What size weight you lift usually corresponds directly with the size of the muscles doing the lift. Large muscle groups--such as your back, chest and legs--are capable of lifting much larger and heavier weights than smaller muscle groups, such as your shoulders and forearms. But if you're just starting out, are recovering from an injury or are looking for a change of pace, you may find yourself lifting small weights, even with larger muscle groups.
What size free weight qualifies as "small" is extremely subjective. In general, any dumbbells that weigh less than 10 lbs. will be small enough that they're relegated to a special "small weight" area of the weight room.
Wrist Curls and Extensions
Step 1
Sit down on a bench or chair with a small dumbbell in each hand. Lean forward, keeping your back straight, and rest your forearms on your thighs. Your wrists should protrude forward past your knees.
Step 2
Turn both hands palms-down. Keep your forearms in contact with your thighs as you extend your wrists, flexing your knuckles up toward your face. Repeat until you've completed a full set. This exercise works your wrist extensors.
Step 3
Rotate your hands palms-up. Flex your wrists, curling your palms up toward your body without lifting your forearms off your thighs. This works your wrist flexors. Both wrist flexors and extensors contribute to a strong grip and help you built the wrist stability necessary for lifting heavier weights.
Lying Rear Delt Raise
Step 1
Lie down on your right side. Grasp a dumbbell in your left hand.
Step 2
Extend your left arm straight in front of you at shoulder level, palm facing and just above the floor.
Step 3
Hold the rest of your body motionless as you raise the dumbbell, arm still straight but not locked, until the dumbbell is directly above your left shoulder.
Step 4
Lower the dumbbell back to the starting position. Repeat to complete a full set with your left hand before switching sides. Rear delt raises work your posterior deltoid, a small muscle that almost always requires a small free weight for a safe workout.
Chest Press
Step 1
Lie down on a bench, face up, with a small dumbbell in each hand. Extend both arms straight up over your chest, palms facing down toward your feet. This exercise will work your chest, triceps and shoulders.
Step 2
Bend both arms, allowing your elbows to flare out naturally. Lower your arms until your elbows are even with your shoulders. Your hands should also track down and out, remaining directly above your elbows at all times.
Step 3
Extend your arms again, returning to the starting position. Continue until you've completed a full set.
Biceps
Step 1
Stand square in front of a mirror with a small dumbbell in each hand. Extend both arms straight down against your thighs, palms facing forward. This exercise will work your biceps.
Step 2
Bend your arms at the elbows, curling the weights as far up toward your shoulders as possible without allowing your elbows to swing forward, or your shoulders to tilt back.
Step 3
Lower the weights back to the starting position. If you're just starting out, performing 12 repetitions at a normal cadence will be challenging. Once you have more strength and endurance, you can challenge yourself to perform 20 to 30 fast repetitions while keeping the weight under control.
Tips and Warnings
- No matter how large or small the weights you're lifting are, you should always follow good basic weight training technique. Exhale as you lift the weight and inhale as you lower it. Always keep the weights under control and lift an amount of weight that tires your muscles after 12 repetitions, as recommended on MayoClinic.com. If a small weight isn't enough to tire your muscle after 12 repetitions, you may perform as many as 20 or 30 repetitions, which develops muscular endurance, or you may perform fast repetitions for an extra challenge, as long as you're capable of keeping the weights under control throughout the entire range of motion.
Things You'll Need
- Small Dumbbells
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