There are so many different types of dumbbells to choose from, and selecting the one that is best for your particular needs and fitness goals can be difficult, especially for newcomers.
However, if you break things down, dumbbells fall largely into two categories: fixed dumbbells and adjustable dumbbells.
FIXED DUMBBELLS
There’s nothing more traditional than a fixed dumbbell. Most people who grew up using dumbbells are familiar with this type. These are very easy to use for drop sets (moving to a lighter dumbbell after failure with a heavier dumbbell).
The traditional fixed dumbbell has a fixed or set weight. You traditionally see them in the majority of big box commercial gyms.
Hex and Round Dumbbells
Hex dumbbells, those with a hexagonal shape, provide the advantage of not rolling away when you set it down. They require a standard flat rack for storage. Round dumbbells, on the other hand, can roll away and require a specialized rack. However, round dumbbells offer more options in their use, so if you have the budget, they are a definite value-add to your set-up.
When looking at fixed dumbbells, you’ll typically see them come in either cast iron or rubber. Cast iron is the most cost-effective but will rust over time, especially in a garage gym setting. Rubber will protect your floor a bit more and resist rusting, but will also cost slightly more.
We recommend:
The CAP Barbell Cast Iron Hex Dumbbell
CAP’s hex dumbbells come with a semi-gloss finish that helps prevent rusting, and are made of high-quality, durable solid cast iron. Their knurled handles also help to provide a sturdy grip during workouts.
We recommend:
The Intek Strength Delta Series
These round dumbbells are made in the U.S., and use a self-leveling face, meaning their weight increment denotation and logo are always upright for easier reference. They have a solid construction, using no welds or bolts, and features stainless steel heads to eliminate corrosion.
ADJUSTABLE DUMBBELLS
Adjustable dumbbells, as the name implies, allow you to change the weight of the dumbbells on the fly. There are several types of adjustable dumbbells, with the most common being loadable and selector pin formats.
Loadable and Selector Pin Dumbbells
Loadable dumbbells have weight plates added to a dumbbell handle (essentially allowing you to build your dumbbell). This allows you to easily adjust the weight while saving on space (compared to needing a full set of fixed dumbbells). They also allow you to perform goblet style motions. However, your max weight will be limited with all but the most expensive sets.
Selector pin models, by contrast, contain a set of weights and use a selector pin to adjust them. These are even more of a space-saver than the loadable dumbbells, providing the potential to keep a weight range of 5–125-pound dumbbells in a 2x2 foot space. Changing weights is quick and easy, and the price per pound is much cheaper than fixed dumbbells.
We recommend:
The PowerBlock Pro Series
This series offers sets in a variety of weights, including 32, 50, 90, 125 and 175 lbs. sets. The 90 lbs. set in particular is very versatile, offer-ing a weight range of 5–90 lbs. per hand, and replaces sets of up to 18 dumbbells by virtue of its variable weight. The standard package comes with two 5 and two 10 lbs. handles, as well as a commercial stand.
DUMBBELLS VS KETTLEBELLS
While dumbbells are the focus of this book, kettlebells are another great way to add variety to any strength-training repertoire. The thick “U” shaped handle of the kettlebell makes it easier to perform two foundational movements: the Swing and the Goblet Squat. The unique design also allows you to change your hand positioning midway through a move so you can perform hybrid lifts, like the Snatch, the Clean, and the Press.
With all that said, the Dumbbell Goblet Squat can easily replace the Kettlebell Squat (unless you only have a set of Power Block dumbbells). And while the kettlebell is often the superior tool for use in performing the Swing, the end result still show the kettlebell to be a limiting, if fun and engaging, fitness tool.
Most people in the gym are working towards losing fat, getting stronger and more powerful, or a combination of both. The basic dumbbell can be the answer to all these fitness goals.
There are a ton of advantages that come from incorporating dumbbells into your daily workouts, separate and distinct from other weight-based or resistance training:
Dumbbells require more balance than barbells or machines. This increased balance requirement builds athletic performance and can lead to greater muscle fiber recruitment.
Dumbbells require more muscular control than barbells, enhancing kinesthetic awareness (awareness of our bodies in space).
Dumbbells allow unilateral training (training one limb at a time), which increases core stability for athletes and can improve on any muscular imbalances created by the lifter.
