DUMBBELL EXERCISES

Dumbbell exercises form an integral part of most strength training programs. They can be used to develop the various different elements of strength such as maximal strength, hypertrophy or muscle mass, explosive power and strength endurance. Free weights such as dumbbells activate smaller stabilizing muscle groups to control the exercise. Resistance machines on the other hand, tend to work muscle groups in very strict planes of movement. The other advantage dumbbell exercises have over machines is that they fit around your body so the movement can be performed correctly.
Athletes typically favor dumbbell exercises over machines as they can replicate sport-specific movements more accurately. The dumbbell exercises in this blog have been divided into the major muscle groups of the body. The first step is to determine an outcome – general fitness, increased muscle mass, strength endurance, improved athletic performance for example.

GUIDELINES FOR DUMBELL EXERCISES

1. Complete a warm up
Perform 5-10 minutes of light aerobic exercise followed by stretching exercises to all major muscle groups.

2. Start with a light weight
Start with a low weight and only increase the resistance is proper technique can be maintained.

3. Use a spotter
Ideally you should have someone ‘spot’ each of the dumbell exercises you perform. Spotting involves carefully watching the lifts.

4. Avoid dropping dumbells
Do not drop or throw the dumbells to the floor once an exercise has been completed rather lower under control. Suddenly dropping them will release this tension rapidly increasing the risk of muscle tears.

5. Designing a program
The dumbell exercises you select, the amount of weight you use and the number of sets and repetitions you complete depends on your training outcome. Dumbell exercises can be used to develop maximal strength, strength endurance, explosive power or increased muscle mass.

CHEST DUMBBELL EXERCISES

Flat Chest Presses
[Works the pectorals, triceps and the anterior deltoid (front of shoulder).]
1. Lying flat on a bench, hold the weights directly above your chest, arms extended and palms facing towards your feet.
2. Lower the weights to your chest under control.
3. Press the dumbells back up to the starting position and repeat.
4. Avoid locking your elbows. This keeps the tension in your pectoral muscles and prevents joint damage.
Incline Chest Presses
[A variation of the flat press, this exercise works the upper pectorals, triceps and the anterior deltoid.]
1. Adjust bench to an incline of 30 to 45 degrees.
2. Repeat as above.
Flat Chest Flies
1. Lying flat on a bench, hold the weights directly above your chest. Palms facing towards each other.
2. Bend your elbows slightly and maintain this flexion for the rest of the exercise.
3. Open your arms in an arc lowering the weights. Your elbows should remain 'locked' in a slightly bent position. Imagine opening your arms to give someone a hug and you won't go far wrong!
4. When your upper arms are parallel to the floor, use the same movement to return the weights to the starting position and repeat.

Incline Chest Flies
1. Adjust bench to an incline of 30 to 45 degrees.
2. Repeat as above.

SHOULDER DUMBBELL EXERCISES

Seated Shoulder Presses

• Sit upright on the end of the bench with the dumbells extended directly above your head. Make sure your back is not rounded. Adjust the bench so it forms an upright chair to support your back if necessary.
• Lower the weights slowly and under control to your shoulders.
• When your arms are bent to 90 degrees, press the dumbells back up without locking your elbows and repeat.

Lateral Raises
[Most dumbell exercises are superior to the machine equivelent. This one is no exception. Out of all the dumbell exercises described this is also the one that is invariably performed badly. If you keep good form you cannot lift a heavy weight.]

• Stand upright, knees slightly bent and shoulder width apart, holding the dumbells at your sides.
• Bend you elbows slightly and raise the dumbells out to the side. Keep you elbows slightly bent as you do this.
• When your arms are parallel to the floor, slowly lower the weights back down and repeat.
• If you catch yourself arching your back, dipping your knees or bringing your shoulders back use a lighter weight.

Reverse Flies
[Works the posterior (rear) deltoid. The exercise is performed as its name suggests. It's simply a chest fly in reverse.]

• Sit on the edge of a bench, feet flat on the floor and knees bent at right angles. Bend right over so your chest is almost resting on your thighs.
• Hold 2 dumbells next to your feet and bend your arms slightly. Open your arms out in an arc keeping your elbows bent.
• When your arms are parallel to the floor slowly lower the weights back to the ground with the same motion.
• You can and should only use a light weight for this exercise. If you find it places too much strain on your lower back try this variation...

Adjust the bench as though you are about to perform an incline dumbell press. Lie face down and let your arms hang down so your knuckles brush the floor. From here perform the movement described above.
Front Raises
[Isolates the anterior (front) deltoids.]

