Between dumbbells and barbells, which would you like to use as a free weight? Barbells are good in their own terms but not as good as dumbbells. Why? That is because dumbbells are easily adjustable, more versatile, and considered to feel more modern than the regular barbell.
As a free weight, dumbbells are more versatile. When you engage in a couple of exercises, you want to be able to switch between these exercises without too much stress. With dumbbells, the stress is removed. Also, it is easy to store dumbbells.
They occupy a relatively small space and you can easily move them around and enjoy the free movement that is available when you use them. In addition to these advantages, dumbbells are lighter and are easier to stock up. You don’t have to visit the gym before you can carry out fantastic workouts.
With your dumbbell, you only need to learn about the necessary workouts. The flexibility of most dumbbells gives you the opportunity to perform a variety of exercises, unlike barbells.
In this article, I am going to show you 3 workouts that you can engage in now to improve your strength and diversify your strength training exercises. Along the way, you will also develop some other intrinsic benefits but the most important is that with your workout equipment, these exercises are doable.
But first, what is about dumbbell lifting?
A brief history of dumbbell lifting
In the past two thousand years, the dumbbell has passed through a couple of metamorphosis before it became what we know it for today. The first equipment that was developed for the purpose of weightlifting was a device called a ‘haltere’. This device is designed with a handle and is crescent-shaped. At that period, it is only used for weight lifting and jump events. The next equipment that was developed after the ‘haltere’ was what was called ‘nal’. This time, the equipment was built like a club and it was used in India and by wrestlers, sportsmen, and bodybuilders for the purpose of building muscle and strength.
Must Read: Dumbbell Workouts That Will Widen Your Hips
Few years’ later, English bell ringers started using what we know now as a dumbbell for building weights. Initially, this was confined to this people. As time goes on, dumbbells became ubiquitous equipment for weightlifting, training, and muscle building. The interesting thing about this weight equipment is that it is applicable at home and at the gym.
If you have been thinking you have to get to the gym before you can use a dumbbell, think again. You don’t have to go to the gym before you can use one. With online retailers like Amazon.com, you can easily order a dumbbell and have it delivered to your doorstep.
What if you already have a dumbbell? Do you know the uses and benefits?
The good uses of dumbbell lifting
There are many advantages of using dumbbells as opposed to barbells. Let’s look at some of these:
Dumbbells give you a wider range of movement and activities unlike other types of weight lifting equipment. Because of the versatility and flexibility of dumbbells, the user can easily move around with ease and even engage in variety of exercises.
Dumbbells are good for dynamic motion. This is because of the compactness of dumbbells. While this may be similar to the above, it is quite different. When you have dynamic motion, it shows that different positions can be taken without high risk of accidents. This is often not applicable to barbells and other kinds of equipment.
Dumbbells can serve as a good companion for you if you are just starting out as a bodybuilder. With just a handful of instructions, you can engage in your favorite exercises.
It is easy to release and drop a dumbbell in the event that a lift goes wrong. If you are an experienced weight lifter, you will discover that it is possible to go wrong with a lift and the flexibility of dumbbells can save the day in such critical times.
They are lightweight compared to barbells; dumbbells can be adjusted to fit your strength level. This is a good thing for the beginners. With just one dumbbell, like the Bowflex 552, you can improve and change the weight to affect the improvements in your exercises.
The three ultimate dumbbell workouts for men
After all the blabbing, we have arrived at the crux of the issue. Quickly, these are the three ultimate dumbbell workouts for men:
1. The Straddle Press
What is the purpose of this exercise? It is to test your interior strength and flexibility. You target the hips and hamstrings in this exercise.
What is the instruction? Sit down on the ground. Be in a bestride position and hold your dumbbell at shoulder height. Now press the dumbbell above your head. When you do this, don’t lean towards your back. During this workout, ensure your legs are straightened out. You are going to do this to both sides of your body.
Weight (this is applicable to men):
- For a beginner, this will be 15% of your weight for 5 reps for the arms.
- For an intermediate, this will be 25% of your weight for 5 reps for the arms.
- For the advanced user, this will be 35% of your weight for 5 reps for the arms.
- For an expert, this will be 50% of your weight for 5 reps for the arms.
2. The Bench Press
What is the purpose of this exercise? This exercise will help you develop your true multi-planar strength and additional pressing power.
What is the instruction? Place the dumbbell at shoulder level. As if you were performing a windmill, have your legs at the same level with the dumbbell. Push your hips towards the side and extend the dumbbell upwards while maintaining your opposite arm on the ground. Do this and then return to the previous position to repeat.
Weight for men:
- For a beginner, this will be 15% of your weight for 5 reps for the arms.
- For an intermediate, this will be 25% of your weight for 5 reps for the arms.
- For the advanced user, this will be 35% of your weight for 5 reps for the arms.
- For an expert, this will be 60% of your weight for 5 reps for the arms.
And this what most of bodybuilding and fitness models does, for example, Ulisses Jr gots a serious toned shoulders.
3. The Windmill
What is the purpose of this exercise? It is used to develop shoulder strength and stability. And MMA athletes and martial artists can use it.
Instruction: Press your dumbbell above your head with one arm making sure that the arm used is straight all through the workout. Let your feet be hips apart and leave 45-degree spaces between them and your working arm. After that, start hitching your hips towards your side and consequently to the ground level. Looking up to your dumbbell, let your arm and shoulder rotate. This is the end; you should start from the beginning for your reps.
- For a beginner, this will be 15% of your weight for 5 reps for the arms.
- For an intermediate, this will be 25% of your weight for 5 reps for the arms.
- For the advanced user, this will be 35% of your weight for 5 reps for the arms.
- For an expert, this will be 60% of your weight for 5 reps for the arms.
Safe and right use of dumbbells
As you probably already know, any equipment that will cause injuries or accidents will come with the rules of usage. Dumbbells are no different. Some of the precautions you have to take include the following:
- Do some preps to warm up your muscle. Just like you eat some deserts before taking a meal or do some jogging before running a marathon, it is advisable to warm up your muscles for the exercises you intend to do. This helps to prepare the muscles for the activity ahead.
- Make sure you have selected the right set of dumbbells. It is very easy to just choose any dumbbell you can lay your hands on and start working with it. Don’t do that, as it can be hazardous. If you don’t make use of the right set of dumbbells, it could overstrain your muscles. And you don’t want this to happen, do you?
- Stop when your body tells you to do so. Sometimes when you are training, you will start feeling pains in your body. At this stage, you can reduce the weight or stop altogether. If you reduce the number of weight and the pain persists, you may have to relinquish the workout for a few periods to relax.
- Finally, start with lighter weight. It is a good thing to start with less heavyweight and increase as appropriate. This will enable you to last longer.
Wrapping up
If you don’t already have your own dumbbell sets and you want to perform these exercises, it is advisable to get adjustable dumbbells, which are available at your local stores or online. They are vital equipment for setting up an effective home gym.
If you are a beginner, it is recommended that you don’t just jump into doing these exercises. You can always and should get a trainer to put you through. After that, request for a demo and follow instructions properly. Once you have perfected your movements, you should then be doing the above exercises on your own. It is not difficult but you shouldn’t rush it. The calmer you are, the more you will benefit from the instructions here.
