By PowerMax Fitness / 01 Jun 2020
Muscle growth is undoubtedly influenced by genetics. Some people build muscle easier than others. But, no matter what your genetics are like, you can have a more muscular body if you structure your workouts carefully.
Going to a gym and having a membership isn’t the only way out to get a good sweat. It’s nice to have the people around who motivate you and have your little treadmills race competitions, but you can easily build your muscle or become leaner and have a more defined body right at the comfort of your home. Don’t get me wrong, bodyweight workouts are great and can burn calories but mixing them up with a set series of dumbbell exercises can make things challenging enough as you get at the gym.
The dumbbell, is a type of free weight, is a piece of equipment used in weight training. It can be used individually or in pairs, with one in each hand.
Before starting your at-home dumbbell routine you need to take care of 3 techniques so that your workouts make the maximum impact.
Here is a list of a few simple and easy exercises with the help of dumbbells that can tone you up and help build muscle at home:
1. Bicep curls - This is a classic movement with the help of a dumbbell - the bicep curl, very good exercise to warm up those arms. Start with arms relaxed at your sides and pull up the dumbbells to shoulder height together and bring them back down completely in a straight line. You can do this exercise for 3 sets of 10 – 20 repetitions each. Start with light weights and gradually increase your way up.
2. Triceps extensions - Triceps extensions are an excellent exercise to work out your triceps. To perform a triceps extension hold the dumbbells up over your head then, bending your arm at the elbow, make sure your arms are close to your ears and not flopping around, keep them straight when you come up and keep the elbows firm. You can do this exercise for 3 sets with 12-15 repetitions each.
3. Shoulder Press – Many exercises can be done to strengthen the shoulder using the dumbbells usually most of them are different varieties of shoulder press. Keep the dumbbells right above your shoulder and push your arm up raising them straight above the head and then bring them back down above the shoulder. Repeat carefully and slowly. You can do this for 3 sets of 12-15 repetitions each.
4. Trapezius muscles exercises - Trapezius muscles or Traps are the muscle between the neck and the shoulder, you can do a very simple dumbbell exercise to target them. You can perform the shoulder shrug by holding each dumbbell in your hand and keep your hands perfectly aligned to your sides and simply lift your shoulder and then back to normal. You can do 3 sets of 15-20 repetitions each.
5. Calf Raises - Dumbbells can not only be used to work out your arms but also your legs. To do calf raises hold the dumbbell in each hand and keep your hands straight, go on your tiptoe and lower yourself to normal standing stance. This will work your calf muscle amazingly. You can do 3 sets of 12-15 repetitions each.
6. Dumbbell Lunge – Perform a normal lunge by putting one leg forward and bending to form 90 degree angle with the bent leg, add weights to both hands to increase the difficulty level and you will feel the burn targeted in your thighs, Do 3 sets of 12-15 repetitions on each leg.
7. Weighted squats – Do a regular squat, legs hip-width apart and sit back down and come back up but make sure you’re not hunching your back. To increase the challenge, keep the dumbbells in each hand and then perform the squat to make it a little harder on your legs. You can do 3 sets of 12-15 repetitions each.
8. Crunches - To do a weighted abdominal crunch put a dumbbell in front of the chest and then perform the crunch to make it extra hard. You must be very careful while doing these and make sure your form is correct and don’t strain your neck.