• Stand upright, knees slightly bent and shoulder width apart. Hold the dumbells at against your thighs. Your palms should be towards your body.
• Starting with your weaker side and keeping your arm straight, raise the weight directly in front of you.
• When your arm is parallel to the ground lower the weight slowly back to the starting position. Repeat with the other arm.
• Avoid the tendency to arch your lower back on the last few repetitions. You will be able to handle more weight on the concentric phase (lifting the weight up) of this exercise. Make sure you can lower (eccentric phase) the dumbell under control before you progress to a higher weight.

BACK DUMBBELL EXERCISES

Dead Lifts
[Works the lower back and hamstrings. Be very careful with this exercise. If you have a history of back pain leave this one alone.]

• Stand upright, feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold 2 dumbells against your thighs.
• Use your lower back to lower the weights down your leg. Your back must remain flat, the lower back arched inwards slightly. Do not round it. Keep your head up, right throughout the movement.
• Only lower the weights as far as is comfortable even if that's only as far as your knees.
• Stand upright using your lower back, maintaining a flat back and bent knees and keeping your head up.

Single Arm Row

• Stand upright with the bench next to your left leg. Bend your left leg and rest it on the bench. Bend from your lower back and support yourself by placing your left hand on the bench. Your upper body should be parallel to the ground.
• Hold the weight in your right hand and let it hang down so it's just off the floor. Your palm should be facing towards the bench.
• Keeping your elbow tucked into your side raise the weight up to your midsection.
• Slowly lower the weight to the start position and repeat. After the desired number of repetitions repeat for the other arm.

Lying Bent Over Rows
[This is the same movement as the single arm row except you can work both arms at once whilst supporting your back.]

• Set the bench to a 30-45 degree incline.
• Lie face down. Holding 2 dumbells let your arms hang down so your knuckles brush the floor. Your palms should be facing towards your feet.
• Pull the dumbells up towards your chest and to the sides of the bench.
• Slowly lower the weights back down and repeat.

TRAPEZIUS DUMBBELL EXERCISES

Upright Rows

• Stand upright, feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold 2 dumbells against your thighs.
• Keeping the weights close to your body, raise the dumbells up to your chin.
• Hold for a count of 2 and slowly lower to the start position and repeat.

Shrugs

• Stand upright, feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold 2 dumbells against your thighs.
• Keeping your arms straight 'shrug' your shoulders as high as they will go and hold for a count of 2.
• Relax and repeat.
• Do not roll your shoulders backwards as you shrug up. This can cause damage to your rotator cuff muscles over time.
• 

BICEPS DUMBBELL EXERCISES

Decline Seated Bicep Curls

• Adjust the bench to a 45 degree incline.
• In this 'declined' seated position hold a dumbell in either hand at your sides. Your arms should be fully extended.
• Keep your elbows close to your body and curl the weight up.
• Slowly lower the weight and repeat.

Hammer Curls

• Stand upright with a dumbell in either hand at your sides.
• Turn your palms inward so they are facing your body. Your palms should be facingeach other right throughout the exercise.
• Curl the weights up slowly keeping your elbows locked at your sides. There should be no movement from shoulder.
• You can perform this exercise one or two arms at a time.

Preacher Curls

• Set the bench so the back rest is at approximately 45 degrees.
• Stand behind the bench. Holding a dumbell rest the back of your upper arm on the back rest, your arm fully extended.
• Keeping the back of your upper arm firmly against the back rest curl the weight up towards your face.
• As you complete the curl you will notice the movement becomes easier. Slowly lower the weight until your arm is not quite fully extended and repeat for the desired number of reps before switching arms.

Concentration Curls
[Some dumbell exercises are difficult to describe on paper but eay when you see it. This is one of them (images for all dumbell exercises are on their way). For now let's give it a shot...]

• Sit on the very edge of the bench with your feet flat on the floor and about 2 feet apart.
• Holding a dumbell in your right hand place your right elbow on the inside of your right thigh, just above your knee. Support your back by placing your left hand on your left knee. Your right palm should be facing towards your left ankle.
• From here use only your biceps to curl the weight up towards your face. Do not swing back as you lift the weight.
• Slowly lower the weight and repeat for the desired number of reps before switching to your left arm.

