Basic Dumbell Exercises

Answer 1

For Rock-Solid Core Strength - Dumbell Rotations

The dumbell is one of the most basic and versatile pieces of equipment in the gym, and with so many hundreds of ways to use the dumbell properly, it's surprising that so many people manage to find a way to use it incorrectly. Here are some basic dumbell exercises to get you started at the gym or at home.

Basic Bicep Curls

One of the simplest exercises in the world is the basic bicep curl, but many people do it improperly. For best results, keep your upper arm straight, never bend at the shoulder, and keep your elbow tucked into your side. Curl your wrist up and towards your shoulder when lifting, tensing every muscle in your arm, and let the weight back down gradually. Don't use your body to "heave" the dumbell up, use your arm only.

Side Lifts

Hold a dumbell in either hand and raise your arms out to each side like a bird raising its wings. Do this gradually so that you can really feel the burn, and hold them out there for a moment. If you jerk them or swing them, you risk serious injury. Lower them gradually and repeat. You'll probably only be able to do a few reps at first, but soon you may be doing multiple sets of ten and up.

Dumbell Crunches

A great way to work the abs is to simply hold a dumbell on your chest while doing crunches or sit-ups. The challenge here is doing a real crunch, a real sit-up, and not going halfway before flopping back down. The higher you hold the dumbell up on your chest, the more burn you're going to get. If you really want to get aggressive with it, some people will actually hold the dumbell over their forehead or above it for a serious burn.

All of these workouts can be accomplished at the gym or at home with a couple of cheap dumbells. You can also hold dumbells while doing a variety of exercises like squats. If you're ever lost as to whether you're making a real impact on your body or not, just ask yourself: Can you feel the burn? If so, you're probably on the right track.