Valentin Bosioc
Being overweight is no walk in the park. Excessive amounts of body fat transforms you into someone you can’t recognize in the mirror. Worst of all, it takes a toll on your health. Over a period of time, fat buildup can result in high LDL cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, breathing problems and other health issues.
Healthy amounts of fats, such as cholesterol and triglycerides, aren’t produced by your body but it is required to help the body properly function. These fats help the body store energy, use energy, promote healthy brain and nerve functioning and store essential nutrients. However, ingesting these fats in excessive amounts can cause an imbalance. For example, too many triglycerides in the bloodstream can clog the arteries, eventually leading to a stroke or a heart attack.
READ: The Best Full Body Dumbbell Workout
The only way to improve your appearance, health and prolong your life is to lose weight. A quick way to burn fat and reverse its effects is to perform some dumbbell exercises. According to 10Machines.com, “Dumbbells can supply a wide variety of workouts, providing near infinite flexibility and utility.” A few dumbbell exercises can help you take off extra pounds and firm up at the same time. So, grab a pair of dumbbells and get ready for a full body transformation.
1. Dumbbell Pushup to Tricep Kickback
Place two dumbbells on the floor. Get down in a traditional pushup position and do one pushup while leveraging on the dumbbells. Keep your body straight and your core tight. You should be in the starting pushup position with your arms straight. With the dumbbell in your hand, pull back your right elbow to your side. Then, straighten out your forearm backwards and bring it back in toward your shoulder. This is called a Tricep Kickback. Do 5 of these on your right arm. Perform another pushup and do the same thing with your left arm. Try at least 3 sets.
This dumbbell exercise will give you a thorough workout. It targets several areas in your upper body, such as chest, forearms, middle back, lower back, shoulders, traps and lats (Latissimus dorsi muscle).
SEE: Chest Workout: Dumbbell Vs Barbell Bench Press – Which One Is Better?
2. Windmill
Pick up a dumbbell in your left hand. Stand with your legs apart. Make sure your right foot points to the right while your left foot points forward. Raise your left arm overhead. Start to bend from your waist to the right, slowly reaching your right fingertips down to the floor near your right foot (as far as comfortable). Keep your left arm extended up and your left leg straight. Then, return to the starting position with left arm still raised. Perform 3 sets of 8 reps on each side.
Performing the windmill exercise with dumbbells will target your shoulders, core, buttocks and hamstrings.
3. Split-Squat Curl
Stand within 3 feet of a chair with your back facing it. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing forward. Lift your right foot up behind you and rest the top of it in the seat of the chair behind you. Bend your left knee about 90 degrees while curling the dumbbells to your shoulders. Switch sides and repeat. Perform 3 sets and 8-10 reps.
Split-Squat Curls are excellent exercises for tightening and slimming your buttocks, legs, core and biceps.
4. Oblique Twist
Sit down on the floor. Bend your knees and make sure your feet are flat on the floor. With both hands, hold a dumbbell straight out in front of you. Lean back until your abdomen is fully engaged. Start twisting from left to right, allowing the dumbbell to get as close to the floor as comfortable for you. Do 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps. Take a minute rest in between each set. For extra fat burn potential, lift your feet off the floor while twisting.
READ: Great Legs Routine Using Dumbbells
Obliques are muscles on your right and left side that support your body. Oblique Twists are an effective way to get your tummy into shape and eliminate those pesky love handles. When you work your obliques, you are on your way to building a stronger, sculpted core.
5. Twist Up
Stand with your feet apart. Grab a dumbbell for each hand. Lift the dumbbells to the front of your shoulders and do a deep squat. Stand up and twist your body to right, ensuring your right foot is pointing outward and your left foot is pointing inward. Extend your right arm diagonally upward to the right. Return to a deep-squat position and lift dumbbells up to your shoulders. Stand up and repeat twist motion on your left side. Perform 3 sets of 10-12 reps.
Twist Ups targets triceps, shoulders, core, buttocks and legs.
6. Walking Dumbbell Lunge and Hammer Curl
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and hold them by your sides. Slightly bend your knees. Keep your head, chest and back straight to prevent injury. Take your left leg and step forward. Make sure your back knee doesn’t touch the floor. Curl the left dumbbell to your shoulder and release it back down to the starting position. Repeat the Walking Dumbbell Lunge and Hammer Curl on the right arm and leg. Perform 2-3 sets of 8-10 reps.
This exercises provide your lower and upper body a good workout. According to MuscleAndFitness.com, “The walking lunge can thrash your lower body as a bodyweight exercise. By adding additional weight and a hammer curl, it forces your body to recruit muscles to stabilize the core while working the biceps and forearms.”
7. Swing Set
Hold a dumbbell in each hand as you stand with your feet apart. Bend your knees into a half-squat position. Your back should be slightly tilted forward. Keep your arms by your sides. Straighten up from the half-squat position and swing arms forward to your chest level. Go back to half-squat position. Perform 3 sets of 10-12 reps.
The Swing Set exercise targets your biceps, shoulders, core, buttocks and hamstrings.
Perform dumbbell workouts for two to three days at a time. Give your body a 24-hour rest period in between a full day workout to let your body fully recover.
READ: 8 Insane Workouts That Will Give You a Perfect Body
Dumbbells are a cost-effective way to burn fat fast and are available in different sizes. The various sizes are meant to accommodate different muscle groups. Typically, a triceps workout requires 2 to 5 pound dumbbells because they are considered as weaker muscles. Bicep workouts, on the other hand, require 5 to 8 pound dumbbells. If you’re just starting out, use whichever size dumbbell that feels comfortable to you and gradually work your way up to heavier weights.