TRICEPS DUMBBELL EXERCISES

Overhead Triceps Extensions

• Stand upright, feet shoulder width apart with a dumbell in your right hand.
• Hold the weight directly above your head with your right arm fully extended. Clasp your right elbow with your left hand. Your left forearm should be infront of your face.
• Slowly let your right elbow fold so that the weight is lowered behind your head. From this position extend your arm back to the starting position. Repeat for the desired number of reps and then switch arms.

French Presses

• Lie flat on a bench with a dumbell in either hand. Hold the weights directly above your chest with palms facing each other. The weights should be just about touching each other.
• Keeping your shoulders locked, let your elbows fold so the weights are lowered down to either side of your head.
• Extend both your arms back to the start position and repeat.
• Make sure there is no shoulder movement on this exercise. The movement should come purely from your elbows.

Triceps Kickbacks

• Stand upright with the bench next to your left leg. Bend your left leg and rest it on the bench. Bend from your lower back and support yourself by placing your left hand on the bench. Your upper body should be parallel to the ground.
• Hold the weight in your right hand and raise your elbow so your upper arm is parallel to the ground. Your elbow should also be bent at right angles. Think of holding a pool cue ready to make a shot. In fact the movement is exactly the same...
• Extend your elbow so now your entire arm is parallel to the ground.
• Slowly return the weight to the start position and repeat for the desired number of reps before switching arms.

LEG DUMBBELL EXERCISES

Half Squats
[One of the best dumbell exercises for working the entire lower body. Works the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and lower back.]

1. Holding a dumbell in either hand at your sides, stand upright with your feet shoulder width apart.
2. Bend from the knees until your thighs are almost parallel to the ground.
3. It is essential that you keep your back flat (not rounded), lower back slightly arched inwards and your head up.
4. Return to an upright position and repeat.

Dumbbell Lunges

1. Holding a dumbell in either hand at your sides, stand upright with your feet slightly less than shoulder width apart.
2. Step forward about 2 feet with your right foot. As you plant your right foot bend your right knee to about 90 degrees. Your left knee will bend automatically and should just touch the floor.
3. Push off with your right foot to return to the starting position.
4. You can alternate legs or perform all the reps on one leg at a time.

Squats
Squats are still the gold standard when it ocmes to chaping your glutes.

1. Stand in front of a chir with your feet hip-width apart. Keep your body erect and your chin raised slightly throughout this exercise.
2. Slowly lower your hips towards the chair as if you’re about to sit.
3. Just before your body touches it, return slowly to a standing position. Don’t arch or round your back – keep it in a straigh line – and keep your knees behind your toes, your weight centred over the middle of your feet and heels (not over your toes), and your feet flat on the floor.
4. Now remore the chair and lower your hips until the tops of your thighs are parallel to the floor – never farther. As you get stronger, increase resistance by honding dumbells at your sides.
5. Try it against a wall. Or, once you’re comfortable, try it on one leg and alternate.

CALF DUMBBELL EXERCISES

Single Leg Calf Presses

• Set the back rest if the bench to an upright position. Holding a dumbell in your right hand at your side, stand upright and place your left hand on the top of the bench for support.
• Stand on just your right leg. Rest your left foot on your right calf muscle.
• Stand up on the tip of right toe using the bench to balance yourself. Be sure not to push yourself up with your hand, that defeats the object.
• Slowly lower yourself to the ground and repeat for desired number of reps before changing legs.

Seated Calf Raises

• Sit on the edge of the bench, feet flat on the floor about 12 inches apart.
• Rest dumbells on thighs while keeping hold of them.
• While staying seated raise heels by just using toes… in effect you are standing on your tip toes while staying seated.
• Lower your heels to the ground and repeat.

TO GET RID OF WOBBLY BITS

Exercise 1 - Chest and Shoulders
Lie on your back and grasp your weights with the palms of your hands facing up, and your arms outstretched to the sides. With your elbows slightly bent, lift your arms above your chest until your hands are almost touching. Return to starting position and repeat.

Exercise 2 - Chest and Shoulders
Lie on your back and grasp your weights with the palms of your hands facing up, and your arms outstretched above your head. Grip your weights and bring them over your head and down to your hips, by your sides - a semi-circular motion. Lift back to starting position and repeat.

Exercise 3 - Chest and Back
Sitting with your back straight (preferably supported) and legs straight out in front of you, hold your weights in at your chest with your elbows out to the side (parallel to the floor). Push your arms out straight in front of you then pull them back in. Repeat.

