Exercises with dumbbells - the best exercises with dumbbells for all muscle groups

Dumbbells are probably the most popular equipment that absolutely everyone knows about. Just think about it, the first prototype of dumbbells was invented in ancient Greece, about 3-4 thousand years ago. And now we just continue the tradition. So why are dumbbells so awesome? Today, together with a fitness trainer, we will answer this question and tell you about the most effective exercises.

World Class fitness trainer

“A versatile, mobile apparatus for performing physical exercises, which among other things is suitable for improving balance and coordination and has a higher range of motion, unlike a barbell. The only significant disadvantage is the limited weight of the projectile. The best way to level it out is to use prefabricated dumbbells for weight grading, but here too the limit is much lower than when using a barbell.”

What are dumbbells good for?

The main advantage is versatility. Not only that you can perform many elements that are completely different from each other. So you can easily adjust the load. It’s no secret that many modern dumbbells have removable pancakes, which you use to adjust the ideal weight.

What dumbbells to choose?

To the question of choosing dumbbells should be approached carefully, as, in general, to any purchase of sports equipment, because you buy for the future.

Cast dumbbells

There is nothing much to explain. This is a classic projectile of the Soviet model. No removable pancakes, nothing. Except that we recommend choosing rubberized versions. They are best suited for those who work with very small weights. These dumbbells are often extremely compact.

Prefabricated dumbbells

A cool option that will suit almost everyone. This device consists of a fingerboard, often rubberized, as well as removable pancakes. The main and perhaps the only disadvantage is that, as you pump your muscles, you will have to buy additional pancakes.

Cassette dumbbells

The most exotic option. Unpopular, but extremely practical, especially for home use. If you don’t have much space in your apartment and you don’t want to clutter it even more, cassette dumbbells are perfect for you. The design looks like a large dumbbell on a special platform. In fact, you just need to choose the weight you need and lift the whole structure by the bar. In your hands you will be left with the most ordinary dumbbell, and the extra pancakes – on the platform.

Warm-up before training

Do not forget to warm up before exercising. This is an important part of the training process. You’ll see that you’ll get better results after a good warm-up.

Do a pre-exercise stretch to activate the CNS and for the brain to recognize the amplitude of movement in the joints. Do a joint warm-up as well, because joints are prone to injury when working with weights, and especially with heavy weights.

Effective exercises with dumbbells

Some of these exercises will be familiar to you, some you will learn for the first time, but most importantly – you will familiarize yourself with the technique of each exercise. Because knowing the name is not enough, you need to take into account all the nuances: how to choose the weight, what starting position to take, how to do all the movements correctly, the success of your training depends on it. Or you will just waste your time: you will not load the muscles properly or load the wrong ones.

Dumbbell pull in an incline

Technique

Stand up straight, arms lowered along the body.
Without bending your back, lean forward.
Your feet should be at the width of your pelvis.
Take dumbbells in your hands and hold them at the level of the knee joint.
As you exhale, perform a pull to the waist.
As you inhale, return to the starting position.
Always start the movement by bringing your shoulder blades down and lowering them, this way the exercise will be more effective.
The dumbbells should move along your hips.
Breathe evenly and do not bend your back.

Dumbbell press lying down

Technique

Lie with your back on the bench, with your feet firmly resting on the floor.
Straighten your back, bring your shoulder blades together and lower.
Take the dumbbells and straighten your arms, they should be in projection with the shoulder joint.
As you inhale, lower your arms to the level of the shoulder joint, do not bend them.
On exhalation, return to the starting position.
At the end point of the amplitude, the palms should be turned to each other.

Squats with dumbbells

Technique

Stand up straight, feet should be placed at the width of the pelvis.
The shoulder blades should be brought in and lowered.
Move the pelvis slightly backward, due to this the body will have a small angle of inclination.
Take the dumbbells and lower your straight arms along the body.
As you inhale, slowly squat to a 90-degree angle at the knees.
On exhalation just as slowly return to the starting position.
At the end point of the amplitude, the knees should not be extended all the way.

Variations of the location of the dumbbells:

In straight arms along the body.
The dumbbells on the shoulders are held with the hands.
One dumbbell in the hands in front of the chest.
One or two dumbbells in straight arms in projection over the shoulder joints.

Lunges with dumbbells

Technique

Stand up straight with your feet hip-width apart.
Straighten your back, lower and bring your shoulder blades together.
Slightly tilt your pelvis back and lean your body forward.
Pick up dumbbells and lower your straight arms along the body.
As you inhale, step one foot backwards, placing it on the toe.
And then immediately perform a squat to a 90-degree angle at the knee.
As you exhale, return to the starting position.
Maximize the weight transfer to the leg standing in front of you.
At the end point of the amplitude, the leg should not be fully extended.

