Adjustable Dumbbell Home Training Routine

Transcription

1 Adjustable Dumbbell Home Training Routine If for some reason you cannot get a gym membership, then you can do the following. All the equipment that you will need is a good pair of adjustable dumbbells that can be purchased anywhere. Triset A (Chest/Back/Abs): Push Ups (against the wall if you cannot do them on the floor yet) One Arm Dumbbell Rows Crunches 3 sets x25-40 reps (1 minute rest) Triset B (Deltoids/Biceps/Triceps): Dumbbell Upright Rows 3 sets x10-12 reps(no rest) Dumbbell Curls Overhead Triceps Extensions 3 sets x10-12 reps (1 min rest) Triset C (Thighs/Hamstrings/Calves): Squats Stiff Legged Deadlifts One Leg Calf Raises 3 sets x10-12 reps (1 min rest) Note: Move to Triset B after you have completed 3 sets of Triset A. Move to Triset C after you have completed 3 sets of Triset B. Exercise Descriptions: Pushups The first exercise is pushups. Pushups target primarily the chest. It also indirectly involves the shoulders and the triceps. The correct way to perform them is the following: 1. Place your hands about 36 inches apart on either the floor (or the wall). 2. Lower yourself until your chest almost touches the floor (or the wall). 3. Press your upper body back up to the starting position. (Note: If you are performing pushups using the wall, place your feet at a distance greater than your arms length when they are extended).

2 One Arm Dumbbell Rows One Arm Dumbbell Rows primarily target the back muscles with a secondary emphasis on the rear deltoids. The correct way to perform them is the following: 1. Pick up the dumbbell, palm in (facing your torso), and hold it about six inches off the floor. Your torso should be bent parallel to the floor; keep your back straight. 2. Pull the dumbbell straight up to the side of your chest, keeping your upper arm close to your side. 3. Lower the dumbbell straight down to the starting position. Crunches Crunches primarily target the upper abdominal muscles with a secondary emphasis on the lower abdominals. The correct way to perform them is the following: 1. Lie on the floor with the backs of your lower legs resting on top of a chair. 2. Position your body so that your thighs are at 90 degree angles to your torso. 3. With your hands behind your head or crossed at your chest, pull your torso up as far as possible. 4. Return to the starting position. 5. Don't swing your torso up and down using various muscles; instead concentrate solely on using your abdominal muscles. Dumbbell Upright Rows Upright Rows primarily target the side and front deltoids with a secondary emphasis on the trapeziums muscles and the rear deltoids. The correct way to perform them is the following: 1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at arm's length and resting against your upper thighs. 2. Keep the dumbbells about 10 inches apart and your thumbs facing each other. 3. Pull the dumbbells straight up until they're nearly even with your chin. 4. Keep your elbows out. (As you pull the dumbbells straight up, concentrate on raising the elbows up) 5. At the top position the dumbbells should be level with your ears. The elbows should be at the highest position. 6. Keep the dumbbells close to your body, and pause at the top for a second. 7. Concentrate on keeping tension on your shoulders as you lower the weights. Dumbbell Curls Dumbbell Curls primarily target the biceps with a secondary emphasis on the forearm muscles and the biceps brachialis. The correct way to perform them is the following: 1. Hold a dumbbell on each hand, with your palms up. 2. Stand erect with your back straight. 3. Start the exercise with the dumbbells at arm's length and resting against your upper thighs. 4. Curl the dumbbells in a semicircular motion until your forearms touch your biceps. 5. Keep your upper arms close to your sides. 6. Reverse the motion and lower to the starting position. 7. Don't move your torso back and forth to help lift the weight. This not only takes tension off the biceps, but it can also hurt your lower back.

