A popular chest exercise in many gyms, the dumbbell fly was a favourite of bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger, providing isolated stimulus to the chest fibres. Many chest exercises, such as the bench pressing variations and dips, are compound exercises; they target the chest muscle, but also recruit the triceps and shoulders to a great degree. The dumbbell chest fly does not recruit the triceps however, and therefore places more direct stress onto the chest fibres.

This uncommon exercise is not as widely known as many of the other variations of dumbbell curls, yet is a highly effective exercise for stimulating the muscles responsible for the flexion of the arm. The exercise begins the same as a traditional dumbbell curl, with the wrists rotating as the dumbbell is curled up, so the palm is facing the ceiling at peak contraction. Where the zottman curl differs, however, is during the descend, with the wrist rotating a full 180 degrees so the palm is facing downwards as the dumbbell is lowered.

The barbell deadlift is considered by many to be the king of all exercises, and if not king, a close second behind the squat. Only the squat can compete against the deadlift in terms of the number of large muscle groups utilised, with the back and lower body muscles recruited during the lift. The deadlift is an exercise used within powerlifting competitions, a testament to its ability to recruit the major muscle groups of the body simultaneously. The exercise is therefore a great choice for strength focused trainees, or bodybuilders who wish to stimulate several muscle groups.

Arguably more effective than the traditional sit up, the stomach crunch is an exercise which can be performed anywhere and provide an intense and impressive workout to the muscles of the abdomen. Sit ups are often seen the staple of any abdominal workout, yet the exercise can be less than effective and cause stress to the lower back. The crunch is a variation of the full sit up, reducing the range motion to dismiss the upper portion of the sit up which provides little stimulus to the abdominals and can also heighten the stress to the lower back. The crunch can be performed on the floor, on a sit up board, or on an exercise ball for additional dynamics.

Although in many gyms the free weight area seems to attract mainly males who wish to add muscle mass, the dumbbell shoulder press is an exercise which is beneficial to anyone looking to increase their fitness and functionality. The dumbbell shoulder press recruits the shoulders (deltoids), the triceps (three headed muscle to the rear of the upper arm), and a handful of other muscles which assist the movement.