Posts Tagged ‘Dumbbell Workouts’
I was thinking today, about the benefits you can get from Dumbbell Workouts. In particular the main benefit is unilateral strength! I’m talking about exercises that usually use barbells or machines. Think about replacing the those items with dumbbells. Hence you have a dumbbell workout!
For instance, replace the Military Press Machine, or the barbell with 2 dumbbells , 1 in each hand, and do the Overhead Press. Replace the barbell with 2 dumbbells and execute the Upright Row. Another unilateral dumbbell exercise replaces the Curl Bar with dumbbells for your biceps. Hold heavier dumbbells and do walking lunges instead the barbell across your back. I could go on and on listing exercises that can be utilized within dumbbell workouts.
The idea behind using the strength of each arm or each leg, is for balancing your muscular strength, so the right arm is just as strong as the left or vice versa. Stick with dumbbell workouts for a month and you should becoming more unilaterally balanced!
We talked about how effective kettlebell training is. Kettlebell training uses ballistic training or fast exercises. When you do your swing or snatch, you’ll do them quickly and accelerate your heart rate. Alternate between the two exercises, or work in other ballistic moves, and you can get in an aerobic workout and burn fat. When you are doing high repetitions quickly, you’ll be working on muscle endurance.
Kettlebell training also works on your muscle size and strength with the various sizes of kettlebells. The range of weight with kettlebells is just like that with dumbbells. You could try to use dumbbells for certain kettelbell exercises, however, you won’t get the same effect, or the same result. So try not to confuse your kettlebell training with your dumbbell workouts!
Dumbbell workouts for the biceps can be varied and beneficial. You can always change the speed you lift and lower your dumbbells. You can always change the angle of the arm to work different sections of the biceps. You can do your dumbbell workouts sitting, standing or on an incline bench. There is always a good tweak that can be done.
Today I’m suggesting drop sets as one of your dumbbell workouts. How this works is starting at your maximum amount of weight with your dumbbells for your bicep curls. Do as many repetitions as you can with this maxed out weight. Then immediately put those weights down and get the next lightest weight and do as many reps as you can at this weight. Continue dropping your weight down, without any breaks in between to the point that with the lightest weight where it is hard to get the last few reps out. This may be 6-7-8 sets to the maximum amount of reps. By the time you are done, your biceps will know they have been worked.
Do these drop sets for a few weeks for the biceps. Work them in with your dumbbell workouts as your last biceps exercises and you will see some nice growth!
Ah yes, dumbbell workouts are a great alternative to change things up! Dumbbell Workouts can be used for all body parts. I like to use them for a couple of reasons. I like doing exercises unilaterally every now and then. When you constantly use a barbell, sometimes the dominant side takes over. I feel like I get more balanced with a dumbbell workout, that my right and left sides are more in sync.
You can vary your usual routine by changing the exercises when you use dumbbells. Perhaps you want to focus on a specific body part. Then all the exercises done are done with dumbbells. For instance, use dumbbells only for tricep extensions instead of using the curl bar. Only use one arm at a time focusing on the muscle. How about using the dumbbells for Arnolds over head presses for the shoulders, or incline chest press with dumbbells.
Everything you do with a barbell or a machine can be done with dumbbells. Also, anything that can be done with dumbbells, can be used with kettlebells. So it’s good to utilize dumbbell workouts for the variety you may need to spice things up!
I was in the gym yesterday and I witness someone bench pressing with a huge right arm weakness. Another words, you could see how the left arm was pushing up the bar more than the right arm. That is why it is good to throw in unilateral lifts with the dumbbells. These dumbbell workouts will help to extinguish a stronger arm dominance.
The unilateral dumbbell workout is especially challenging for a chest press. By holding ONLY 1 dumbbell in one arm and pushing it up, throws off the body’s balance, so at the same time you have to hold your core stable in order to stay on the bench. Quite challenging, you might want to have a spotter close by. Yet another multi-body part exercise for your routine.
Remember to keep changing up that routine and keep challenging those muscles!!
Today our topic is going to be drop sets. You can add this to your list of dumbbell workouts. I like to do drop sets at the end of a body part workout to really fatigue the muscle. You may be thinking, what is a drop set?
A drop set is using the heaviest weight you can lift till fatigue. Then immediately lifting a weight 10% less than your first weight. Do as many reps as you can to fatigue. Reduce the next weight by another 10%, and perform as many reps as you can. Keep reducing your weight by 10% till you physically cannot perform another repetition.
There are no breaks in between each set. Just keep moving from back to back repetitions! Using drop sets to fatigue your muscles is one of the best dumbbell workouts you can add to your routine!