These dumbbell exercises techniques and muscle exercise tips give you the tools you need to get stronger, build muscle, and get fit – all from the comforts of your own home!
With just a few dumbbells and some room to work with, you can get a great, all-over workout that works all your muscles.
In this post, you’ll get step-by-step instructions on how to do each exercise and tips on how to do it right.
Before we jump into specific exercises, it’s important to know the Benefits of dumbbell workouts, and warming up to prepare for your home dumbbell workout.
Benefits of Dumbbell Workouts
If you’re looking to build muscle and get stronger, dumbbell workouts are a great way to go.
There are lots of different types of training equipment out there, from barbells and bodyweight exercises to machines and resistance bands.
But there are some key benefits to using dumbbells, so here’s a list of the best ones.
- With dumbbells, you can perform a wide range of exercises to target every major muscle group in your body, and you can train in every plane of motion.
- You can also work out in the comfort of your own home, saving time on your busy schedule.
- Dumbbells are easy to use, small, and stored at home, so you can get your workout in whenever you need it.
- They are effective in increasing muscle mass and strength, making them one of the most effective ways to get results.
Warming Up to Prepare for Your Home Dumbbell Workout
The warm muscles are the muscles that perform best. You may want to lift right away, but it’s best to warm up first:
Begin with 5 – 10 minutes of light cardio (jogging in place, jumping jacks, etc.) to get your blood flowing and to raise your heart rate and overall body temperature.
Do some dynamic stretching that targets your major muscle groups (e.g., 15–20 leg swings, arm rings, torso twists, etc.).
Maximize muscle activation by targeting specific muscle groups you will be working on.
Do 2–3 circuits (15–20 air squats/wall push-ups/band pull-apart) to activate the glutes, chest, and upper back muscles.
Do 1–2 light sets (i.e., goblet/dumbbell squats) first in your workout to prepare for heavier weights.
Use a lighter weight with good form for lower body/core work.
Dumbbell Exercises Techniques and Muscle Exercise Tips
Below are the must-have dumbbell exercise tips
1. Clean and Press
If you’re looking for a one-total body workout, clean and press is the workout for you.
In a single fluid movement, you’ll work virtually all of the muscles in your anterior and posterior chain, which is why it’s often used by Olympic lifters.
Clean and press also have some practical benefits that translate into your fitness goals, such as increasing strength and increasing muscle mass.
You’ll start at the floor and work in a coordinated effort from your calves through your legs into your hips.
As your hips extend and your back straightens, the abdominal wall helps stabilize your spine.
The muscles of your back contract to lift your shoulder height to the dumbbell, and as your arms and deltoid work to press you overhead, your triceps and core work to stabilize your body in its final position.
Train all of these muscles for multiple reps and you’ll burn extra calories, making clean and press an excellent addition to your weight-loss program.
2. Kickbacks (Triceps)
Dumbbells don’t have the biggest selection of tricep exercises, but they do offer some of the best.
A study by the American College of Exercise (ACE) looked at the effectiveness of eight common triceptive exercises.
Fifteen healthy female participants were asked to show EMG activity as they performed each exercise.
Triangle push-ups had the highest muscle activity, with kickbacks coming in second with 87% mean activation of the long and lateral head.
In this exercise, you’ll stimulate almost the whole triceps muscle, but you’ll want to make sure you’re doing it correctly so you’re recruiting all of your muscle fibers.
Start with your upper arms parallel to your torso. Drive your forearm back toward your hip and keep your upper arm stationary all the way through. You’ll feel a big contraction at the end of the movement!
3. Deadlifts
Another exercise that extensively works multiple muscle groups is the Deadlift. This exercise works the entire backside of your body, which is an area where many muscles are often overlooked.
I’m a big fan of the different variations of the deadlift, but for any exercise enthusiast, the standard deadlift is the way to go.
Research has shown that the conventional deadlift is a better technique for building multiple muscle groups, such as the Bicep Femoral and Glute Maximus, as opposed to the traditional Romanian deadlift.
The forearms, the lats, the glutes, the hamstrings, and the core stabilizers are all extensively worked in the deadlift, as are the upper, middle, and lower back muscles.
