How To Incorporate Dumbbells In Your Workout?

Some have wondered where the term dumbbells began. Apparently, a few centuries ago, the men that rang the bells in churches were noticed for their great looking arms, shoulders and chest.

When other men who did not ring church bells, figured out the connection, some installed the same type of pulley systems in their homes that were used to ring church bells. Not actually ringing a bell, they were a mockup or a dummy copy of the bell and pulley.

As these caught on, the name became dumb-bells. Centuries later they removed the rope and pulley and we have the modern dumbbell.

Can You Get An Effective Workout With Dumbbells?

By using smaller weights, you tend to concentrate on your muscles and your core strength. When doing this, you can do less repetition and focus more on quality instead of quantity. You can find great examples of exercises for just about any area online.

Standing moves can be done to get flat abs, combining yoga moves with dumbbell weights can kick-start your regular yoga routine. Men can also benefit from using these types of weights.

According to Men’s Fitness Magazine, a man can actually get a better sculpted workout, then by using the larger barbell weights.

What Kind Of Exercises Can Be Done?

The benefit of dumbbells comes from the way your arms and legs can move independent of the other side. This causes increased strength in the weaker side of the body, and does a better job of getting the core stronger because of bracing harder.

In using these more portable weights, using the aid of a bench to workout gives you a whole new dimension in exercises. With the added smaller weights positioned, a leg lift and triceps tightening workout, called a one-arm row, will focus on sculpting the arms.

Most exercises that use weights or resistance can be adapted into a dumbbell exercise.

How Much Weight Should You Use?

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This answer really depends on the type of exercise. With any weightlifting exercise to get muscle tone, you need to lift until you achieve muscle fatigue. So the way to know the correct weight is to do 10 to 15 reps and if you feel like you can do more, you need to add more weight.

However, if you feel like you cannot raise the weight one more time, then you are fatigued and you are using the correct weight. When this weight becomes more effortless, it is time to add on a few more pounds to the dumbbell.

Dumbbells can be purchased in weights from .05 to 50 pounds, finding the right ones may take some experimenting.

Are Some Better Than Others?

Again, depending on the form of exercise, it is really what feels right to you. If you are able to have a secure hold on a metal rod and not the poly coated ones, then choose the metal. If a contoured handle feel better than a straight one, then get the contoured.

The suggestion when buying dumbbells is to buy several different sizes, as your workout strength increases, so will the size of weight. Some find that, if space is limited, the dumbbell blocks that come in several changeable sizes may be more to your liking.

Are You Limited By Them?

It depends on what you feel you want to achieve. In fact, there are many perks to using dumbbells instead of barbell weights. If space is limited and a full barbell rack will not fit, they are a great alternative.

If you have had injuries, it is recommended to incorporate dumbbells into the workout. They are great core builders because of the unilateral balance created, the core gets a deeper workout in order to stabilize the body.

For those of you who are new to weights, they are a safer alternative and if you have joint issues or past injuries to the neck and shoulders, dumbbells are recommended. For folks who are over 40, dumbbells are recommended because of the soft tissue or joint concerns, all gain without the risks.

Are Dumbbells Right For Me?

This is really a matter of choosing what you want to accomplish and what will work for your routine. They may be right for you if you are new to handling weights or want to step up your yoga or aerobics.

If you are concerned about a past injury, then dumbbells are the recommended weight of choice by professionals. These smaller weights are great if you have limited room or if you want to include weights into your workout for adding bone strength and avoiding the onset of osteoporosis.

If a good core strengthening, yet low impact, is what you want, then dumbbells are a good all-around choice. Also, if you have limited ability to stand or sit for long periods of time, dumbbells may be a great way to get the workout you need.