It is not mandatory to go to a gym to be able to shape your body and achieve the physical aspect you always wanted. If you like to train, but the gym is not your favorite place, in this article you will find the best exercises with dumbbells, which you can do without leaving home and with visible results in terms of muscle mass gain and toning.
Here is our top 10 exercises that you can do only with dumbbells and without leaving the comfort of your home. We emphasize that the order in which this Top is presented is not indicative of the degree of importance of the exercises.
Top 10 Dumbbell Exercises at Home
1. Squat or Squat
It is the most effective compound leg exercise you can do, because when performed correctly, it allows you to activate a large number of muscle fibers in the quadriceps, biceps femoris and glutes.
It is not only an exercise that allows substantial gains in muscle mass, due to the fact that it recruits a high number of muscle fibers, but also an exercise that can be performed only with the body weight, or with an external weight, to obtain the desired effect.
Execution:
Start by choosing whether you will use one or two dumbbells, depending on the degree of difficulty you intend to print in the execution of the exercise. If you choose to use only one dumbbell, you must hold it with both hands and at chest level. If you use two dumbbells, just hold them in each hand and with your arms stretched out at your sides.
– Place your feet shoulder-width apart or slightly apart;
– Contracts the abdominals and slowly descends, projecting the hip back and down, until the knees are at an angle equal to 90 degrees (up to the parallel line);
– Make sure that the knees do not extend beyond the tip of the feet, so as not to lose the posture of the lower back and unnecessarily overload the knee joint;
– Hold this position for 1 or 2 seconds and start climbing in a controlled way until you return to the starting position.
If you follow these instructions, you are guaranteed to perform the exercise with perfect technique.
2. Triceps Push-Ups or Triceps Push-Ups
It is a very effective exercise for the development of strength and muscle mass in the triceps, as it recruits the 3 portions of this muscle and allows isolated work in this region of the arm.
Execution:
– Place the dumbbells on the floor, about shoulder width (to recruit the triceps and not the pectoral muscles) and in line with the nipples, holding the handle with your hands;
– Place yourself in a plank position, with your feet flat on the floor and shoulder width, so that the position is stable and comfortable; ensure that your body makes a straight line between your feet and head, contracting your buttocks and abs;
– The head should be turned slightly forward and not downwards, so that it remains in alignment with the spine;
– In this initial position, your arms should be fully extended and perfectly locked (elbows pointing backwards) to support your entire body weight;
– Begin to flex your arms, slowly and continuously, until your elbows are at an angle of 90 degrees or less; always keep your arms close to your torso and do not lose muscle tension, so that your body always remains in a plank position;
– As soon as your chest touches the dumbbells, pause briefly in this position and then explode, pushing the dumbbells with your hands, to return to the starting position, with your arms fully extended, and you can start the next repetition.
In this exercise, cadence is very important. The descent should be done in about 3 seconds and, after pausing for 1 second below, you should explode on the way up, in order to also recruit the fast acting muscle fibers and achieve an effective hypertrophy of the three portions of this muscle. >
3. French triceps
This exercise complements the previous exercise. It allows placing more emphasis on the long portion of the triceps, recruiting this specific region in isolation.
Execution:
– Get yourself a stable bench or chair, so that you can perform the exercise more correctly;
– Place the dumbbell over your head, holding with both hands, and always keeping your right lumbar spine and arms in full extension;
– With the elbows locked at the side of the head and pointing forward, start and lower the dumbbell until it touches the upper part of your back, or until you feel the full stretch of the triceps;
– Then return the dumbbell to the starting position, keeping your elbows always immobile and in the same position.
In this exercise, it is important to keep your elbows pointed forward and always static, to ensure that you recruit the long portion of the triceps, which is the main objective of this exercise.
4. Side Openings or Lateral Raises
It is an excellent exercise for the shoulder muscles, responsible for abduction. It is this type of exercise that allows you to gain muscle mass and volume in the lateral portion of the shoulder, which contributes to that “V” aspect that is so desired.
Execution:
To perform this exercise, just use two light dumbbells, as the shoulders are made up of small muscles, and putting extra weight on this type of isolated exercise increases the risk of injury.
– Sit in a chair or on a stable bench, hold a dumbbell in each hand and lean your torso forward, towards your thighs, always maintaining the curvature of your lower back;
– Position the dumbbells at your sides, without your arms being fully stretched;
– Starts, simultaneously, the lateral elevation of the arms to shoulder height, followed by the controlled descent of the dumbbells to the starting position.
You should not use any type of impulse or balance, as the objective is to place the shoulder under as much tension as possible, for the maximum time, in order to achieve the necessary contraction for muscle hypertrophy.
5. Shoulder Press or Shoulder Press
This exercise is equivalent to the compound overhead press exercise, but with the use of dumbbells. It is a very important exercise for the development of the shoulder muscles, as it recruits a large number of muscle fibers, which results in gains in muscle mass in this area.
Execution:
This exercise can be performed sitting or standing, with the body in full extension. The important thing is that the back is always aligned, keeping its curvature neutral, and the abdominals contracted to ensure good stability.
– Hold a dumbbell in each hand and place them on your shoulders;
– Tightens the core, activates the shoulder musculature and, without any impulse, simultaneously elevates the weights above the head;
– The movement ends with the dumbbells in an overhead position, with the arms fully stretched and positioned beside the ears, with the shoulders and elbows locked;
– Do the reverse movement to place the dumbbells back at shoulder level.