Twists with a dumbbell

Technique

Lie on your back, legs bent at the knee joints.
The feet are on the floor, the pelvis is tilted back, the lower back is rounded and pressed to the floor.
Take a dumbbell and straighten your arms in the plane of the body.
As you exhale, flex your spine, lift your shoulder blades off the floor and pull the dumbbell up diagonally.
As you inhale, return to the starting position.
Control the contact of the lower back with the floor during the entire exercise.

Dumbbell press up

Execution technique

Stand up straight, feet firmly placed about shoulder width apart.
Straighten your back, bring your shoulder blades together and lower them.
Take the dumbbells in your hands. They should be at the level of your chin.
The forearms are perpendicular to the floor.
As you exhale, slowly perform an upward press.
As you inhale, return to the starting position.
All movements should be smooth.
At the end point of the amplitude, the handles of the dumbbells should be in projection on the shoulder joints.
Breathe evenly during the exercise.

Standing arm curls

Technique

Stand up straight, place your feet at the width of the pelvis.
Straighten your back, bring your shoulder blades in and lower them.
Tilt the body about 5-10 degrees by pulling the pelvis back.
Take dumbbells and straighten your arms.
Dumbbells should be in projection on the middle of the arch of the foot.
As you exhale, perform a 90-degree angle of the arms.
As you inhale, return to the starting position.
At the end point of the amplitude, the wrists should be at the same level as the elbow joints.
Do not make sudden movements, perform the exercise smoothly and breathe evenly.

Standing forearm flexion

Execution technique

Stand up straight, feet firmly placed on the width of the pelvis.
Straighten your back, shoulder blades should be brought together and lowered.
The body is slightly tilted forward.
Take the dumbbells and straighten your arms.
The handles of the dumbbells should be in projection on the middle of the arch of the foot.
As you exhale, perform forearm flexion.
As you inhale, return to the starting position.
All movements should be smooth.
You can either bend your arms alternately or both at once.

Dumbbell bench press

Technique

Lie on the bench, put your feet in a stable position.
Straighten your back, bring your shoulder blades together and lower.
Take the dumbbells and straighten your arms so that they are in projection on the shoulder joints.
As you inhale, bend your arms at the elbows until the dumbbells are parallel to your chest.
As you exhale, return to the starting position.
Do everything smoothly, without jerking.
At the end point of the amplitude, do not fully extend your arms.
Breathe evenly while performing the exercise.

Boris Ilyin: “This exercise can also be performed on the floor, up to the contact of the humerus with the floor. That is, there will be a limited amplitude compared to the bench”.

Straight leg pull

Technique

Stand up straight, feet about pelvic width apart.
Bring and lower your shoulder blades, straighten your back.
Tilt the body about 5-10 degrees by moving the pelvis back.
Take the dumbbells and straighten your arms.
Dumbbells should be in projection on the middle of the arch of the foot.
As you inhale, bend your arms at the elbows and move the dumbbells to a level parallel to the knee joints.
As you exhale, return to the starting position.
Your legs should be locked in the same position throughout the exercise, with an angle at the knees of approximately 160 degrees.
Keep your breathing steady.

Forearm extension in a bend with supination

Execution technique

Starting position: the body is inclined as close to parallel with the floor as possible.
Shoulder bones are fixed in one position and pressed against the body. Arms are bent in the elbow joints at an angle of 90 degrees.
As you exhale, unbend the arms at the elbow joints and turn the forearms outward. This is called supination.
Only turn so that the palms face the floor.
As you inhale, return to the starting position.
Perform the exercise slowly, breathing evenly.

Concentrated biceps raises

Execution technique

Sit on a bench or bed, spread your legs wide, feet firmly on the floor.
Rest your left hand on your left leg.
Lean forward, keeping your back straight.
Take a dumbbell and press the shoulder of your right hand against the inner thigh of your right leg.
The working arm should be straight at the starting position.
As you exhale, lift the dumbbell, slowly bending the arm at the elbow.
As you inhale, return to the starting position.

Triceps flexion in an incline

Technique

Stand up straight, feet at the width of the pelvis.
Take dumbbells in your hands, bend the body forward by 30-40 degrees.
Keep your back straight.
Press your shoulders to the body, bend your arms at the elbows so that the dumbbells were in projection on the elbow joints.
As you exhale, straighten your arms back.
Hold in this position for a second.
As you inhale, return to the starting position.