Dumbbell Full-Body Session

Stand tall with your feet a little wider than hip-width and your toes turned slightly out. Hold a dumbbell vertically against your chest, cupping the top end in both hands with your elbows pointing down. Draw your ribs down and set your weight across the middle of each foot.

1. Inhale — send your hips back and down, bending your knees to lower into the squat while keeping the dumbbell close to your chest.
2. Lower until your elbows travel toward the inside of your knees or to a depth that suits you, keeping your chest tall.
3. Exhale — drive through both feet to extend your hips and knees back to standing.

• Keep the weight close to your chest and your elbows pointing down.
• Let your knees track outward in line with your toes rather than caving in.
• Keep your torso upright and your chest lifted throughout.
• Keep your heels grounded and your weight through the mid-foot.

Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs with your palms facing you. Keep a soft bend in your knees, your shoulders back, and your spine long.

1. Inhale — hinge from your hips, sending them back as your torso lowers and the dumbbells travel down the front of your legs.
2. Lower until you feel a stretch along the backs of your thighs, or to a range that suits you, keeping your back flat.
3. Exhale — drive your hips forward to rise back to standing, keeping the dumbbells close to your legs.

• Keep the dumbbells close to your legs as they travel down.
• Hinge from the hips and keep your spine long rather than rounding.
• Keep a soft, steady bend in your knees throughout.
• Let your hips lead the movement back and forward.

Lie back on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand and your feet planted on the floor. Press the dumbbells up over your chest with your palms facing your feet, arms straight but elbows unlocked. Set a slight natural arch in your lower back, draw your shoulder blades down and together against the bench, and keep your head, upper back, and hips supported.

1. Position the dumbbells above your mid-chest with your wrists stacked over your elbows.
2. Inhale — bend your elbows and lower the dumbbells out and down until they reach chest level.
3. Keep your elbows angled at roughly 45 degrees to your torso as you reach the bottom.
4. Exhale — press the dumbbells back up and slightly together until your arms are straight.

• Keep your shoulder blades pinned down and back against the bench throughout.
• Guide your elbows to about 45 degrees from your ribs rather than flaring them wide.
• Keep your wrists stacked over your elbows so the load travels straight down.
• Exhale as you press up, inhale as you lower.
• Lower only to a range that feels comfortable across the front of your shoulders.

Place your left knee and left hand on a flat bench so your torso is roughly parallel to the floor, and hold a dumbbell in your right hand hanging straight down. Set your back flat and neutral, square your shoulders and hips to the floor, and let your right arm hang with a soft elbow. Brace your core so your torso stays still.

1. Let the dumbbell hang below your shoulder with your palm facing in.
2. Exhale — drive your elbow up and back, drawing the dumbbell toward the side of your ribs.
3. Squeeze your shoulder blade toward your spine at the top, keeping your torso square.
4. Inhale — lower the dumbbell back down under control until your arm is straight again.
5. Complete your reps, then switch sides.

• Keep your back flat and your torso square to the floor — don't rotate your shoulders open as you pull.
• Draw your elbow toward your hip rather than flaring it straight out to the side.
• Lead the pull with your shoulder blade drawing back, not just your arm.
• Exhale as you row up, inhale as you lower.
• Lower all the way to a straight arm so the shoulder blade travels fully each rep.

Lie on your back with your arms reaching straight up toward the ceiling over your shoulders. Bend your hips and knees to about 90 degrees so your shins are parallel to the floor. Gently flatten your lower back toward the mat and draw your belly in.

1. Inhale — set your position, keeping your lower back lightly pressed into the mat.
2. Exhale — slowly lower your right arm overhead and extend your left leg straight out, stopping just before they reach the floor.
3. Keep your lower back in contact with the mat as the limbs travel.
4. Inhale — return the arm and leg to the starting position with control.
5. Repeat with the opposite arm and leg, alternating with each rep.

• Keep your lower back gently pressed to the mat the whole time; if it lifts, shorten the reach.
• Move the arm and leg slowly and evenly, matching them to your breath.
• Keep your ribs settled down and your neck and shoulders relaxed.
• Extend the opposite arm and leg together — same-side pairs make it harder to hold the position.

Stand tall near a wall, chair, or other stable object. Place your left hand on it for balance. Shift your weight onto your left foot.

1. Bend your right knee and bring your right heel toward your right glute.
2. Reach back with your right hand and gently catch the top of your right foot or your ankle.
3. Inhale — lengthen your spine. Exhale — gently draw your heel closer to your glute and your right knee slightly back. Hold for the prescribed duration, breathing steadily.
4. Release and switch sides.

• Keep your knees close together; don't let the bent knee swing out to the side.
• Keep your hips squared forward — don't twist to follow the bent leg.
• If you can't reach your foot, loop a strap or towel around the ankle and hold the ends.