerable position. If you want to do it that way that's your decision but as you can see in the image I put my palms in a 45-degree angle (in-between neutral and facing forward) I believe that is much better for protecting your shoulder joint. Anytime you are lifting weight over your head you need to be VERY controlled in your movement, this is not an exercise to work on your ego. Ensure you are choosing a weight you can easily manage and if you don't feel comfortable with this exercise (or if you have existing shoulder issues) you can either skip this one or use very light weight and focus on higher reps.

Like the overhead press, this exercise involves lifting weights above one's head and should be done in a controlled manner. If you have shoulder issues, you might want to skip this exercise or use light weights and focus on higher rep counts. So far the triceps have been worked only as an accessory to other muscles (bench press, bent-over row, and overhead press all work the tricep in some fashion) but the problem is the triceps have not been isolated. The tricep muscles are what make up the majority of your arm muscles and if you want to have a stong-developed look to your arms focusing on the triceps is paramount. The tricep over-head extension is a great way to isolate your tricep muscles with a dumbbell. Remember this is an over-head lift, so work your muscles, not your ego, choose a manageable weight, and do a rep count so that you are able to maintain control the entire time. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, or alternatively, you can do this exercise seated. Grab the weighted portion of the dumbbell with both hands, wrapping your fingers around the handle as a locking mechanism. Ensuring your palms are securely placed underneath the top weight. Next, lift the dumbbell overhead until your arms are extended, keeping your elbows close to your head and pointing forward. This is the starting position. From the starting position begin to slowly bend your elbows and lower the dumbbell behind your head in a controlled motion. stop when elbows reach a 90-degree angle. Ensure your elbows stay stationary throughout the movement and avoid any flaring of your elbows. Finally press the weight back to the starting position in a controlled manner, following all previous guidance. Maintain a neutral spine throughout the entire exercise and AVOID using momentum in this exercise. Focus on form to maximize effectiveness and reduce injury risk.

The shrug is a very effective, simple, and safe exercise. Unlike overhead lifts, this one keeps your shoulder joint in a safe position the entire time. The dumbbell shrug primarily works your traps, neck, and forearm muscles. This exercise will show results whether your shirt is on or off. The trap, neck, and forearm muscles are all visible with a T-shirt on, making this a great way to "open-carry" your guns (referring to your muscles) compared to the shoulder or chest muscles which are concealed by a T-shirt. Other than just being great for your figure the shrug will help you carry heavier items for longer periods of time, making it easier to bring in all your groceries in one trip! To do this exercise stand upright with your feet hip-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing your body. Let your arms hang straight down with a slight bend in your elbows. Keep your shoulders in a neutral position to start. From this position, lift, or shrug (hence the name), your shoulders as high as possible toward your ears, focusing on squeezing your traps at the top. Next, lower your shoulders back to the starting position in a controlled manner. Never use momentum and definitely NEVER roll your shoulders during this exercise. Doing so can increase the risk of injury in this otherwise very safe movement. Maintain a neutral spine throughout the exercise, the goal of this exercise is to work your traps not your lower back.

How could I write this article and forget about the rhomboids?! Well from my experience many people do. The rhomboids are muscles that connect the scapula to the spine and they are very important for shoulder stability. They are also great at helping you maintain good posture throughout the day. Although they don't have a huge impact on developing a strong figure (probably why people look over them) they are very important for stability and thus injury prevention. The dumbbell reverse fly is a great way to exercise the rhomboid muscles, as well as the rear delts. This exercise can help you perform better in other exercises as well as help you to keep your shoulders in the proper posture during the day, which can be hard if your on the computer all day. To perform this exercise stand with your feet hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms neutral (facing each other), and hinge at the hips by pushing them back. Lean your torso forward up to a 45-degree angle, some people with back pain (like myself) may not reach 45 degrees, so just do what you can. Keep your spine neutral and your knees slightly bent throughout the exercise. Start with the dumbbells hanging directly below your shoulders, keeping your elbows slightly bent. This is the starting position. Next, raise the dumbbells outward focusing on squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement. Then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position in a controlled fashion. As always, avoid using momentum or swinging the weights. If your back is sore or you have had a previous injury and this exercise is too much for you, you can try using exercise bands as an alternative.