When women talk to me about working out at home, the first question I ask is what equipment they have. Most women have a stability ball and maybe a few dumbbells. Now this is plenty of equipment to get in a great workout.
However, I then find out that the dumbbells they have consist of a couple of 3 lb weights, a couple of 5 lb weights, and maybe a 10 lb.
This is probably because this is what is portrayed on a lot of exercise videos. The instructor takes a couple of 5 lb weights and does a series of exercises...maybe some tricep extensions, bicep curls, chest presses, and overhead presses...
The problem with this is that the same weight is not appropriate for all those different exercises. A tricep extension is an isolation exercise. It works only your triceps. A chest press is a compound exercise, meaning it works several muscles. The chest is the main mover, but the triceps and front delts also assist. Therefore, do you think that when you are working your chest, triceps and shoulders you should use the same weight as when you are working just your triceps?
Obviously, a heavier weight should be used for chest presses than triceps extensions in order to challenge all the muscles involved in the exercise. The same thing goes for bicep curls and rows. Or squats and leg curls.
I'm a firm believer to sticking to the basics when it comes to working out. I actually prefer to workout at home with my bench, barbell, and a few dumbbells, rather than go to the gym with all their fancy equipment. However, you do need at least a decent selection of dumbbell weights in order get the most out of various exercises.
So put down the 3 lb dumbbells, grab some 12 lbs, and do some chest presses.
However, I then find out that the dumbbells they have consist of a couple of 3 lb weights, a couple of 5 lb weights, and maybe a 10 lb.
This is probably because this is what is portrayed on a lot of exercise videos. The instructor takes a couple of 5 lb weights and does a series of exercises...maybe some tricep extensions, bicep curls, chest presses, and overhead presses...
The problem with this is that the same weight is not appropriate for all those different exercises. A tricep extension is an isolation exercise. It works only your triceps. A chest press is a compound exercise, meaning it works several muscles. The chest is the main mover, but the triceps and front delts also assist. Therefore, do you think that when you are working your chest, triceps and shoulders you should use the same weight as when you are working just your triceps?
Obviously, a heavier weight should be used for chest presses than triceps extensions in order to challenge all the muscles involved in the exercise. The same thing goes for bicep curls and rows. Or squats and leg curls.
I'm a firm believer to sticking to the basics when it comes to working out. I actually prefer to workout at home with my bench, barbell, and a few dumbbells, rather than go to the gym with all their fancy equipment. However, you do need at least a decent selection of dumbbell weights in order get the most out of various exercises.
So put down the 3 lb dumbbells, grab some 12 lbs, and do some chest presses.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment