Workout to go 4: Quick Dumbbell Routine
Shoulder press:
This is a great move for the shoulders, triceps,
and your core stabilizing muscles. Stand with
feet about hip width, hold the abdomen muscles
firm, press the dumbbells overhead. Lower the
dumbbells with control back to the start position.
Breath out as you get near the top of the press.
Breath in at the return.
Squat:
Squats are a fantastic functional movement.
Performing these regularly and correctly helps you
in so many ways. The basic squat strengthens
your core muscles, your legs, your back, and in
this case, your arms (from holding the dumbbells
at your sides). Stand with feet slightly wider than
hip width with toes turned slightly out. Squat down
as if sitting into a chair. Keep the low back as flat
as possible (avoid rounding it). it helps to keep the
chin forward and chest out as you squat down.
Breath in just before you squat down. As you
return to standing breath out.In the standing
position be sure your shoulders are back, abs are
firm, and chest and chin are forward.
Pushup:
Great exercise for chest, triceps and abs. Use
the dumbbells for handles. This will help avoid
excessive strain on the wrists in the standard,
hands on floor, pushup position. Breath in at the
top, then lower your chin, chest and hip towards
the floor in a nice straight line. Push up from the
bottom and exhale towards the top. Keep the
body ridged. Don't let the hips sag or the butt
stick way up in the air.
Back row:
Great exercise for the back, biceps, abs, and
hamstrings. Start in a slightly squatted position
with the shoulders tilted out over the legs. Let
the dumbbells hang to the sides. See the picture
for proper position of the low back. Raise the
elbows up along your sides. You may allow
some slight movement at the hips to get the
rhythm of the movement going. Don't rock
excessively though. Breath out as you raise the
dumbbells and in at the bottom.
Romanian Deadlift:
great exercise for the hamstrings, glutes, back
and abs. Stand with legs about hip width. Keep
the back straight and flat as you lower the
dumbbells down along your legs. Push the hips
slighty back and allow the knees to bend very
slightly. When the dumbbells get just below your
knees, reverse direction and return to standing.
Hints: keep your fingertips touching the legs
always. Keep back flat. Stand up fully at top with
chin and chest out. Breath in at the top, breath
out on your way back to top position.
One-leg Calf Raise:
This focuses almost exclusively on the calf muscle. It is best
to use a calf block or a piece of 2x4 to elevate the heel in this
exercise. Stand on the calf block with the ball of one foot.
Hold the dumbbell in one hand and use the other to stabilize
yourself by holding a bar or putting your hand on a wall. loer
the heel toward the floor and then raise up as high as you
can on the ball of your foot (like standing on tip-toe). Raise
and lower using one leg only until you finish the prescribed
number of repetitions, and then switch legs.
Leg raise:
Great exercise for abs and hip flexors. Lay
on back and hold the dumbbells to
stabilize your upper body. Raise your legs
off the floor to a 90 degree angle and then
lower back to floor. Repeat until desired
number of repetitions.
This all dumbbell routine is done as a circuit. This means you will perform each exercise in the
order they appear with little or no rest between each exercise. Then, rest for a minute, and repeat
all exercises in the same order again. Beginners do 2 circuits, advanced do 3 to 4 circuits.
Repitions for each exercise should be 15-18 repetitions, except for leg raises which should be 18 -
21 repetitions. Choose a dumbbell weight that you can handle througout the cricuit.