Exercise 4 - Back and Shoulders
Stand with feet shoulder width apart and arms by your sides, gripping the weights with palms facing outwards. Making sure your movements are slow and concentrated, tense your shoulder and upper back muscles, then slowly "shrug" them up and down.

Exercise 5 - Shoulders and Upper Arms
Stand with feet shoulder width apart and arms raised straight up above your head, grip your weights with your palms facing behind you. Slowly bring your arms forward and down, without bending at the elbow, until level with your shoulders. Lift back to starting position and repeat.

Exercise 6 - Upper Arms, Shoulders and Back
Standing with feet slightly apart, grasp your weights and bend at the waist until your torso is parallel to the floor. Extend your arms towards the floor with palms facing outwards. Lift your arms out to the side, keeping them straight, until parallel to the floor. Return to the starting position and repeat.

Exercise 7 - Upper Arms, Shoulders and Back
Standing with feet slightly apart, position your arms straight down in front of you almost against your body - with your weights almost touching. Bend your elbows and lift your weights towards your chin, bringing your elbows out to the side, in line with your shoulders. Return to the starting position and repeat.

Exercise 8 - Arms and Chest
The classic push up. With your hands shoulder width apart place your palms on the floor. Stretch out your body with either your knees on the floor, or if you're feeling ambitious, your toes - so you are supporting your body weight. Keeping your back straight and using your arms lower yourself gently toward the floor until you are hovering just over it. Push yourself slowly back to your starting position and repeat. Remember - don't lower yourself to the point where you come into contact with the floor, it'll be much harder to push back up.

Exercise 9 - Arms
In a sitting position with your back straight, relax your arms in line with your body. Grip your weights with your palms facing upwards and curl them up towards your shoulders, then back down again. Repeat. Keep your torso still and back straight, let your arms do the work.

Exercise 10 - Forearms
Holding your weight with your arm outstretched in front of you, tilt your wrist up and down repeatedly. Try doing this with both an overhand and underhand grip on your weight. Do one arm at a time.

Results
The secret of successful body toning is regularity. If you do this exercise sequence every other day you'll start to see results in a few weeks.

Equipment Required
Most of the exercises above use hand-held weights to provide resistance: these can be as simple as water bottles (or even tins of food) you can grip comfortably, or dumbbells in the range of 1lb-5lb/0.5-2kg.

TONE YOUR TUMMY

Spend just five minutes a day on toning your abs and you'll get an amazing middle.
Here I rounded up five of the most effective tummy toners around. Work three or four of these exercises into your routine. Do the number of reps indicated, resting one minute between moves.

Pike 90

1. Lie faceup; raise legs until perpendicular to floor, feet flexed.

2. Lower right leg so it hovers 1 or 2 inches off floor and place hands lightly behind head.

3. In this position, do 15 crunches, lifting chest toward ceiling and lowering.

4. Switch legs and repeat.

Crunchy frog

1. Sit with knees bent, feet flat.

2. Keeping legs together, raise feet several inches and bring knees toward chest.

3. Wrap arms around knees without touching legs. Extend legs and stretch arms to sides, palms forward.

4. Return to wrapped-arm position; repeat.

5. Do 15 reps.

Tornado

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, right leg in front of left, right foot turned out.

2. Bend elbows and raise arms out to sides at shoulder level (like goalposts).

3. In one motion, raise right knee to lowered right elbow.

4. Return to start; switch sides and repeat to complete one rep.

5. Do 15 reps.

Corkscrew

1. Lie faceup.

2. Press legs together and raise them toward ceiling until they're at a 90-degree angle, with knees slightly bent and toes pointed.

3. Raise butt and legs off floor using ab muscles;

4. Twist legs slightly to left. Repeat, twisting to right, for one rep.

5. Do 15 reps.

Side Arm Balance

1. Start on floor on knees.

2. Lean to left and place left hand on floor under shoulder; extend right arm up and to left, palm down.

3. Straighten right legs out to right with foot on floor, resting on left knee.

4. Hold for 5 breaths.

5. Return to start; switch sides. Repeat twice per side.

BUTT FITNESS EXERCISE

• Do squats three days a week. Squats are excellent for working the butt muscles.
• Try leg lift exercises. Get down on the ground on all fours, resting your forearms on the floor. Keeping your right knee on the ground, lift your left leg straight out behind you. Now lift your left leg a few inches up, and repeat this movement 15 to 20 times. Switch to the other side and perform the same number of reps. These leg lifts help to work your glutes, in addition to quads, calves and hamstrings.
• Stair climbing is a great cardio for working the butt.
  

