Using dumbbells during weight training, or even cardiovascular exercise, changes the intensity of each move. The more resistance and weight you use, the more the body has to work to strengthen the muscles being exercised, promoting more fat burning, better muscle tone and overall weight loss. Dumbbells come in sizes ranging from 3 lbs. to more than 50 lbs. Keeping a couple different sizes on hand allows you to work bigger muscles with more weight and smaller ones with less weight.
Squat/Shoulder Press
Using dumbbells during a squat works the legs and gluteals at a higher intensity, burning more calories and building more muscle. An option is to complete each squat simply holding a dumbbell in each hand, which causes the heart rate to increase and the lower body to burn more fat. Another, more intense, option is to add in a shoulder raise with each squat, strengthening the lower and upper body. After returning to standing from each squat, extend the arms directly above the shoulders, pushing the dumbbells straight up using shoulder, bicep and tricep strength. Return the arms down and go back into the squat with the arms hanging down by the torso. "Squats with a shoulder press are awesome when it comes to blasting fat and getting a full-body move," said American College of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer Shelby Young. "The dumbbells make the move more versatile, whether you do the shoulder press or not. All of a sudden, you're asking more of the muscles and you don't need a ton of large, expensive equipment to do so."
Lunge/Bicep Curl
Like the squat/shoulder press, lunges with a bicep curl use dumbbells to combine two moves to work the entire body together. An option is to complete each lunge by holding a dumbbell in either hand, arms extended alongside the body. A more intense variation is to perform a bicep curl during each lunge. When one leg is lunged forward, bent the arms at the elbow to bring the dumbbells closer to the chest. When the leg returns to standing, release the arms down before repeating the bicep curl when the opposite leg lunges forward. "Again, another move that's simple and can be done anywhere with just a pair of dumbbells," Young. said. "The more muscle groups you add in during one exercise, the more your heart is going to work to pump blood to those muscles and the more your heart rate goes up, the more calories you'll burn."
Push-up/Row
The push-up/row works the entire body during the push-up and isolates the back and arms during the row. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, perform a standard push-up, on the knees or the balls of the feet. Lower the entire body down just before the torso meets the ground. Engaging the core and arms, push the body back up, adding in a back row by lifting one arm straight back then lowering and lifting the other, keeping the elbow bent.
References
- "Exercise Physiology: Energy, Nutrition and Human Performance"; William D. McArdle, Frank I. Katch, Victor L. Katch; 2006
- Shelby Young, ACSM certified Athletic Performance Specialist; Hampshire Hills Sports and Fitness Club; Milford, New Hampshire
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