Dumbbells offer advantages that machines do not. First of all, they are versatile, giving you the ability to transport them around and quickly change exercises. Second, they are free weights, which, according to the National Strength and Conditioning Association, recruit more overall muscle fiber than machines. Both of these points come in handy when performing a fat loss workout. Added muscle increases metabolism. Quickly transitioning from one exercise to the next increases your caloric expenditure. Put these two ingredients together, and you have a full body circuit workout.
Dynamic Stretching
Performing a full-body workout with tight, cold connective tissue is risky. Not only are you susceptible to getting injured, but your range of motion will also be compromised. To prevent this from happening, spend a few minutes stretching your body dynamically. The word "dynamic" means in motion. Doing these stretches will get your body ready for functional movement patterns and reduce the chances of injury. Choose stretches that target as much of your body as possible like leg swings, alternating toe touches, high knees, side bends, ankle bounces and arm crossovers.
Compound Exercises
The best way to achieve fat loss is by doing intense exercises that recruit a large amount of muscle. Compound exercises make good additions to your fat-loss workout because they work more than one muscle at a time. These are also more labor-intensive than isolation exercises, which zero in on one muscle group. Perform exercises like bench presses, push presses, bent-over rows, twist curls and alternating lunges. This mix of exercises will target every major muscle in the body.
Technique
Proper technique is a critical factor involved with your workout. If you do not watch your form and do not move through a full range of motion, your results will be in serious jeopardy. For dumbbell push presses, stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart and hold the weights above your shoulders with your palms facing each other. Slowly bend into a slight squat, then quickly stand up and push the weights over your head until your arms are fully extended. Squeeze your abs forcefully as you do this and hold for a second. Slowly lower the dumbbells back down and repeat.
Structure of Workout
The goal with this workout is to keep your rest breaks short and reps moderate to high. This means you will not be able to use heavy weights. Aim for 12 to 15 reps and take 30-to-45-second rest breaks between each set. Once you finish the circuit, start from the top and run back through the exercises. Perform four circuits total and train three days a week on nonconsecutive days. Working out every day will not give your muscles enough time to recover. Feel free to do moderate cardio on your off days for faster weight-loss results.
Tips with Eating Habits
If you do not watch what you eat, your circuit workouts will be ineffective. The best way to lose fat is by cutting back on your caloric intake while you follow a solid exercise plan. A daily reduction of 500 to 1,000 calories will create about 1 to 2 lbs. of weight loss a week. Base your diet around healthy fare like fruits, vegetables, lean meats and whole grains.
References
- National Stregnth and Conditioning Association; Machine Versus Free Weights; Jeffrey M. McBride, Ph.D., CSCS
- American Council on Exercise; Is it Better to Stretch before or after My Workout?; Jessica Mathews, M.S., E-RYT
- CriticalBench.com; Compound Exercises; Jeff Anderson
- Oprah.com; The Swimsuit-ready Workout: Dumbbell Push Press; Adam Campbell; May 2010
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