Dumbbell Exercise Routine

For and more people are using dumbbells to exercise, due to easy accessibility of dumbbells. At the same time, there is a huge variety of exercises one can choose from. It is very unfortunate, that although dumbbell exercises give best results, very few men and women perform a dumbbell exercises routine as a full workout. They are often used as supplemental training equipment. It does not mean that the little we do with the dumbbell is a waste, but we can derive many more benefits from the dumbbells is the point.

Dumbbell Exercises

We will now see exercises which will target muscles in a specific region of the body. These exercises have been divided into various muscle groups.

Pectoral Exercises
Most of us have used dumbbells for pectoral exercises. These chest exercises target the upper, lower, inner and outer pectoral muscles. Most of these exercises should be a part of dumbbell exercise routine for men, as they help to enlarge the chest muscles, which most men aim for. The exercises are:

1. Dumbbell Bench Press: This exercise works most of the pectoral muscles.
2. Dumbbell Lying Fly: This dumbbell exercise will target the inner and outer pectoral muscles.
3. Dumbbell Incline Bench Press: To build the upper pectoral muscles, this is the exercise you need to include in your routine.
4. Dumbbell Decline Bench Press: As the name suggests, it works the muscles opposite to the upper pectoral muscles, namely the lower pectoral muscles.

Shoulder Exercises
If you want to broaden your shoulders, these shoulder exercises need to be a part of your workout schedule. With these exercises, you will work the front, outer, and rear deltoid muscles. It is very often observed that women do not exercise their shoulders, but it is important to include them in workout routine for women.

1. Dumbbell Upright Row: It works the front deltoid muscles.
2. Dumbbell Front Raise: Like the upright row, this exercise will also work the front deltoid muscles.
3. Dumbbell Seated Shoulder Press: This exercise targets the front and outer deltoid muscles.
4. Dumbbell Rear Deltoid Raise: To work the rear deltoid muscles, include this exercise in your workout routine.

Arm Exercises
With these arm exercises, you will be able to strengthen the muscles in the arms. These exercises target the biceps, triceps, and forearm muscles.

1. Dumbbell Alternated Biceps Curl: To work the biceps, this is the exercise you will need to include in your routine.
2. Dumbbell Triceps Kickback: If you want to work the triceps isolated, then this is the exercise that you should concentrate on.
3. Dumbbell Palms - Up Wrist Curl: This exercise targets the inner forearms.
4. Dumbbell Palms - Down Wrist Curls: This exercise is the opposite of palms-up wrist curls and works the outer forearm muscles.

Leg and Thigh Exercises
These leg and thigh exercises will help to exercise the leg muscles. They will target the upper thigh, lower thigh, inner thigh, and also the calf muscles.

1. Dumbbell Stationary Lunge: With this exercise, you will be able to target the upper as well as the lower thigh muscles.
2. Dumbbell Squat: There are dual benefits of this exercise. It targets the upper and lower thighs and also the buttocks.
3. Dumbbell Side Lunge: Another compound exercise, which will work the inner and outer thigh simultaneously.
4. Dumbbell Toe Raises: One of the wonderful exercise to work the calf muscles.

Abdominal Exercises
Using these abdominal exercises, you will be able to strengthen the abdominal muscles. It will target both the lower and upper abdominal muscles, as well as the obliques.

1. Weighted Crunch: If you have piled up pounds in the upper abdomen area, then this is the exercise for you.
2. Weighted Leg Raise: Lower abdomen weight is a problem with a number of people. Doing this exercise will help to shed off some flab of the region.
3. Dumbbell Side Bend: With this exercise, you will be able to work the love handles and strengthen the obliques.

Dumbbell Workout Routine

We have just seen the exercises which can become a part of dumbbell exercises routine. Now is the time to see one sample routine. Taking a cue from the sample routine, you can also design your own dumbbell workout routine.

• Start the workout with a warm up of 10 to 12 minutes. You can choose to use the treadmill or jog on the spot, alternatively you can use skipping ropes, elliptical, etc. for the warm up.
• After the warm up, stretch all your muscles once and then start the workout.
• Dumbbell Bench Press
• Dumbbell Upright Row
• Dumbbell Rear Deltoid Raise
• Dumbbell Alternated Biceps Curl
• Dumbbell Triceps Kickback
• Dumbbell Stiff Legged Dead Lift
• Dumbbell Kneeling One Arm Row
• Dumbbell Squats
• Dumbbell Stationary Lunge
• Weighted Crunch
• Dumbbell Side Bend

Perform 2 sets of 10 repetitions each of each of the exercise. After a period of 8 weeks, you can either increase the number of sets to three or change the dumbbell exercise routine itself. However, you will have to increase the weights you use every 2 weeks, as the same weights will not give you the desired results.