Why Dumbbells are your best alternative to toning your muscles
Dumbbells are a better alternative to high impact exercise when used at home. One can do over thirty different routines depending on whether you want to tone or bulk up. Most women want to tone their muscles and look for dumbbells that use lower weights. The best way to tone your body is not with higher but lower weights with longer reps, using the lower increments over a longer rep time will give you a good cardiovascular workout. Using a wide range of exercises will tone different muscle groups resulting in a well-toned body.
The sets with less pounds are ideal for women. Some sets come with beginning weights of 2.5lbs. or 3lbs and the bulkier sets come with 5lbs. per dumbbell. Most women prefer the lighter pounds to work out with and like gradually to increase the size. These lighter pounds ensure that you are toning your muscles correctly. Higher increments will lead to bulking, but toning can also occur if they are used minimally in your routines. It is best to establish a good routine that uses all the important muscle groups. Many people assume dumbbells are only for arm strength but with the many varied ways one can exercise, all groups can be addressed. Another thing to look at is how bulky some sets are. Some sets are over 15 inches long and with weights can become cumbersome. To help you make a qualified decision as to what types are best for you, check out guide on selecting the best adjustable dumbbells for more information.
Some better exercise routines
There are many routines that that will target specific areas to tone. Some of the more popular are:
- Curls – targets the biceps
- Lunge – muscles in the lower back and legs
- Toe raise – calves
- Squats – shoulders, arms, and lower body
- Shoulder Press – deltoids, an excellent upper body exercise
- Row – middle back or the lats
- Lateral raise – shoulders
- Upright row – upper back muscles
They may be called different names by different trainers, but a quick search on the internet will show you how to do these routines. Using rows, squats, lunges and pushups are a few of the favorite routines. These routines can vary in many different ways resulting in different muscles being worked.
One can do these exercises in your home, eliminating the hassle of going to the gym. You save on gas, no waiting on equipment, and no distractions to keep you from your goal. Their mobility means you will be able to move them room to room, even take the sets on vacation as they are very compact and take up little room.
What are the health benefits?
They provide a good cardiovascular workout depending on the poundage you use. Lower pounds over a longer period will produce excellent results for your heart. They promote muscle mass and bone density that will benefit you over your lifetime.
The beauty about these sets is their mobility which allows you to use many different routines, wherever you go. You can take them anywhere and still get a good work out. This should eliminate many excuses not to train. One piece of equipment should give you almost all of your exercise. Walking, running and riding a bike are great and should be practiced as much as possible, but during bad weather or cold days, these sets are a key factor.
What type of dumbbell should I consider?
There are three types, Spin-lock, Dial, or Pin/tool.
The spin-lock is a basic type and is usually the least expensive. You manually put the pounds on, spin on a locking collar and you are ready.
The dial is adjusted by picking the right increment and then pulling up the bar with the weight already attached.
The Pin/tool is adjusted by moving a pin to the right increment and pulling up the bar with the correct attachment.
They are priced from about a hundred dollars to three or four hundred dollars. Choosing one type or the other is really a matter of ease of operation and price. Some sets come with lower beginning pounds that advance in small increments of 2.5 lbs. up to 25lbs. then in 5lb. increments thereafter. Other start at 5lbs. and advance in 5lb increments. I would recommend the smaller beginning pounds so that you start your exercise plan gradually and work up to the higher weights. The size is another consideration and the PowerBlock SportBlock 2.4 is one I would recommend. It has the low beginning weight factor, it is the smallest and easiest to handle, and their handles are padded with a rubberized comfortable grip. They are not the cheapest but most people will like the size compared to the others. Some of the women’s routines are quite intensive and weight changes may need to be done in a hurry and this set is slower than the dial as it uses a pin adjustment.
Check out this video with a trainer using the PowerBlock.