You may not be able to reach your weight loss goals if you don’t do strength training. If you’re making this mistake, try including these 9 dumbbell exercises for weight loss.
If you’re thinking about losing weight, don’t underestimate the power of strength training. It can be just as important as adding a hard cardio workout to your fitness routine. From building muscle and maintaining strength to improving your posture and aiding in weight loss, lifting weights can do you a world of good! If you’re trying to lose weight, here are some dumbbell exercises for weight loss that you absolutely must try!
Benefits of Dumbbell Exercises for Weight Loss
Whether you want to build muscle or shed extra pounds, dumbbell exercises can do the trick! Also known as strength training or bodybuilding, dumbbell exercises can be good for your health. A 2021 study published in the journal Sports medicine found that resistance training or weight lifting can help reduce body fat percentage, body fat mass, and visceral fat in healthy adults.
Dumbbell exercises can not only help you lose weight, but also help you gain muscle. The more you do weight training, the more muscle you will gain and the more fat you will burn. A study published in the journal Sports medicine I found that resistance training helps you lose weight and burn fat.
Can women do dumbbell exercises?
The myth that women shouldn’t do weightlifting has made many doubt whether it’s a good idea. Well, it is, nothing more than a myth! Exercising with weights is a good thing for everyone, including women. “Women should definitely do strength training. Bodyweight exercises will help you get stronger, maintain bone density, and slim down. Women over 40 should include weightlifting in their routine to avoid going through extreme changes in their body that can happen due to hormonal changes,” says Agarwal.
Although dumbbell exercises are good for everyone and are even recommended for people over 50, it is important to take into account your health issues to avoid problems.
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9 Dumbbell Exercises to Lose Weight
You can try these expert-approved weightlifting exercises to lose weight:
1. Deadlift
- Take two dumbbells on each side of your hands.
- Now stand with your feet hip-width apart and place the bar in the middle of your feet, near your shins.
- Bend at your hips and knees to lower your body as you hold the bar with your hands placed outside your knees.
- Push through your heels and extend your hips and knees simultaneously.
- Inhale and slowly stand up straight with your shoulders back as you lift the bar, keeping it close to your body as you lift.
- Now reverse the movement by pushing your hips back and bending your knees.
- Slowly lower the bar and return it to the floor.
- Remember to tighten your abdominal muscles, keep your back straight and your chest up throughout the exercise.
- Do at least 2 sets of 10 to 12 repetitions.
2. Dumbbell Squats
- Grab a barbell with your hands positioned slightly wider than your shoulders and place it on the fleshy part of your shoulders, under your neck. Your elbows should be pointing down and back.
- Squat down by bending your knees and pushing your hips back. Keep your back straight.
- Do at least 3 sets of 12 to 15 repetitions.
Also read: 10 Benefits of Squats — and 7 Squat Variations for Fitness
3. Dumbbell bench press
- Lie on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand and extend your arms above your chest.
- Lower the dumbbells to your chest and press them back up.
- Do not make jerky or too rapid movements.
- Do at least 3 sets of 10 to 12 repetitions.
You can do this exercise on a flat bench, or on an incline or decline bench if you wish.
5. Front lunges
- Grab your dumbbells and stand up straight with your arms at your sides.
- Keep your chest up and take a step forward with your right leg, bending it at the
- the knee of your left leg until it almost touches the floor.
- Now step forward with your left leg and repeat the movement.
- Do at least 3 sets of 10 to 12 repetitions.
6. Dumbbell Shoulder Press
- Sit or stand with a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height.
- Push the dumbbells overhead until your arms are fully extended up and down to the starting point. This completes one repetition.
- Do 3 sets of 10 to 12 repetitions.
7. The steps
- Stand in front of a raised surface such as a bench or step, holding dumbbells on either side.
- Step up with one leg and bring the other leg up to meet it. Step back down and switch legs. This completes one rep.
- Do 3 sets of 12 to 15 repetitions to complete the exercise.
8. Dumbbell thruster
- Stand shoulder-width apart with a pair of dumbbells resting on your shoulders and your elbows in front of your body.
- Bend your knees and push your hips back to lower yourself into a squat position.
- Push through your heels to rise from the squat position, fully extending your legs.
- Push the dumbbells overhead, extending your arms as you stand. Now lower your dumbbells back to shoulder height to complete the rep.
- Now do at least 3 sets of 10-12 reps.
9. Kettlebell swings
You can also use a kettlebell, or even a dumbbell, to include more exercises in your weight loss routine:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and keep the kettlebell in front of you.
- Grasp the kettlebell in your hand, palms facing you.
- Now swing the kettlebell back between your legs while pushing your hips and squeezing your glutes.
- Perform at least 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps.
You can try some of these exercises and mix them up with the rest of your routine. Several other exercises such as push-ups, jumping jacks, side step-ups, front sit-ups and many more can be done with weights and can benefit you. However, it is best to talk to your trainer before adding any new exercises to your fitness routine.
Who Should Avoid Dumbbell Exercises for Weight Loss?
Although dumbbell exercises are good for everyone, there are some people who should only do them under the supervision of a professional trainer:
- People with arthritis or knee pain.
- People suffering from lower back pain, herniated discs and other similar back problems.
- People suffering from joint and shoulder pain.
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