Chest presses with dumbbells or kettlebells are an effective exercise to tone your deltoids, triceps and pectorals, says ACE Fitness. Either style of exercise targets the same muscle groups, but there are some advantages to both. Depending on your gym, you may be able to find a wider range of weights with this piece of equipment, which l provides you with smaller progressive steps as you improve. Kettlebells have a different hand grip that challenges your forearm muscles more than dumbbells.
Kettlebells
Kettlebells look like bowling balls, with a triangular handle glued to the top. According to the February 2010 issue of ACE Fitness Matters, early Russian strongmen used the equipment in the 1700s to build endurance, strength and balance fast. The kettlebell's unusual handle changes the mechanics of the weight. You can easily swing a kettlebell, and the weight pivots around the handle. This slightly changes the secondary muscles you work when doing familiar exercises.
Dumbbells
You can't change the weight on a dumbbell, but it's fairly inexpensive. The change in weight from one dumbbell to the next is usually fairly small: 5 lbs. or less.
Presses
Chest presses are fairly standard exercises. You can do them flat on the floor, with your upper back resting on a stability ball, or on a bench or step. Whether you use dumbbells or kettlebells, you lie on your back and keep your feet flat on the floor with your spine as flat as possible. With the weight in your hand, keep your hands near your shoulders with your elbows bent. Push your hands straight up to the ceiling and then gently lower them down.
Muscle Groups
According to ACE Fitness, presses work your anterior and medial deltoids, triceps, and pectorals as the major muscle groups. The stabilizers in this exercise are the rhomboids, rotator cuff, posterior deltoids and the serratus.
Benefits
Kettlebell advocates claim the weight's handle gives it more leverage and changes the feel of the exercise, which adds challenge to familiar exercises. Chest presses aside, a full workout with kettlebells can be extremely challenging. An ACE Fitness study in cooperation with the University of Wisconsin, LaCrosse found that experienced kettlebell users were burning at least 20 calories per minute during a full-body workout session. Dumbbells users like their smooth, ergonomic handles that may reduce wrist strain. If you have arthritis in your hands and wrists, you might find a dumbbell grip easier to manage. Dumbbells are readily available and inexpensive. Their small weight increments make it easier for you to increase your weight gradually.
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