Dumbbells allow for greater joint safety and stabilization. Through a greater recruitment of the stabilizing muscles, dumbbells allow the joints to move naturally within their range of motion, creating more joint stability. They also allow for internal or external rotation for less stress on your joints.
Dumbbells are safer than other weight tools. For example, you can simply drop a heavy set of dumbbells after a brutal set of bench presses, instead of having the barbell pin you to the bench.
Dumbbells afford a greater level of variety, which prevents physical and mental burnout, enhancing potential growth.
Intensity techniques are simpler and safer to execute, including Drop Sets, Elevator Sets, PSD Sets, etc.
Dumbbell variations of barbell exercises allow for a greater range of movement (ROM), which leads to an increased number of muscle fibers recruited. That means more muscle built, and more strength developed.
Dumbbells are perfect for the at-home exerciser with limited space. Do you have a small apartment? Do you not have a garage? A set of Power Block dumbbells takes up only 2 square feet of space and still allows for full body workouts.
Dumbbells can be less intimidating than barbells to the average fitness athlete. Dumbbells have a smoother learning curve and can get you on your path to success faster!
SHOULD YOU BUY NEW OR USED?
Check websites like Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace and Apps like LetGo before going out to the stores for a set of dumbbells. You can often find dumbbells for sale online because they are a very popular piece of fitness equipment.
Sometimes you can find them as cheap as 50 cents per pound. Therefore, a used pair of 25-pound dumbbells could be $25. For comparison, a new pair of 25-pound dumbbells could be $75 plus shipping. Buying local, used dumbbells can be a real budget saver.
NOTE: Bring your bathroom scale to the garage sale or Craigslist pickup so you can literally weigh your dumbbells. Older, used dumbbells are notorious for being off in weight. A 25-pound dumbbell could weigh 23–27 pounds.
The workouts in this book are programmed differently than your typical weight loss book. No more high rep counts and endless cardio—it’s time to try something different, something that works consistently.
Most everyone in the gym is training to get leaner and stronger. That’s why these workouts take basic movements and use the most effective and innovative intensity techniques to do just that!
TYPES OF EXERCISES
After programming for the most common workout regimens and fitness goals, combined with the most effective types of movements, the result is five different types of exercises, arranged in such a way as to achieve maximum results.
These exercise types are:
Core Lifts (Size, Strength and Power)
Assistance Exercises
Hybrid Exercises
Core Stability and Strength Exercises
Mobility Exercises
Core Lifts
Core lifts refer to the ten categories of movement that professional athletes and body builders have been using for years to get their perfect bodies.
They are:
Squat
Deadlift
Push
Pull
Carry
Lunge
Rotate
Jump
Throw
Sprint
Core lifts can be improved with years of consistent training and will be the backbone of your training. They are the big, compound, multi-joint movements that burn the most calories and build the most strength.
Within the Core lifts, athletes (of all ages) focus on phases of size-based, strength-based and/or power-based workouts. These phases differ in terms of load, volume and amount of rest, as well as variables such as rep organization and speed. These differences have been incorporated into the workout programs in this book. However, a good rule of thumb to follow is:
Increased size: moderate load, high rep/set volume and short to moderate rest periods
Increased strength: heavy load, low to moderate rep/set volume and full recovery between sets
Increased power: moderate to heavy load, low rep/set volume and full recovery between sets
Assistance Exercises
These exercises are designed to support the core lifts and shore up your weaknesses. They are typically variations of the core lifts, as well as smaller, single joint exercises that cannot be overloaded but which are very effective for building muscle in places a core lift cannot.
Hybrid Exercises
A hybrid exercise combines two complimentary exercises to allow for a fluid transition from one to the next. It requires you to select exercises that require similar loads, but these exercise combos promote full body tension and reps making them a perfect complements to finish your full body workouts.
Core Stability and Strength Exercises
The foundation to all weight loss programs is a properly designed core stability and strength program.
Our focus in this book will be on the four core stability groups:
Anterior core stability (also called anti-extension)
Posterior core stability (also called anti-flexion)
Lateral core stability (also called anti-lateral flexion)
Rotary core stability (also called anti-rotation)
Mobility Exercises
Every workout, whether designed for size, strength, or power, has a specific mobility program associated. These are physical therapy-based exercises that “bulletproof” the body by activating and preparing the muscles intended for training that day.
STRENGTH BUILDING PROTOCOLS
All the exercises is this book can be enhanced using the following Strength Building Protocols, which add variety and effectiveness to any workout.
