There are countless reasons why people work out. Some people go to the gym to keep off the love handles and stay fit enough to run around with their kids. Others have learned to truly enjoy fitness and strive to build muscle and perfect their physique.
No matter what category you fall under, you might be worried about your odds of success if you only have access to dumbbells. Or maybe you’re just too intimidated by the barbell or big machines.
Regardless, you can learn how to build muscle with dumbbells to reach your fitness goals. In fact, dumbbells are the most versatile lifting tools in a gym’s arsenal.
We’re here to teach you how to do it. Keep reading for a quick guide on how to work out with dumbbells for big results.
Understand What Exercises Work Which Muscle Groups
Before you get started, you should take some time to learn how to exercise each muscle group. You need to know which exercises do what.
We recommend working with an experienced trainer for the first month or two to form a foundation of practical weight lifting knowledge. Alternatively, learn independently through books and online content. It’s essential to understand the basic concepts of exercise science.
Learn the Proper Technique for Each Exercise
Next, you must learn how to use dumbbells correctly. For each exercise, it’s important to master your technique. This will increase the efficacy of the exercise while mitigating your risk of injury.
This is especially vital for learning how to build muscle with dumbbells, which will require lifting heavier weights. Even light-weight exercises can be dangerous if you’re not using the proper technique. For example, here are some tips on how to perform dumbbell flyes.
Focus the Core of Your Workout on Compound Movements
Next, you can maximize your results when learning how to build muscle with dumbbells if you focus your workouts around compound movements. Compound movements are those that use multiple muscle groups and multiple sets of joints. The most common are:
- Squats
- Deadlift
- Bench press
- Shoulder press
- Bent-over rows
- Pullups/chinups
- Pushups
- Lunges
- Etc.
These exercises use multiple muscle groups, which allows you to lift more weight. As a result, they are more effective at building muscle mass, strength, balance, and coordination.
However, with these exercises, it is absolutely essential to learn the proper technique, as they carry more risk for injury if performed incorrectly. For example, you must learn how to squat with dumbbells while keeping your spine in a neutral alignment.
Implement a Program That Promotes Progress
Finally, regardless of if you’re using dumbbell exercises, barbell exercises, or machines to pursue your fitness goals, you must use effective programming. Progress requires consistency and direction.
Use progressive overload training to ensure you’re improving. Progressive overload training gradually increases the weight or reps you do each week to ensure growth in strength and muscle size.
If you want to learn how to build muscle using dumbbells, this is the way to do it. Let’s take a dumbbell workout focusing on your chest as an example.
Let’s say you bench press 35lb dumbbells for 10 reps the first week. Then, you would:
- Use 35lb dumbbells for 12 reps during week two
- Use 35lb dumbbells for 14 reps during week three
- And so on
Alternatively, you could add weight each week instead of reps. However, when you add weight, you may not be able to complete all 10 reps, and that’s okay. Use the new wight until you can do 10 reps, then add more the following week.
Want More Tips on How to Build Muscle With Dumbbells?
As you can see, it’s quite possible to learn how to build muscle with dumbbells. No matter what training program you do or what types of weight you use, you must push for subtle improvements each week to ensure your progress. We recommend writing everything down so you know exactly where you stand.
And if you’re looking for more health and fitness tips, you’re in the right place. Check out some of our other articles for more advice while you’re here.