3 Overhead Triceps Extensions Overhead Triceps Extensions primarily target the triceps with a secondary emphasis on the forearm muscles. The correct way to perform them is the following: 1. Grasp a dumbbell with both hand and hold it overhead at arm's length. The dumbbell's top plate should be resting in the palms of your hands with your thumbs around the bar. 2. Stand erect. 3. Keep your upper arms close to your head. 4. Lower the dumbbell in a semicircular motion behind your head until your forearms touch your biceps. 5. Go back to the starting position and repeat. 6. Ensure that the weights in the dumbbell are properly adjusted and secured in order to avoid an accident (plates falling on your head; Ouch!) Squats Squats primarily target the quadriceps (thighs) with a secondary emphasis on the hamstring (back of the legs) muscles. The correct way to perform them is the following: 1. Place your heels on a two-by-four inch block (if you have balance problems) with your feet about 16 inches apart. 2. Stand erect while holding the dumbbells at your side. 3. Keep your head up, your back straight and the majority of your weight on your heels. 4. Inhale as you squat until your thighs are parallel to floor or lower. Avoid bringing your torso forward as you come down. Keep your back as straight as possible throughout the movement. 5. Your knees should be directed slightly outward in the low position. 6. Exhale as you return to the starting position. Stiff Legged Deadlifts Stiff Legged Deadlifts primarily target the hamstrings (back of the legs) with a secondary emphasis on the lower back muscles. The correct way to perform them is the following: 1. Stand with your feet about 16 inches apart. 2. Stand erect while holding the dumbbells at your side. 3. Keep your head up and your back straight. 4. Slowly lower your torso as if you were to pick something up from the floor in front of you. Lower your torso until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings. No need to go all the way down. 5. Keep your knees locked, your back flat and your head up throughout the movement. 6. Use only your hamstring and back muscles to stand erect. 7. DO NOT PERFORM THIS MOVEMENT ON A JERKY MANNER AS IT CAN CAUSE A LOWER BACK INJURY IF DONE IMPROPERLY! Dumbbell Calf Raises Dumbbell Calf Raises primarily target the calf muscles. The correct way to perform them is the following: 1. Stand with your feet about 16 inches apart. 2. Stand erect while holding the dumbbells at your side. 3. Keep your head up and your back straight. 4. Stand on your toes and pause for a second at the top of the movement. 5. Slowly go back down to the starting position. 6. Concentrate on contracting your calf muscles hard. Make them burn! For cardio, either stationary bike or walking is fine.

4 MID SECTION & AEROBIC WORK 10 minutes of cardio, followed by Crunches & Leg Raises CHEST Incline Dumbbell Chest Press (1x12) Dumbbell Pullovers (1x12) INTRODUCTORY PROGRAM MONDAY/WEDNESDAY/FRIDAY BACK Wide Grip Pulldown (1x12) or use resistance bands Row Machine (1x12) or use resistance bands SHOULDERS Seated Dumbbell Presses (1x12) TRICEPS Triceps Press Machine (1x12) or perform dips off/on a bench, resistance bands work well too BICEPS Standing Dumbbell Curls (1x12) LEGS- using a machine if available Leg Press (1x15) Leg Extension (1x15) Leg Curl (1x15) Complete one or two sets of each exercise the first two weeks and three sets of each the remaining weeks of the four-week cycle. Be easy; during the first set, warm-up and practice the groove of the movement (the track in which the weight safely, effectively and naturally travels). Increase the resistance with each successive set. Focus, form and deliberate motion; hard work but don't strain... Yet.

5 QUICK FIT PROGRAM Here's a 55 minute "Quick Fit" workout routine that was put together mainly for the in-a-hurry lunch crowd at the gym. I usually suggest that a new member stay with this type of program for 4-6 weeks in order to practice the form of the exercises, feel the flow of the workout and begin to understand their fitness level. Many times members will stick to the program forever due to time constraints - occasionally changing the specific exercises to stave off boredom minutes of aerobic work 5 minutes of torso work (Superset) Crunches (2xMaximum) Leg Raises (2xMaximum) 30 minutes of weight work Triset - 3 or 4x12 repetitions Chest Press (dumbbell, bench, or machine) Dumbbell Pullover Row (any type of pull machine) SuperSet - 3 or 4x12 repetitions Fixed Bar Curl Tricep Press (dips/dip machine) Singleset - 3 or 4x12 repetitions Leg Press Moving on, one of the things I notice most often at all levels of the weight training experience is confusion about splitting workout routines. Many people start with a beginning, all-body part workout program and never change, probably not knowing that you should change, and change fairly often in fact. Most people make exciting progress during the first few weeks of training - it's new to our system and our bodies respond quickly at the onset. Which is good... the enthusiasm keeps us going and keeps us wanting more. Within the first couple of months most people hit their first plateau, the gains flatten out and the excitement wanes. This is time for the first of many workout routine shakeups, time to split the body parts into workable groups. The main benefit of this is to have more physical energy during the workout - you can do more sets per body part if you do less body parts per day. The most commonly used split is chest and back on one day, legs and shoulders on the second day, biceps and triceps on the third day, with the fourth day off. If it's time for your first split routine, try this one. You'll want to add more sets per exercise (four is most common), and probably three exercises per body part, i.e. 12 sets of chest work and 12 sets of back. I recommend super setting the exercises whenever possible, so this would mean one set of chest presses, followed immediately by one set of wide grip pull downs, back and forth through the entire chest and back workout. After a few weeks of this new workout, try a new switch. You'll know when to change because you'll feel bored and unchallenged at the gym. Another common routine is the "push/pull" workout - chest and triceps being the pushing movements and back and biceps the pull, although this is not a favorite of mine.

