Weight training with dumbbells and barbells permit you to move through your natural range of motion, instead of a fixed range of motion such as when using machine weights. There is more risk of injury when exercising with free weights because of the inherent need for balance and stability. If you are an older adult, improve the strength and fitness of your muscles, bones and joints using machine weights first, then progress to dumbbells and barbells.
Benefits
Training with dumbbells and barbells engage the stabilizing muscles of your joints so you maintain your balance while performing each exercise. These muscles are located close to your shoulder, spinal, hip, knee and ankle joints. Muscles such as your rotator cuff at your shoulders, hip rotators underneath your glutes and the muscles crossing your ankles strengthen when you use free weights.
Considerations
Free-weight exercises may be done within a small space at home or in the gym. Ensure you suck your navel toward your spine to maintain a neutral, strong pelvis, decreasing your risk of straining your lower back muscles. Bend your hips and knees to pick up free weights from the floor; never lift using your lower back muscles. Keep a slight bend in your joints when performing dumbbell and barbell exercises so the weight you are lifting is supported by your muscles, not your joints.
Upper Body Workout
Perform a basic upper body free-weight workout using a flat bench, a pair of light dumbbells and a pair of moderately heavy dumbbells. Use a flat bench to perform flat dumbbell chest presses for your pecs, one-arm dumbbell rows for your back and seated shoulder presses for your deltoids. You may stand or sit to perform alternating dumbbell curls for your biceps and one-arm triceps extensions for the back of your arms. Complete four sets of 10 to 15 repetitions per exercise; do this routine one day per week.
Lower Body Workout
Lower body exercises using dumbbells are generally performed standing up. These exercises strengthen and tone your glutes, inner thighs, quadriceps, hamstrings and calves. Hold a dumbbell across your chest to do walking lunges. Perform squats holding a dumbbell in each hand, keeping it to the side of each hip. Perform standing dumbbell dead lifts holding the dumbbells in front of you; slightly bend both knees as you lower the dumbbells toward the floor, keeping them close to your legs. Work your calves with standing calf raises. Complete four sets of 10 to 15 repetitions per exercise; do this routine one day per week.
References
- "Equal But Not The Same: Considerations for Training Females"; C.H.E.K. Institute; 1997
- "Personal Trainer Manual"; American Council on Exercise; 1997
- "Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning"; Thomas R. Baechle and Roger W. Earle; 2000
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