Drop Sets: Take a set to failure with a weight, then immediately do another set to failure with a lighter weight. As a basic rule-of-thumb, reduce the weight around 10% with each drop.
Mechanical Drop Sets: Instead of simply dropping the weight to continue the set, you “drop” to an exercise with more mechanical advantage. (For example: moving from a Shoulder Press to a Chest Press to continue the set.)
Rack and Run: Choose a weight and take it to failure at 6–8 reps. Rack those weights and grab a set 5 pounds lighter (if using fixed dumbbells) or pull the pin and go 10 pounds lighter (if using Power Blocks). Take that new weight to failure and repeat the process until you’re holding 10 pounds in your hands.
Elevator Set: A subset of the mechanical drop set, now we are going down the elevator. Start with a shoulder press and get to a flat bench press in 3–5 sets, no rest, with the same weight.
Ladders: Progressively add weight each set with short rest periods until you reach your max weight for 8 reps. Then, go back down in weight each set until you reach the original weight.
Cluster Sets: Break down one set into multiple mini-sets. To do so, lift your 6-rep max for 3 reps for multiple sets with only 10–15 seconds rest between sets.
Rest/Pause: This is a variation of a cluster set. Use a 10-rep max weight and do sets of 8 reps with 20–25 seconds of rest for 3 sets.
Pre-Exhaust: Do a set of an isolation exercise for a muscle group. Then, with no rest, do a compound movement of the same muscle group.
PSD sets: A PSD set utilizes three old school body building techniques: Pre-exhaust sets, Strength sets, and Drop sets. In other words, a PSD set is a cluster set of these three techniques.
Density Training: The goal is to do as many reps of your chosen movement or movements as possible in a set time. Start easy with about 5 minutes and work your way up to a 10–15-minute round.
Circuits: A series of exercises performed in succession without rest, done for time or reps. This style of training has been around for years and has recently taken on the name Metabolic Resistance Training (MRT).
Post-Activation Potentiation: This method is a go-to for many high-level athletes. Pair a heavy compound exercise (such as a Dumbbell Chest Press) with a lighter, more dynamic exercise (like plyometric push-ups).
Super Sets: This pairs two exercises with no rest. This book’s programming includes many Super Sets.
ISO Holds: Hold the last rep of an exercise in the contracted position for 5–20 extra seconds.
Tri Sets: Three exercises targeting the same muscle(s), done in succession.
Giant Sets: Four exercises targeting the same muscle(s), done in succession.
TOP THREE TRAINING FACTORS FOR MUSCLE GROWTH
Mechanical tension means using a set of heavy dumbbells to increase the force on a specific muscle through a full range of motion. Most consider this to be traditional strength training.
Muscle damage means keeping a constant tension on the muscle during an extended number of reps. This is also called “Time Under Tension”.
Metabolic stress means paying attention to slow negatives and exercise variety. An example of slow negatives at work would be taking the full five seconds to lower yourself during a chest press, rather than the standard 1–2 seconds. Exercise variety is just as it sounds: making sure to switch up your workouts after a certain amount of time to avoid burnout and stimulate more even stress across multiple muscle groups.
Your ability to recover and grow from your workouts is directly related to your nutrition. You must always be conscious of the need to properly fuel your body with the correct food choices.
The benefits of good daily nutrition are as varied as they are numerous:
Decreased recovery times
Increased energy and stamina
Decreased loss of muscle tissue
Decreased body fat percentage
Improved health and injury prevention
Building positive, healthy nutrition habits for life
Nutrition, however, is not only preparative and preventative. Nutrition also provides the critical “trigger” for translating weight training into increases in strength, power, speed and agility. Simply put, lifting and conditioning both serve as a stimulus to the body, and only with proper rest and nutrition do we allow for muscular adaptions of speed, strength, and power.
PRE-EXERCISE NUTRITION
Why should you eat prior to exercise?
Eating breakfast prior to exercise replenishes muscle and liver glycogen stores expended during an overnight fast. Eating a meal high in carbohydrates also raises blood glucose levels. Muscles can then use blood glucose rather than their own glycogen stores for energy, saving the glycogen for exercise.
