The Ultimate Guide to Strength Training Using Only Dumbbells

Has your fitness regime started to suffer due to the lack of fancy gym products while staying at home? We are here to show you how you can use your good-old dumbbell sets to create an effective strength training routine.

How is Training Using Dumbbells Advantageous?

Workouts with dumbbells are still a crucial part of any conventional weight training session. These versatile pieces of fitness equipment available online offer a range of full-body toning benefits, including:

• Building muscle and strength – A suitably weighted set of dumbbells provides good resistance. Even if you do not have higher weights, increasing the number of repetitions in the workout, ensure similar results.
• Serving as beginner-friendly equipment – The equal distribution of the weight on either side makes it easier to grip it and focus on the form of the exercise adequately.
• Ease of daily workouts – Fitness specialists actively promote that you need only 2-3 days per week of properly planned dumbbell strength training to gain significant lean muscle mass.
• Ensuring joint safety – Dumbbell exercises allow your body to move as it feels natural, ensuring, no sudden unnatural movement.
• Allowing unilateral training – The equal weight distribution on both the limbs secures that they undergo the same amount of work. For instance, a standing barbell press with a set of dumbbell will train both limbs unilaterally.

Strength Training Dumbell Workouts

Now that you know why dumbbells have been a supremely consistent part of any gym, the next step is to plan your dumbbell strength training exercises each week. Take your pick and shuffle between:

1. Keystone Deadlifts – Hold the dumbbells with your arms straight and slowly bend downwards while keeping the knees soft. Then push back up through your hamstrings.
2. Alternated Bicep Curl – Hold moderately weighted dumbbells facing your palms forward. Raise them half-way up one by one for a full-concentrated movement and repeat.
3. Overhead Press – Stand straight and hold the dumbbells so that your palms face your ears. Push the weight upwards while straightening your arms and then bring back down slowly.
4. Dumbbell Bench Press – A bench press using a dumbbell works on your chest and triceps. Make sure to keep chest lifted, back arched and vary the grip and angle to emphasis more on the isolated muscles.
5. Dumbbell Deadlifts – Keep your knees soft and slightly bent, push your hips back and shift your weight back as you lower the weight down.
6. Table Curls – Hold a dumbbell in one hand and place your elbow on a table at chest level. Straighten your arm on the table and then flex back to the initial position for one rep.
7. Contralateral Deadlift – Hold a dumbbell in one hand and place the opposite leg in front with a slightly bent knee. Slowly lower the dumbbell till your torso is parallel to the ground and then push back up.
8. Plank Pull-Through – Get into a high plank position and place a dumbbell near left hand. Drag it with the right hand and put it near while holding your body still the entire time. Repeat on the other side.
9. Seated Dumbbell Presses – Sit on a bench with your back straight. Hold the dumbbells on either side of your face while forming a 90-degree angle at your elbow. Push and straighten your arms and then slowly lower down.

The entire fitness industry swears by strength training as the most suitable form of exercise to grow and maintain lean muscle mass. Check out this additional resource on the benefits of strength training to boost your overall health and optimise fat burning.