Basic Dumbbell and Body Weight Exercises You Can Do at Home
Some Key to the instruction:
Reps – Each time you perform the movement in an exercise, that’s called a rep. If you cannot do all the reps at first, just do what you can, and then gradually increase reps as you improve.
Set – One set is a specific number of repetitions. For example, eight to 12 reps often make a single set.
Tempo – This tells you the count for the key movements in an exercise. For example, 3–1–3 means lift a weight in three counts, hold for one count, then lower it on a count of three.
Rest – Resting between sets gives your muscles a chance to recharge and helps you maintain good form.
Warm up & Cool down – Before doing any of the workouts, spend 5 to 10 minutes warming up all major muscle groups. A warm-up enables your body to ease into exercise. Your heart rate and breathing gradually increase, pumping more nutrient-rich, oxygenated blood to your muscles for exercise. Your joints become more lubricated and your muscles more pliable so they perform better, and you’re less susceptible to discomfort or even an injury.
Excellent ways to warm up include marching in place and gently swinging your arms, walking on a treadmill, pedaling an exercise bike, or mimicking the workout exercises without holding any weights. Start slowly, and gradually increase your pace. Static stretching is not recommended as warm up. Dynamic stretching is recommended for warm up.
After your workout, spend 5 to 10 minutes cooling down by walking around. I do 10 minutes of breathing exercise – inhale with nose to count of 5 and exhale with mouth to count of 7. Cool down slows breathing and heartbeat, gradually routing blood back into its normal circulatory patterns. You can also do some static stretching of the muscles worked.
Make sure to keep these 10 minutes before and after every workout.
A suggested program:
1.Reverse Lunges
Muscles worked- Gluteus, quadriceps, hamstrings, gastrocnemius
Reps: 8–12 for strength, Sets: 1–3, Tempo: 3–1–3 for strength, Rest: 30–90 seconds between sets
How To Reverse Lunge
Progression: Do stationary lunges, so that you’re not stepping back with one foot at the beginning of each lunge. Stand with one foot in front of the other and bend your knees. Finish all reps, then switch legs and repeat to complete one set. Add DB weight as you feel comfortable. To make it harder, step forward into the lunges, or use heavier weights. 2.Push Ups Muscles worked- Pectoralis, deltoids, triceps, rectus abdominis, erector spinae, gluteus
Reps: 8–12, Sets: 1–3, Tempo: 3–1–3, Rest: 30–90 seconds between sets
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The Perfect Push Up | Do it right!
Progression: Very well explained in the video below
Can’t Do A Push-Up? How To Start Push-Ups From ZERO
3.Wood chop
Muscles worked- Pectoralis, deltoids, gluteus, obliques,quadriceps, hamstrings, rectus abdominis, erector spinae
Reps: 8–12 on each side, Sets: 1–3,Tempo: 3–1–3, Rest: 30–90 seconds between sets
Matt Dawson’s Workout: Dumbbell Woodchop
Progression: You can start without weight and gradually increase weight as your strength improves.
4.Bent-over row
Muscles worked- Latissimus dorsi, trapezius, rhomboids, deltoids, biceps
Reps: 8–12 with each arm , Sets: 1–3, Tempo: 3–1–3, Rest: 30–90 seconds between sets
How To: Dumbbell Bent-Over Row (Single-Arm)
Progression: Keep increasing weight of dumbbells
5.Bridge
Muscles worked- Gluteus, hamstrings, erector spinae
Reps: 8–12, Sets: 1–3, Tempo: 3–1–3 , Rest: 30–90 seconds between sets
Wellness Wednesday: The glutes exercise you need to know
Progression: When comfortable doing this, extend one leg off the floor to do one-leg bridges.
6.Superman
Muscles worked- Deltoids, latissimus dorsi, erector spinae, gluteus, hamstrings
Reps: 8–12, Sets: 1–3, Tempo: 3–1–3, Rest: 30–90 seconds between sets
Exercise Tutorial – Superman
Progression: To make it harder hold in the ‘up’ position for 3-5 seconds
7.Overhead press
Muscles worked- Deltoids, triceps
Reps: 8–12, Sets: 1–3, Tempo: 3–1–3, Rest: 30–90 seconds between sets
The Perfect Overhead Dumbbell Press
Progression: You can do it sitting on chair to make it easier. Add more weight as you progress.
8.Bicep Curl
Muscles worked: Biceps
Reps: 8–12, Sets: 1–3, Tempo: 3–1–3, Rest: 30–90 seconds between sets
How to Do Standing Dumbbell Curls
Progression: Sit on Chair and do to make it easier. Increase weight as you progress.
9.Side plank
Muscles worke-: Erector spinae, rectus abdominis, obliques, transverse abdominis
Reps: 2–4 on each side, Sets: 1, Tempo: Hold the plank position 15–60 seconds, Rest: 30–90 seconds between reps
How to do the perfect Side Plank and most common mistakes
Progression: To make it easier you can do with knees bend and feet behind you
Side plank from Knees
10.Reverse Fly
Muscles worked- Deltoids, rhomboids, trapezius
Reps: 8–12 ,Sets: 1–3, Tempo: 3–1–3, Rest: 30–90 seconds between sets
How To Do A Reverse Fly with Nicole Uribarri | The Right Way | Well+Good
Progression: Increase Dumbbell weight as your strength improves.
Give at least 48 hours of recovery between training. If you do twice a week, give 72 hours. If you have never done strength training or suffering from some disease or an unstable chronic health condition, including these:
• heart disease (or multiple risk factors for it)
• a respiratory ailment, such as asthma
• high blood pressure
• joint or bone disease
• a neurologic illness
• diabetes
• a joint replacement
It maybe a good idea to talk to your doctor and list the exercises you are doing. You should talk to your physiotherapist if you are recovering from some injury.
