Dumbbells

Subterms

    Latest story

    138 Shares

    This One-Dumbbell Workout Is Perfect For Home Or A Packed Gym

    by

    Whether you’re in a packed gym and could only find one lonely dumbbell or if you’re working with a sparsely-stocked home gym, there’s a lot you can accomplish with this one-dumbbell workout.

    Using just one piece of equipment doesn’t mean you can’t get a good workout. In fact, when you’re short on time, stuck at home, or navigating a packed gym, scaling back can make you more efficient. Added to that, using one weight allows for unilateral moves that challenge your balance, firing up your core and stabiliser muscles in your legs and elsewhere. Simplify your routine without sacrificing results with this one-dumbbell workout from trainer Craig Ballantyne.

    How to do this one-dumbbell workout

    Using the heaviest weight you can handle (while maintaining proper form), perform the prescribed number of reps for each exercise in order, resting 30 seconds between moves. (If needed, you can rest up to a minute, or make it tougher by dropping that break altogether.) That’s one circuit.

    Rest for two minutes, then finish as many circuits as you can in 15 minutes. Beginner? Start with two circuits and build from there.You’ll need: a bench; one heavy dumbbell

    1. Narrow-stance goblet squat

    Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell vertically in front of your chest, both hands cupping the dumbbell head (A). Keeping your chest up and your core tight, sit your hips back and squat as low as you can (B). Press through your heels to return to start. That’s one rep. Do 15.

    READ MORE: 30 Plank Variations That Will Transform Your Core From A Trainer

    2. Single-arm bent-over row

    Place your left knee and hand on a bench and hold a weight in your right hand at arm’s length (A). Pull the dumbbell up to your ribcage (B), then lower back to start. That’s one rep. Do 10, then repeat on the other side.

    READ MORE: Get A Full-Body Workout In Just 15 Minutes With Only 2 Household Items

    3. Single-arm chest press

    Lie face-up on a bench, holding a dumbbell in your left hand at your chest (A). Press the weight directly upward (B). Slowly lower back to start. That’s one rep. Do 10, then switch arms and repeat.

    READ MORE: 8 Ways To Build Stronger Thighs

    4. Dumbbell swing

    Hold a dumbbell with both hands using an overhand grip and stand with feet hip-width apart. Push your hips back, knees slightly bent, and lower your chest to bring the dumbbell between your legs (A). Keeping your core tight, push your hips forward and swing the dumbbell up to shoulder height (B). Reverse the movement, swinging the weight back between your legs. That’s one rep. Do 15. More

    More stories

    • 100 Shares

      in fitness and body

      The 15-Minute Countdown Workout For All-Over Quality Gains

      by

      Productivity experts often tell clients to tackle the most challenging task on their to-do list first. The reason: a feeling of accomplishment gives you momentum to check off other less-daunting tasks throughout the rest of the day – even as your attention span diminishes.

      The same logic can work at the gym: a reverse pyramid – or countdown – format forces you to do the hardest part of the workout first, when you’re physically at your peak, says strength and conditioning trainer Albert Matheny. Then it’s downhill from there: as the number of reps decreases during the workout, the mental momentum you’re building allows you to finish strong, even as your body starts to fatigue.

      Follow this countdown workout from Matheny two or three days a week. Perform five reps of each of the following exercises in order, moving from one to the next without resting. Take a short break (30 to 60 seconds) if needed, then repeat the circuit, completing four reps of each move. Continue until you reach one rep of each move.

      You’ll need: a set of dumbbells that allows you to complete the reps with proper form. Try three to four kilograms to start.

      The 15-Minute Countdown Workout

      Dumbbell Thruster

      Hold a dumbbell in each hand just above your shoulders, palms facing in, then sit your hips back and bend your knees until your thighs are parallel to the floor (A). Push through your heels to stand, pressing the weights overhead (B). Return to start; that’s one rep.

      Reverse Lunge

      Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides (A). Step back with your right leg and bend both knees as you lower until your left knee is bent 90 degrees (B). Push through your left foot to stand, then repeat on the other side. That’s one rep.

      Renegade Row

      Grab a pair of dumbbells and get into push-up position with your hands on the weights and your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart (A). Brace your core, then bend your right elbow to pull the weight towards your chest, keeping your hips parallel to the floor (B). Slowly lower the weight back to start, then repeat on the other side. That’s one rep.

      Spiderman Plank With Dumbbells

      Start in push-up position with your hands on a pair of dumbbells and feet slightly wider than hip-width apart (A). Brace your core, then bend your right knee towards the outside of your right elbow (B). Pause, then return to start and repeat on the other side. That’s one rep.MAKE IT HARDER: do a push-up between each rep after returning to start position. More

    • 100 Shares

      in fitness and body

      Sculpt Your Body With This 15-Minute HIIT Workout

      by

      Equipment sponsored by REBEL Elite Fitness
      The way mixed-martial-arts athletes train is extremely effective for the average person looking to slim down or shape up, says Mike Dolce, a former UFC fighter and longtime coach to top fighters. Dolce’s strategy combines functional strength training and high-intensity interval training (HIIT), which builds endurance and strength.
      For each exercise in this 15-minute HIIT workout, complete as many reps as possible in 30 seconds, moving from one to the next without resting. Then rest for 30 seconds and repeat for a total of five rounds.
      You’ll need: A set of dumbbells
      READ MORE: Boxing Inspired Workout: 8 Moves That Will Help You Get a Knockout Body RN!
      15-Minute HIIT Workout
      Watch one of our WH staffers perform the moves:[embedded content]
      1. Push-Up-Position Alternating Raise
      Start in push-up position, legs extended and feet more than shoulder-width apart. Brace your core, then raise an arm in front of you to shoulder height, keeping your hips parallel to the floor. Slowly lower, then repeat on the other side. That’s one rep.
      Tip: Make it harder by using a set of dumbbells or adding a push-up before each rep.
      2. Drop Lunge
      Hold a pair of dumbbells at your shoulders, elbows close to your body, feet hip-width apart. Maintaining a tight core, step your left foot behind your right and bend both knees to lower into a lunge, sitting back into your right heel. Press through your right foot to stand, then repeat on the other side. That’s one rep.
      READ MORE: Just These Two Workouts Make A Killer Six-Week Workout Routine
      3. Knee Strike With Side Kick
      Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent and fists raised in front of you. Keeping your chest upright, drive your right knee towards your chest as you rise onto the ball of your left foot. Lower your knee and drive your foot to the right, extending into a side kick. Return to start; repeat on the other side. That’s one rep.
      4. Tuck Jump
      Position your feet slightly more than shoulder-width apart and bend your knees. In one explosive movement, jump as high as you can and bend your knees towards your chest. Land softly and pause to reset your stance. That’s one rep.
      READ MORE: Try These Exercises To Build A Stronger, Bigger Butt More