6 Mix it up, try something you've never heard of - the only way you can really go wrong is to work your smaller muscles before your larger ones, like doing your triceps before your chest presses for example. Sometimes you might feel like working a body part really hard and decide to do sets of just that one area. Talk to folks around your gym, get recommendations and feedback. The biggest mistake you can make is to not move off the all-body workout; anything else is gravy. Let's set some goals and see some progress! Art's Comeback Routine This was the first month my physical therapist allowed me to perform chest work so my goal was pretty simple and that was to try to get back up on the bench without any further aggravation to my neck spurs/nerves problems. I am now 49 and find that I need a little more recovery time than before so I began a two on - one off schedule. I was also ordered off of shoulder work for awhile and will be looking at adding in some of that next month. So here goes... Every exercise is performed for 4 sets of 5 to 10 reps each Monday/Thursday - Chest & back Bench press Bent over rows Inclined DB press Close grip lat pull downs to the front Flat Bench DB fly's One arm DB rows Cable crossovers (very light weights) Wide grip lat pull downs behind the neck - (also very light weights) Leg extensions Leg curls Bicep barbell curls Bicep incline DB curls Leg press machine Tricep pushdowns Tricep overhead rope extensions Calf raises Wrist curl Tuesday/Friday - Legs & arms Abs - everyday Cardio - brisk walking - two to three times per week.

7 Diet: Breakfast: Whey protein/creatine shake One banana Mid morning snack: Grilled Chicken Breasts One mozzarella cheese stick One banana Lunch (approx. ½ hour after workout): Whey protein/creatine shake Mid afternoon snack: Cottage cheese & fruit or yogurt Dinner: Low fat/low calorie - usually chicken/tuna/ or lean beef With fresh veggies and rice Before bed snack: Whey protein/creatine shake Sometimes also some fat free yogurt with fruit At this point I am weighing in at 6'0" with about a 34" waist. I haven't measured other body parts lately as my training has been so limited since last December. I'm guessing my body fat to be at about 21%. Want to get that down in the teens by the end of the month and still continue to make muscle and strength gains. Mike's Magic Here's a routine that works very well for me, and in my case, it adds muscle and shreds fat at the same time. Many people say that can't be done, but I'm living, walking proof that it can work. The primary focus is on strength and fat loss, but so far I've managed to gain about 4 lbs of muscle and lost 36 lbs of fat since early April. First, eat in cycles. Eat your maintenance level for a day or 2, then eat about calories less for a day or 2, then go back up. Consume at least 1 gram of protein per lb of bodyweight, and keep fats and carbohydrates to a minimum. Be sure you get a little EFA's so you don't run into a fat deficit. Eat small portions 4-5 times a day, and take plenty of vitamins and water. Chicken breast and albacore tuna are your friends. Always eat a small amount of carbs with your protein for efficiency in assimilation. Train first thing in the morning, before you eat. This seems to be the key for efficient fat loss. Always warm up, and stretch before and between sets. Take all but your first set to failure, dig deep. Eat no later than 30 minutes after you finish your workout.

8 M-W-F -Ab crunches 3 x failure -Leg raises 3 x failure -20 to 30 mins of cardio immediately following your workout. If you feel you need more then do it more often but not for longer periods. 3 times a week like this seems to be plenty though. MONDAYS & THURSDAYS -Bench press 4 x 10 -Dumbbell flys 4 x 10 -Incline dumbbell press 4 x 10 -Cable crossovers 4 x 10 -Tricep pressdowns w/rope 4 x 10 -Reverse one arm cable kickbacks 4 x 10 TUESDAYS & FRIDAYS -Wide grip chins (or pull downs if you can't chin) 4 x 10 - V row or bent over barbell rows 4 x 10 -Close grip chins (or pull downs) 4 x 10 -Seated close grip cable rows 4 x 10 -Barbell curls 4 x 10 -Preacher curls 4 x 10 WEDNESDAYS & SATURDAYS -Squats 5 x Leg press (very heavy) 5 x 10 -Straight legged deadlifts 4 x 10 -Leg extensions 5 x Standing calf raises 5 x Seated calf raises 5 x **take a break here if you are able** -Presses behind neck 4 x 10 -Upright rows 4 x 10 -Bent over reverse cable flys (for posterior deltoids) 4 x 10 -Barbell shrugs, heavy as you can stand it 4 x 10 SUNDAY - Rest This routine falls somewhere in the beginner to intermediate level, with no supersets and no super high volume or HIT stuff. It's pretty basic, only a couple of power moves mixed with some intense isolation exercises to finish the burn. If your present routine is a lot different, you may want to try it for an 8 week change of pace. Sometimes someone who has leveled out has simply adapted to their routine and a change jump starts their progress. This routine will counter some of the physical side effects of prednisone. Which is exactly why I am using it right now and so far it's working miracles.