Dumbbells can make your biceps bulge lusciously during an arm curl, but they can also do a whole lot more. You can use them to achieve a full body workout that sculpts, shapes and burns up to 70 percent more calories than other strength training routines, "Fitness" magazine says.
What It Is
As the name implies, dumbbell full body workouts are meant to work your entire body using dumbbells. The full body workout differs from other dumbbell exercises that isolate a specific muscle or two. You instead focus on exercises that use the dumbbell's weight to move and work larger muscle groups. Ideal workouts will work all parts of a specific muscle area, such as the three parts of your pectorial muscles.
Focus Zones
The focus zones are areas on which you focus for an effective full body dumbbell workout, Body Building.com notes. Don't fret, you don't have to hit all zones during a single workout, as it's best to switch up your workout every two months anyway. Changing your workout ensures you will continue to advance rather than plateau and stagnate as your muscles get used to the same repetitive motions. Focus zones consist of the muscle heads or areas of specific body parts.
Upper Body
Focus zones of your upper body include the aforementioned three parts of the pectorals, as well as other muscle areas in your back, chest and arms. Groups to hit in your trapezoids include the lower, upper and middle while your lats include the upper and lower. Biceps consist of four areas, the inner, outer, middle and lower, and your forearms have upper and lower groups. Shoulders workouts need to include the front, middle and rear sections. The two-arm swing works your chest, back and arms as well as your abs, glutes and legs, "Fitness" says. Plant your feet a bit wider than shoulder-width with your knees slightly bent and toes slightly pointed outward. Start with the dumbbell in both hands and arms extended down. Lift the dumbbell to shoulder height horizontally in front of you, hold and bring it back down. Repeat.
Abdominals and Lower Body
Your abdominals have two focus zones: the upper and lower muscles. Your lower body focus zones are the three muscle heads of your quadriceps, the four hamstring heads and the three heads of your calves. A dumbbell exercise offered by "Fitness" that works your abs and obliques is the straight-leg Russian twist. Lie on your back with your legs extended. Hold a dumbbell in both hands above your hips with both arms extended upward. Roll up to lift your shoulders, head and neck off the floor as you twist the dumbbell to your right, then your left. Repeat.
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