A large meal should be eaten 3–4 hours prior to exercise. This allows for maximum digestion, absorption, and metabolism of the nutrients, and ensures that the stomach has emptied prior to exercising. Focus on carbohydrates, which are digested and absorbed quickly by the muscles as glucose, sparing muscle glycogen for exercise (e.g. pasta, rice, whole grain pasta). Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy for anaerobic and prolonged high intensity aerobic activity. It costs the body less energy to digest carbohydrates than protein or fat, saving you energy for the gym.
Be sure to stay hydrated to prevent dehydration from occurring too soon during exercise. Drink 17–20 fl. oz. 2–3 hours before any strenuous workout and 7–10 fl. oz. after the warm-up.
Reduce consumption of protein and fat prior to heavy exercise, as both digest slowly and require a higher metabolism for digestion and absorption. Too much protein or fat in the system can also prevent the quick digestion and update of carbohydrates. A small amount of lean protein in a pre-exercise meal will provide a small amount of energy to muscle cells, decrease the breakdown of muscle protein, increase protein synthesis in muscle after the workout, and delay hunger prior to the exercise.
POST-EXERCISE NUTRITION
There are three great reasons to eat after exercise:
Aim to eat in the first 2 hours post-exercise. This is when the rate of carb storage in your muscles is at its highest. Eat small meals consisting mainly of carbs and some protein every 2–3 hours. Replenishing your carb stores is vital to the recovery process and necessary for optimal energy levels during future workouts.
Protein intake is also important, as it feeds the muscles with the necessary building materials to stimulate muscle repair and growth. It also aids in the replenishment of glycogen when paired with carbs post-exercise.
Finally, drink—even if you are not thirsty. For every pound of sweat loss through activity, you should aim to drink 16 ounces of water. Fluids with sodium, potassium, and magnesium content help to speed up rehydration.
FOODS FOR MUSCLE GAIN
First off, total calories dictates everything. Any food can be considered useable for “muscle gain” purposes in the context of your total diet. If you are eating more calories than you are expending (around 500–700 more), the foods you are eating are in a position to contribute to muscle gain.
With that said, there are foods that lend themselves better to muscle gain, detailed below:
Lean beef. On average, a three-ounce serving of lean beef is only 154 calories, yet it provides ten essential nutrients, including iron, zinc and B-vitamins. More importantly, it provides your body with high quality protein (not all proteins are equal), and a high level of amino acid that works with insulin to promote muscle growth.
Milk. High in protein, carbohydrates, Vitamins D, A, and calcium and is an easy way to take in extra calories for muscle growth. Chocolate milk is highest in calories!
Oatmeal. Oatmeal is an ideal source of carbs due to both its low glycemic index (GI) value and the fact it is minimally processed.
Sandwiches. Peanut butter and honey sandwich for a snack. Add an extra piece of cheese to your turkey or ham sandwich for an extra 115 calories. Make it a triple-decker sandwich with an extra slice of bread
Lean protein. Chicken, eggs, fish, pork, beans, and red meat are all terrific options for incorporating lean protein into your pre-exercise meals.
Cottage cheese. Not many people know this, but cottage cheese constitutes relatively pure casein protein. For those who don’t know, casein protein is a slow-digesting protein, which means it is perfect for muscle maintenance
Eggs. Eggs contain high quality protein, nine essential amino acids, choline, the right kind of fat, and vitamin D. To sum it up, they are the most value for money. And please note, eggs are not harmful for your health, as numerous studies have already shown.
Salad. Pile on the vegetables and protein choices like beans, eggs, ham, and cheese to make your salad calorie-dense as well as nutritious.
Pasta. Rich in energy, pasta combined with meat sauce provides a meal which includes three major food groups: meats, grains and vegetables.
Healthy fats. Good fats are essential for muscle growth. They also play an essential role in hormone production (testosterone and growth hormones) responsible for muscle growth and strength gains. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to your pasta or salads for an extra 120 calories!
DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS
Before giving any recommendations on supplements, a word of caution. Despite becoming increasingly common, even among casual lifters and weekend warriors, dietary supplements (vitamins, minerals, enzymes, etc.) are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). As a result, the safety of these supplements isn’t assured; for this reason, third party organizations (Informed Choice, NSF Certified for Sport, the Banned Substance Control Group, and the Resource Exchange Center) regularly test dietary supplements for safety.
However, these third-party organizations are checking primarily to make sure that what is listed on the label is actually in the bottle. Just because something has been tested as “safe,” meaning it contains what it claims to contain, it doesn’t mean it’s healthy for you to put in your body. Be sure to do your own research and speak to your physician regarding any new supplement you’re considering.
