The Best Free Weights Exercises

Top Exercises

Seated Triceps Extension

Beginner / EZ Bar / Triceps / isolation

An isolation exercise for the triceps. The seated position provides stability, allowing you to focus entirely on the extension and contraction of the muscle.

Seated Preacher Curl

Beginner / Dumbbells / Biceps / pull

Provides total isolation for the biceps by locking the shoulders and elbows in place. It prevents cheating and builds the lower bicep and peak.

Reverse Grip Biceps Curl

Beginner / Dumbbells / Biceps / pull

Targets the forearms and brachialis. The overhand grip builds grip strength and creates thickness in the outer arm and forearm area.

EZ Barbell Reverse Grip Curl

Beginner / EZ Bar / Biceps / pull

Focuses on the brachialis and forearm extensors. The EZ-bar allows for a semi-pronated grip that is safer for the wrists during reverse curls.

EZ Bar Standing French Press

Beginner / EZ Bar / Triceps / push

A triceps isolation movement performed with an EZ-bar to reduce wrist strain. It emphasizes the long head in an overhead position.

Dumbbell Standing One Arm Extension

Beginner / Dumbbells / Triceps / isolation

A unilateral overhead triceps isolation movement. It maximizes the stretch on the long head and corrects arm strength discrepancies.

Barbell Side Bent

Intermediate / Barbell / Abs / isolation

A core exercise targeting the obliques. It improves lateral spinal stability and strengthens the abdominal wall against lateral forces.

Barbell Overhead Shrug

Intermediate / Barbell / Trapezius / hinge

Targets the upper trapezius from a fully stretched position. It improves shoulder health and overhead stability for Olympic lifts.

Upright Row

Beginner / EZ Bar / Shoulders / pull

A compound shoulder exercise targeting the deltoids and upper trapezius. It helps build shoulder width and improves the vertical pulling strength.

Weighted Crunch

Intermediate / Dumbbells / Abs / core

A resistance-based abdominal exercise designed to build muscle thickness. Adding weight forces the rectus abdominis to work harder against gravity for maximum hypertrophy.

Standing Wide Grip Biceps Curl

Beginner / Barbell / Biceps / pull

Emphasizes the inner (short) head of the biceps. The wider grip shifts the tension to build arm thickness and a fuller bicep appearance.

Standing Triceps Extension

Beginner / Dumbbells / Triceps / isolation

A classic triceps builder targeting the long head. The overhead position provides a deep stretch, leading to better muscle fiber recruitment and arm mass.