Do you find your local gym membership fee too expensive? That is no longer a problem. I will tell you how to get the same type of workout with the help of free weights such as dumbells. Believe it or not, you can get the benefits of your gym using such free weights. Most people keep paying the exorbitant gym membership fees because they don’t know the right way to use dumbells to their advantage. However, if you read this article from start to finish, you won’t be in that group.
A lot of people simply cannot afford to buy the expensive machines available at the local gym or workout club. If you fall in that group, that is completely alright. In fact you don’t need to jostle with crowds for the purpose of working out. You can get rid of fat as well as have your entire body toned up with the help of free weights like dumbells. But more than saving you cash, dumbells also come with a lot of flexibility, in that you can workout with them in any way and at any place you want.
Most people suffer from a misconception that dumbells are the only free weights available to them. Nothing could be further from the truth. Have you heard of barbells? Well, barbells fall in the same category as dumbells, and together they would offer you the same fitness, strength and energy that you expect to get from your local gym, all without paying hundreds of dollars every month. Some ignorant fitness gurus claim that dumbells and barbells are different things but that is just B.S..
Tips for Dumbell Workouts
1. Focus on full body workout: You should use dumbells to workout on your entire body instead of focusing on just one or two parts. I have said this several times and I will say it again: spot reduction of fat is impossible. No matter how hard you try, you can neither force your body to reduce fat from a certain section, nor can you predict where you would start burning fat from.
It is no use trying to fight over something over which you have no control. A better option is to use dumbells strategically by working out on large muscle groups. You know, if you start losing fat from large muscles such as back, chest, shoulders, legs, etc., the effect would naturally show up on the smaller muscles that rely on those larger muscle groups, so that you would be losing fat from your biceps, triceps, etc., as well, all without any extra effort. So for best results, focus on working out on those large muscles.
2. Maintain a regular routine: For any workout to be effective, it has to be done regularly. This principle holds true in case of free weights such as dumbells as well. You don’t need to workout daily, or throughout the day, but you must remain constant in your workout routine. For example, if you workout for an entire day and take the next three days off, it is not going to help you much, because the benefits you gained from first day’s workout would be washed away on the following “rest” days. A better strategy is to workout for a couple of hours per day, and do it for three or four days per week.
In fact, with free weights, you don’t even need to set a particular time aside for the workout. You can use those dumbells or barbells even when you are the move. Whether you are walking or running, you can add free weights to the mix for even faster calorie burning and muscle toning. You can also workout while watching the television. Now, could you get this kind of flexibility from your local gym? I don’t think so.
3. Learn the proper techniques and don’t cheat: For any workout to be a success, you need to do it properly. Fortunately, it has become easier than ever to learn the particulars of any workout you want, thanks to the exercise videos you can purchase online. These videos are usually made either for beginners or intermediate level trainees, but some can also be used by those in the advanced level of fitness.
Once you learn how to lift dumbells properly, do it THAT way, and don’t cheat on your reps or workout time. If you cheat, you can never reach your goal, be it loss or fitness.
I would also suggest that you vary your workout durations and intensity. For example, on some days you can workout longer or more intensely than on others. This would help you achieve the level of fitness you desire, without you hitting a “plateau”.
Now the ball is in your court. There is no “best” time to start your workout routine. Start now and slowly but surely, you would surely reach your goal.
Keep in mind that procrastination and laziness are the two big bad habits you MUST get rid of in order to acquire a lean and fit body.