With all that in mind, here are the “Big 4” that we recommend for building muscle:
As a bonus, Vitamin D3 is valuable for athletes in the winter months. Vitamin D3 can help fight off cold and flu season, muscle inflammation, stress, and general aches and pains. And for the over-40 lifter, a joint care supplement can be very helpful. Glucosamine, Chondroitin, MSM (methylsulfonylmethane), and curcumin may help protect joints after years of abuse, both in and out of the weight room.
For additional resources on sports nutrition:
Precision Nutrition (www.precisionnutrition.com)
Precision Nutrition is the home of the world’s top nutrition coaches, offering many free articles and tips. They have worked with many professional organizations and athletes.
International Society of Sports Nutrition (www.sportsnutritionsociety.org)
The International Society of Sports Nutrition is the only non-profit academic society dedicated to promoting the science and application of evidence-based sports nutrition and supplementation.
This book would not be complete without a quick section on conditioning, aka “cardio”. However you refer to it, training your cardiovascular system is very important. Aerobic work supports better workouts by helping your recovery between hard sets and hard days at the gym.
Your heart is the most important muscle in your body; not your biceps, not your glutes—your heart. Cardiovascular workouts like running, cycling or swimming mean your heart and lungs have to work faster and harder than they do during strength sessions, meaning they become stronger and more efficient than they would during a given strength workout.
The number of days per week and how much time you choose to spend on cardio per week largely depends on your fitness goals and current health. Ultimately, your goal is to get your cardio work done. If it is something you would easily skip after a tough strength workout, do it first. If you’re prioritizing strength gain, do your cardio after your dumbbell work to allow your body to attack the workout when it’s at its freshest.
Which cardio is best? It’s a common question, but the answer is simply whatever you have access to. Whatever you choose, be sure to add 10–30 minutes of cardio/aerobic work after your dumbbell workouts.
MOBILITY VS STABILITY
Proper mobility drills and warm-ups can keep you in the gym and injury free, but for some they are the toughest things to learn. Every person knows what a Squat or Deadlift is; yet with the recent explosion in mobility programs, the number of “trademarked” or “modified” movements, each with their own designation, many people are left confused as to how they should be moving.
The exercises used in this book are simple, short and sweet. For more information on any of the movements called for, see the exercise database at the back of this book (page 212).
Exercises form the foundation of all movement meant to promote strength and balance while reducing the chance for injury. The goal for every person is to have a full range of motion (proper mobility), allowing them to be pain-free, injury-free and perform at their most effective and efficient level.
Football coach Herm Edward is famous for saying, “The best ability is durability.” I believe we can take that phrase to the next level: “The best ability is durability; the best durability is mobility + strength.” Your athlete’s ability to stay durable—to stay on the field—is to stay mobile and strong.
This opens up a bigger discussion on mobility vs. stability. Mobility is defined as the ability to produce a desired movement. Stability, by contrast, is the ability to resist an undesired movement. Mobility and stability occurs during all exercises, at multiple joints, with every rep.
We must have a basic understanding on how the human body moves beyond the Squat, Bench, Deadlift, and Clean. Mike Boyle and Gray Cook popularized a framework for coaches to help simplify the confusing mobility vs. stability discussion. This joint by joint approach is an outline that tells us, in general terms, if a joint needs to be stable or mobile during play. The basics of their outline is included below:
My piece of advice for all people with an injury history: perform a shortened version of your last physical therapy workout two or three times per week.
Finally, for over 100 mobility exercises and descriptions, please check out The Mobility Workout Handbook: Over 100 Sequences for Improved Performance, Reduced Injury, and Increased Flexibility.
THE IMPORTANCE OF RECOVERY WORKOUTS
Here are some signs to look for that may indicate a need for recovery time:
An elevated resting heart rate. Take your resting heart rate in the morning as a baseline. If you are 10 beats a minute higher than normal, it could be a good idea to take some time off.
You are not getting stronger. While your ultimate goal is to get leaner, you may need some time off if you’re still using the same weights from four weeks ago.
Irregular sleep patterns. Being overworked in the gym, at work and in life can lead to disturbed sleep. Try meditation to get back on track.
A shift in mindset. Do you wake up excited to tackle your tough workout or dread getting out of bed? The latter scenario should indicate a need for some time off.
