Get Smart about Training with Dumbbells
Dumbbells have been a staple in the workout routines of many bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts for a long time now. Considered a free weight, these small devices are designed to be held easily with one hand. If you are ready to purchase your very own set, you will want to pay attention to the two varieties that are on the market:
- First and foremost are the adjustable dumbbells which essentially are nothing more than a short steel bar which is set up to receive weighted disks that are placed on either end. Resembling a small barbell, these devices offer great flexibility with respect to the kinds of workouts you can do.
- Secondly are the fixed-weight dumbbells, which are nothing more than specified weights in the shape of the traditional dumbbell.
Once you have chosen the kind of dumbbell that best suits your needs, you will want to consider what else you may need. In order to be smart about using this exercise equipment, you want to ensure that you get the maximum value out of your investment, as well as a large variety of workout options, so that you will not get bored and your dumbbells soon are nothing more than a dust gathering devices at the back of your closet. To this end, you may also wish to purchase the following:
An exercise bench that is adjustable to different angles. This will permit you to further vary the exercises you do with your new set of dumbbells and will not only add some interesting new workout options, but will also challenge you more if you begin to get comfortable with one particular workout.
If you are exercising on anything other than a carpeted surface, you may also wish to invest in a heavy rubber mat to absorb the shock of falling dumbbells. Without it, your nice new kitchen floor or bathroom tile will soon have unsightly grooves or nicks.
Set up some workout time with a professional trainer. Yes, you may have thought that you could stay away from the expensive gym altogether and just do your workout at home and you still can. But an hour of a trainer’s time will help you to understand how to do a variety of exercises, which muscle groups they target, how to avoid getting injured, and how to best transition between exercise routines. If you are absolutely set against setting even one foot inside a gym, consider purchasing a workout tape that is dedicated to the use of dumbbells to learn how to get all the benefits of your new exercise equipment without getting all the headaches, muscle aches, and joint pains.
Last but not least, be smart about how you work out.
Think of real life applications that your exercises will have and keep practicing them. Not only will this help you in your everyday life with chores and activities you do now, but it will permit you to see a reason for your exercises, and to have a goal to work toward. For example, if your goal is to climb two flights of stairs with two sacks of groceries without getting winded instead of always relying on the slow elevator to get you and your groceries to your apartment, you will be able to use your dumbbells as part of that stair climbing exercise. You can use them while working out on a stair climbing machine, or simply by climbing the two flights of stairs in your apartment complex until you find that you are getting further and further without getting winded.
Be smart about your exercise regimen! Just as you wouldn’t expect to drop down and do 100 push-ups if you have never even made it through five, you shouldn’t expect to do a bunch of shoulder presses and lateral rises without some warm up first. As a matter of fact, some light aerobic workout before any kind of exercise is a great way of loosening up the muscles and getting your body ready for some intense work. Failure to warm up properly will almost certainly result in painfully pulled muscles, bruised shoulders, or worse!
So go ahead and exercise with those dumbbells — the smart way!
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