RECOVERY AFTER EXERCISE

Recovery after exercise is essential to muscle and tissue repair and strength building. A muscle needs anywhere from 24 to 48 hours to repair and rebuild, and working it again too soon simply leads to tissue breakdown instead of building. For weight training routines, never work the same muscles groups two days in a row.
There are as many methods of recovery as there are athletes. The following are some of the most commonly recommended by the experts.

• Rest.
• Stretch.
• Cool Down.
• Eat Properly.
• Replace Fluids.
• Try Active Recovery.
• Have a Massage.
• Alternate Hot and Cold Baths or Showers.
• Get Lots of Sleep.
• Avoid Overtraining.

EATING FOR EXERCISE

• It's also important to keep hydrated, so drink plenty of water during the work out. This combination of healthy eating and proper hydration can positively impact your performance during a workout.
• Nourish your body before exercise A pre-exercise meal helps prevent low blood sugar levels and feelings of hunger during your workout, plus it provides energy to your muscles. Three to four hours before hitting the gym, snack on complex carbohydrates, since they are easily digested and absorbed into the blood. Avoid high-fat and high-protein foods. Good examples of pre-exercise meals rich in complex carbohydrates are a bowl of Cheerios with non-fat or low-fat milk and a banana, and whole-wheat waffles topped with sliced strawberries and vanilla yogurt.
• Nourish your body after exercise Generally, you should eat after a hard workout that lasts longer than an hour. This will help replenish those stored carbohydrates and fluids your body just worked off and aid muscle repair and recovery. It can take 24 to 48 hours for full muscle recovery after carbohydrate stores have been depleted. Your muscles are most receptive to replacing glycogen within the first two hours after a hard workout, but the sooner, the better. Try a protein drink or smoothie immediately after an endurance activity and then follow with a balanced meal two hours later. Examples of great post-exercise meals include a sweet potato with chili and mozzarella, a turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread, or pasta tossed with chicken and vegetables.

SCHEDULE

One of the most important elements of a bodybuilding training regimen is variety. Change your workout routines over the period of roughly 4-6 months. Considering the following plans:

Cycle 1
Chest, Triceps, Shoulders
Cardio
Back, Biceps, Calves
Cardio
Hams, Glutes, Abs
Cardio
Rest

Cycle 2
Chest, Triceps
Back, Biceps
Cardio
Legs, Abs
Shoulders, Traps
Cardio
Rest

Cycle 3
Chest
Back/Cardio
Triceps/Cardio
Biceps/Cardio
Legs/Abs
Shoulders, Traps
Rest

WHAT'S DUMBBELL

A dumbbell is a type of free weight, composed of a short bar with a metal ball or weight disc at each end. The dumbbell is usually held with one arm, which gives the weight lifter more versatility to isolate particular muscle groups and body side. They usually come in a variety of weights and usually in pairs.

MAKE YOUR MIND

• If it's been weeks, months, or years since you have done exercise but are desperate to start again, I'll give you tips to get your butt in gear again and start that workout! Hint: it's all psychological!
• Pump yourself up. Remind yourself that you can't possible be at the same stage you were when you attended the gym regularly
• The good news is that muscles have memory; you'll be up to where you were before in no time.
• Take time to stretch. Stretching feels sooooo good, it's like a reward for your effort.
  
• Drink lots of water. Water, along with your workout, will energize you. By the time you head out for home, you'll be hydrated and cleansed!

BEST TIME FOR EXERCISE

The hour just before the evening meal is a popular time for exercise. It helps dissolve the day’s worries and tensions.

Another popular time is early morning. The early start will make you more alert and energetic on the job.

Among the factors you should consider in developing your workout schedule are personal preference, job and family responsibilities, availability of exercise facilities and weather.

You should not exercise strenuously during extremely hot, humid weather or within two hours after eating.

CLOTHING FOR EXERCISE

As required for other exercises, dumbbell exercise clothing should be loose-fitting to permit freedom of movement, and should make the wearer feel comfortable and self-assured. As a general rule, you should wear lighter clothes than temperatures might indicate.
When the weather is very cold, it’s better to wear several layers of light clothing than one or two heavy layers. The extra layers help trap heat, and it’s easy to shed one of them if you become too warm. While in cold weather, and in hot, sunny weather, it’s a good idea to wear something on your head.
Never wear rubberized or plastic clothing, such garments interfere with the evaporation of perspiration and can cause body temperature to rise to dangerous levels.