Dumbbell Sets: Most Bang For Your Buck

Anyone can benefit from having a good dumbbell set. They are easy to use and can save you time from going to a gym. Practically any exercise you can do with a barbell, you can do with a dumbell--even more. Joe Weider, one of the pioneers of weightlifting equipment and exercise, used to have a home bodybuilding course for beginners. This course was first published in 1957 and was designed for the novice to start building his body with freehand exercises. The intention was for the beginner to gradually get used to resistance exercises before starting a weightlifting regimen. Joe's course contained seven lessons. Six of them included freehand exercises which grew more difficult as you advanced. The other contained fifteen dumbbell exercises which worked the entire body. Anyone who ever ordered this course can attest that you can make some great initial muscle gains using a full-body dumbbell workout.

Whether you are a novice or have worked out before, you can easily fit a dumbbell workout into your schedule. You just need a set of dumbbells, a flat bench, incline bench and a chin-up bar. You can purchase a convertible bench that serves as both a flat and incline bench. And chin-up bars can be set-up in a doorway.

You can work practically any body part with a dumbbell weight set. For example, bench presses and flies can be done lying down on your new bench. Shoulder presses can be done sitting or standing. Dumbbells also enable you to do front, side and rear lateral raises for shoulders which you can not do with a barbell. Other dumbbell exercises include one-arm rows for back, shrugs for traps, curls and tricep exercises for the arms; and squats for legs.

The chin-up bar is for your lats. You can work your back with dumbbells but lats usually require a pull down motion which is not possible with dumbbells. Leg curls can even be done with weighted shoes. But stiff-legged dead lifts also work your hamstrings. Calf raises should be done with two dumbbells. You can also do them on the steps with one.

You can find dumbbell exercises and illustrated instructions online. Print them out if you need guidance. You don't have to work the entire body in one day. You can split your workouts up. It is recommended that you work each muscle group twice per week.

Your dumbbell set should range in weight from 10-50 pounds. Women can use lighter weights. You can purchase dumbbells in increments of five or ten pounds depending on your budget. You just need to have enough weight available to do the heavier exercises like bench press and squats. You can add heavier dumbbells as you get stronger. Keep it simple in the beginning. Your muscles will still respond to the training, especially if you are new to working out.

Once you have your dumbbell set and equipment, you need to develop a workout routine. Full-body workouts can be taxing and are only recommended if you are doing a couple exercises per body part. You don't want the workouts to seem like drudgery. Make them fun. Split up your routine. Do two or three body parts per day maximum.

Your chest routine can include incline and flat bench presses and regular flies. Later, you can add incline flies. Don't overdo it. You're going to be sore enough initially. Shoulder presses, all three lateral exercises and shrugs are great exercises for the shoulders. Chin-ups and one-arm rows are sufficient for your back. Do squats, stiff-legged dead lifts and calf raises for legs. And bicep curls and overhead tricep presses will get your arms off to a good start. Start out with 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions initially. You will add muscle.

While your dumbbell set will help you gain muscle and size, you should still walk, use a stationary bike or the treadmill to burn fat and exercise your heart. Additionally, you need to eat foods that are high in protein, moderate in carbohydrates and low in fat. Later on, you can start using protein supplements to enhance muscle growth. But most newcomers will see such quick results with their initial dumbbell training; they won't need the supplements right away.