4. 21’s (Bicep Curls)
This variation of the bicep curls is an old-school exercise that develops biceps like no other.
There are three parts to this variation: 7 reps of the curl at the bottom (90 degrees), 7 reps of the full-range curl from the waist to the shoulders, and 7 more reps at the top (shoulders).
This adds up to 21 reps in a single set. This is why 21’s has the name “21”. It’s an endurance test that will help you get the full shape out of your biceps.
Just a word of warning: this exercise will be hard. You’ll probably feel like you won’t be able to complete the 21 reps.
Fight through each rep and pick a weight that will make the set look and feel like hell. That’s where the real magic happens.
5. Dumbbell Squats
What I love about dumbbell squats is that there are so many variations to choose from. Depending on the way you hold the weight and the form you use, your body may react differently.
For instance, you may find that cradling one dumbbell between your hands while squatting in a goblet position is more comfortable from a positioning and form point of view.
This means you’ll be able to lift a heavier total weight than if you were to hold two lighter dumbbells in separate hands.
On the other hand, if you choose to do an elevated dumbbell squat, you’ll benefit from the fact that you’re sitting deeper into the movement.
This means that your glutes will be activated to a greater extent than with a standard dumbbell squat.
Ultimately, the variations you choose depend on what you’re trying to achieve. But no matter what type of squat you choose, adding one to your workout never goes unnoticed.
6. Hip Thrusts
The standard hip thrust targets the glutes, hamstrings, and core stability by engaging the muscles surrounding the hip, back, and abdomen.
It is important to focus on the glutes through an exercise like a hip thrust. While exercises such as squats, deadlifts, and leg presses build strong legs, few focus specifically on hip extension.
This can result in underdeveloped glutes and lower-body lifts that are not as effective as they could be.
If you want to build a complete body, you need to focus on glute exercises and hip extension.
This exercise is usually done with a barbell but you can also do it by resting the dumbbell on both sides of your pelvis.
7. Lunges
Truth be told, squats and lunges are two of the worst exercises you can do in the same workout.
They just naturally go hand in hand. That’s why it’s so important to do them together. After all, the only thing that’s harder than squatting is doing it on one leg.
This exercise can be done with or without a support leg, and you can do it standing or sitting on a bench.
The key is to keep your focus on the leg ahead of you. You’ll want to find a way to hold your dumbbells in a comfortable position and focus on your quads’ contractions as you lower.
8. Dumbbell Bench Press
Without bench presses, what would a well-rounded workout consist of? With dumbbells, you’ll have more range of motion and the variety of bench positions available will ensure you’re developing all of your upper, mid, and lower chest muscles.
If you’re serious about doing dumbbell workouts with bench presses, make sure you’re using enough weight!
I know it’s hard to balance 2 dumbbells when you’re holding them in separate hands, but pressing just a few pounds won’t do you any good.
I’ll usually recommend one type of dumbbell press for muscle development, but honestly, you should do a variety.
FAQs Related To Dumbbell Exercises Techniques And Muscle Exercise Tips
What is a dumbbell-only workout?
You’ll be able to target all major muscle groups with just two dumbbells, and with this dumbbell-only routine, you’ll be able to strengthen your body in as little as 30 minutes per day.
Dumbbell training lets you focus on one side of the body, which is ideal for correcting any strength deficiencies you may have.
How do dumbbells work in the lower body?
Almost every lower body muscle should be stimulated at the same time. This will help you train your balance to a high level.
Are dumbbells good workout equipment?
A dumbbell is a piece of equipment that can be used to strengthen all major muscle groups in the body.
There are so many different types of dumbbells in the gym and so many different exercises to do during a given workout that it can be difficult to decide what to do during a movement session.
How many dumbbell exercises are there?
18 dumbbell exercises
Can I build muscle with dumbbells only?
Yes
Can I train the full body with dumbbells?
Yes. With a single dumbbell, you can train your whole body in less than 10 minutes.
What happens when you lift dumbbells everyday?
There will be overtraining syndrome
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