6. Biceps Curl
It is a simple but very effective biceps exercise. Although simple, this exercise is included in all training plans aimed at increasing muscle mass in the arm. In this exercise, as in all others, a good execution always means being able to recruit the muscle we intend to develop.
Execution:
In this exercise, and again, the lower back must always be straight, keeping the curvature neutral. It seems repetitive, but it is very important to prevent injuries.
– Standing in the full extension position, hold a dumbbell in each hand, with your arms stretched out at your sides and your palms facing inward;
– Contracts the core, activates the musculature of the anterior region of the arm and, simultaneously, begins to lift the dumbbells without any impulse, until you reach the maximum point of contraction of the biceps; as you fold your arms, rotate your palms to the supine position;
– Keep your elbows locked and static at your sides;
– After maximum contraction, lower the weights in a controlled manner, in the negative or eccentric phase, until you return to the starting position.
The negative or eccentric phase is a phase of movement (corresponding to the extension of the muscles) that is easily neglected, although it is scientifically proven that it is in this phase that we recruit a greater number of muscle fibers, which equates to greater hypertrophy and greater strength gain.
A good way to ensure that you are performing this exercise correctly and productively is to count three seconds on the way up and three seconds on the way down. Here, again, it is really important to be able to work the muscle in isolation and not the loads used. Therefore, perform this exercise with an accessible weight, to achieve the best results.
7. Hammer Curl
The big difference between this exercise and the Biceps Curl lies in the fact that the grip is changed: instead of ending the movement with a supine grip, the palms of the hands are always facing inwards (neutral grip or hammer) ”), Which makes it easier to activate the biceps brachii.
Execution:
The execution is exactly the same as the previous exercise, being that, as already mentioned, the handle, instead of being supinated, is neutral, that is, instead of ending with the dumbbells facing you with the palm of hand facing back, the movement starts and ends with the palm always facing inwards.
8. Front Lunges or Front Lunges
This is a complementary exercise to the squat, which places greater emphasis on the glutes and femoral biceps, allowing to recruit more of these muscles and not so much the quadriceps, as in conventional squats.
In this way, we are able to work legs in a harmonious way, not leaving some muscle groups more developed, to the detriment of others, which can be harmful in terms of symmetry.
Execution:
– Standing, with the body fully extended and the lumbar curvature neutral, hold a dumbbell in each hand, with your arms stretched out at your sides;
– Activates the core and glutes and takes a step forward, advancing the right foot and flexing the legs until the back leg knee (left leg) touches the floor; ensures that both legs are bent 90 degrees;
– Keep your torso always straight, not letting you lean forward, and make sure that the knee of your front leg does not cross the line of the toe;
– In this position, press your right heel against the floor and go up until you have both legs straight again;
– Pull your right leg back to return to the starting position;
– Repeat the movement, moving forward with your left leg.
This exercise can be performed in a static way (without leaving the site) or in movement (walking lunge), and the execution of the latter requires some space but you have fun walking around the house, while working your legs .
9. Inverted Paddles or Reverse Rows
Rowing is one of the most complete exercises you can do to work your upper back. This exercise, when well executed, is the main responsible for recruiting both the upper latissimus and upper and lower dorsals, whose development allows to “widen” the back, giving them more volume and muscle density.
Execution:
This exercise should be performed unilaterally, that is, first with the dumbbell in one arm and then in the other.
– Find a stable surface (table, chair, bench, etc.) where you can support your free hand and, with the other, hold the dumbbell, standing and with your arm stretched across your body;
– Once supported, flex your legs slightly and lower your torso towards the floor, keeping your spine in a neutral position;
– In this position, pull the dumbbell vertically up to the lower chest area, always keeping your arm close to your torso and your elbow pointing up and back;
– After touching the chest, the weight goes back down in a controlled way to the starting position;
– Repeat the movement with the other arm.
In this exercise it is very important that, in the positive or concentric phase of the movement (which corresponds to the contraction of the muscles), activate and recruit the muscles of the upper back and shoulder blades, as the stroke is an exercise aimed at the development of the dorsals, to obtain the desired muscle hypertrophy. In the opposite phase of the movement, that is, in the extension, you should try to lower the weight as much as you can, for a greater stretching of the dorsal region.
10. Plank or Plank
It is an exercise that allows you to recruit all abdominal muscles, allowing not only muscle gains in the heart, but also the development of stability and strength in that area, very useful for performing other exercises.
For example, when we do a squat, we are also recruiting the abdominal muscles, as their contraction allows stability in the execution of the exercise. The stronger our core, the greater the stability and the better the execution of the movements.
Execution:
The execution couldn’t be simpler. Just place the dumbbells on the floor and immediately under your shoulders, keeping your hands on the handles.
– Place yourself on your stomach, with your hands on the dumbbells and with your arms fully extended;
– Tightens the glutes and core and raises the body off the floor, keeping only the tip of the feet supported
– Keep your legs completely straight and stabilize your body in a position that forms a straight line between your head, hips, knee and feet;
– Keeps the neck neutral and aligned with the spine, looking slightly ahead; breathe continuously and controlled and try not to compromise this posture.
Now, just try to hold on as long as you can, because the longer you hold on the more your abdominals will be under tension, and the better results you will get.