8 Simple Free Weight Exercises to Build Total Body Strength

Some common misconceptions about building strength are that you’ll have to spend countless hours in the gym, use complex training equipment, and fork out hundreds of dollars on expensive gym memberships. In reality you can develop overall body strength using only free weights in the comfort of your home. If you don’t know where to start, we spoke to Chris Mohr, Ph.D., M.D.exercise physiologist and fitness and nutrition consultant for FortuneRecommends, who shares eight simple but effective free weight exercises to add to your strength-building program.

Simple free weight exercises can improve overall strength, improve functional fitness, and help control weight. According to 2019 ReviewIncorporating free weights into your workout program allows you to target multiple muscle groups while improving coordination and balance—two critical components of healthy aging. Besides, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention claims that strength training can help build muscle mass and increase metabolism by as much as 15%.

So, without further ado, read on to learn eight simple free weight exercises for building full-body strength.

What you need: Grab a set of dumbbells and a sturdy bench. These exercises are designed to be performed with additional weight to increase resistance, which supports muscle growth and strength. Depending on the rest intervals, the workout can be completed in 45–60 minutes.

Goblet Squats

1. Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell with both hands at chest level.
2. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
3. Bend your knees and push your hips back as if you were sitting in a chair.
4. Lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor, keeping your chest lifted.
5. Press through your heels to return to the starting position.
6. Aim for 3 sets of 8–12 squats, adjusting the weight as needed.
7. Rest between sets for 1 minute.

Tip: Focus on staying in good shape. Your knees should not extend beyond your toes.

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Deadlift

1. Grab a barbell or a pair of dumbbells.
2. Stand with your feet approximately shoulder-width apart.
3. Lean forward slightly, bending your hips and knees, keeping the kettlebell close to your shins.
4. Imagine shaving your legs using a weight while lifting.
5. Push your hips forward to return to the starting position.
6. Perform 6 to 8 reps for 3 sets, increasing the number of sets or weight as you progress.
7. Rest between sets for 1 minute.

Tip: Keep your back straight to avoid injury and maintain a neutral spine throughout the movement.

Lunges

1. Stand with your feet together, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Step forward with one leg, lowering your body until your back knee is just above the ground.
3. As you lower, keep your front knee over your ankle.
4. Return to the starting position and switch legs.
5. Perform 3 sets of 10–12 reps on each side.
6. Rest between sets for 1 minute.

Tip: Focus on maintaining balance and control throughout the movement while engaging your core for stability.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

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Bench press

1. Lie on a bench and place the barbell above your chest, gripping it slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
2. Slowly lower the barbell toward the center of your chest, keeping your elbows at a 45-degree angle.
3. Press the barbell back to the starting position.
4. Perform 8-10 reps for 3 sets.
5. Rest between sets for 1 minute.

Tip: Make sure your feet are flat on the ground and your back is pressed against the bench.

Bent-over row

1. Bend your knees slightly and lean forward from your waist, keeping your back straight.
2. Hold a barbell or pair of dumbbells with your arms hanging straight down.
3. Pull the dumbbells toward your stomach, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
4. Lower the weights back down with control.
5. Aim for 8-12 reps for 3 sets with 1 minute of rest in between.

Tip: Keep your elbows close to your body throughout the movement.

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Shoulder press

1. Stand with dumbbells in each hand at shoulder level, elbows out to the sides.
2. Tighten your core and press the dumbbells overhead until your arms are completely straight.
3. Lower the weights back to shoulder height.
4. Perform 3 sets of 8–10 reps, adjusting the weight as needed. Rest between sets for 1 minute.

Tip: Don’t arch your back and engage your core to maintain stability.

Bicep curls

1. Stand or sit holding dumbbells with your arms at your sides and palms facing forward.
2. Raise the dumbbells toward your shoulders, keeping your elbows close to your body.
3. Lower the weights back to the starting position.
4. Perform 3 sets of 10–12 reps on each side.
5. Rest between sets for 1 minute.

Tip: Avoid swinging the kettlebell for better muscle contraction and control.

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Overhead triceps extensions

1. Stand or sit, holding a dumbbell with both hands and lifting it above your head.
2. Bend your elbows to lower the dumbbell behind your head.
3. Straighten your arms to lift the dumbbell back to the starting position.
4. Aim for 10-12 reps for 3 sets.
5. Rest between sets for 1 minute.

Tip: Keep your elbows close to your ears to isolate your triceps.

Adam Meyer, RHN