Get Your Beach Body Ready Only Using These Dumbbell Workouts
Spring is on the way, and everyone’s working toward a beach body before summer arrives. Rather than utilizing all sorts of machines, why not try an entire beach body workout solely with dumbbells? Beyond requiring more stabilization and using small muscles in addition to large muscle groups, dumbbells are often more accessible than many machines. They also come in a variety of different weights so individuals can easily customize their workout. Thus, users can switch weights between exercises depending on their comfort level. Chest, triceps, biceps, shoulders, core, quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves will all feel the burn after this full-body routine.
Weighted Situps
Weighted situps, which engage the entire core, are slightly different from the standard exercise. First, lay on the floor so your back touches the ground, knees are bent ninety degrees, and the soles of your feet are flat on the floor. Ensure the knees remain aligned with your hips throughout the exercise. Hold the chosen dumbbell close to your chest, with hands on each cap, and then inhale. Exhale as you sit up, keeping a straight spine as much as possible. Inhale as you lower your torso back to the floor. Keep your back from rounding, as this lessens pressure on the lowers back and lumbar spine.
Goblet Squats
Goblet squats work quads, calves, adductors, and abductors. Hamstrings may be engaged as well. To do goblet squats, select a dumbbell and hold it vertically with your palms open and supporting the underside of one of the caps, with fingers curled around the sides. Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width distance apart with the soles flat on the ground. Keep a tall, straight spine to lessen pressure on the lower back. As you inhale, bend your knees and shift weight back into your heels so your quads come parallel to the ground. Exhale, press into the soles of your feet to straighten your legs until just before they lock at the knees. Shift your hips forward at the top of the movement. Repeat as many times as desired.
Bicep Curls
Bicep curls can be done alternately or with both arms moving together. Hold a dumbbell by the bar in each hand and stand with your feet under your hips and bend your knees slightly. Keep a tall, straight spine with an open sternum. Extend your arms to your sides and inhale. Bend elbows past ninety degrees while exhaling so the dumbbells touch your chest. Inhale as your arms straighten until just before they lock at the elbow. Repeat the movement. Control the downward movement so that momentum influences reps as little as possible, particularly when moving both arms at once. Biceps are fairly isolated in this particular exercise, although the core may engage as well.
Dumbbell Flyes On A Bench
Dumbbell flyes on a bench are done lying with back on a flat bench. Bend your knees to bring the soles of your feet to the floor to stabilize the body. Hold a dumbbell in each hand by the bar, let your arms extend into a 'T' without locking the elbows, and inhale. Exhale and bring arms together on top of your body. Inhale as your arms move back out. This exercise engages chest muscles, so be sure to keep a bend in your elbows during the reps to protect your joints. Those looking for an increase in the challenge may increase the weight for each set.
Floor Press
To do a floor press, lay on your back in a supine position with dumbbells within reach on each side of your body. Pick up the dumbbells, bend your arms at the elbows ninety degrees so the backs of your arms lay on the floor, and inhale. Exhale while straightening your arms until just before they lock, pressing dumbbells into the air. Inhale and bend your arms almost down to the starting position, but do not let the backs of your arms return to the floor. Continue the exercise for as many reps as desired. Consider increasing the weight for each set or decrease the number of reps as desired. This exercise engages the chest and triceps.