If you're looking to get some new dumbbells because you're all about big biceps and well-defined pectoralis maior (the big chest muscle), we've got good news and bad news for you. Sure, you can build and define your big muscle groups with targeted dumbbell training, but you'll be doing so much more on the side!
Legs, chest, arms, core - move away from the isolation principle.
Training with free weights has one decisive advantage over machine training: your muscles are not isolated. So you never use only the biceps or only the shoulders. Because many small muscles are responsible for the coordination, the flow and the connection of the muscle groups. You wouldn't even normally see these muscles, but you need them in sports and everyday life. They keep you in good posture at your desk and help you carry boxes to your next move. Basically, you can train functionally with dumbbells from head to toe. It all depends on the exercises.
More than just biceps - comprehensive dumbbell exercises
If you use the dumbbells as handles for the push-up , for example, and go from there into the burpee, which you finish off with the shoulder press , you've targeted nearly all the muscles in your body with a single exercise. Other larger exercise groups with dumbbells include curls for the biceps, Deadlift for the lower back, reverse flys for the upper back, the Shoulder press for triceps and shoulders, Bench press for the chest and Squats with weights for the legs. And all these exercises are just the basics. There are a thousand variations for two dumbbells, one barbell or one dumbbell. You are not limited in the muscle groups, because training with free dumbbells is most comparable to pure bodyweight training . This is also particularly comprehensive and demanding, except that you add some weight to it with the dumbbells. If you pay attention to correct execution and an appropriate weight that always slightly (!) overloads you, you can train the entire body with dumbbells.
Variety makes the difference
Training with free weights is something for advanced athletes, but this does not concern the muscles so much. You can easily get into dumbbell training with little weight and train yourself into healthy shape. But that requires correct form, and for that you need either a good eye or a trainer to correct you. For beginners, an introduction definitely does not hurt, then the dumbbell training can also develop its full effect.
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Editorial fitnessmarkt.de (EA)
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Published on: 21 June 2019