Wonderful One

If you have decided to set up a home gym or just want to do some exercise in the comfort of your own home then a must have is a set of Dumbbells. For just a small amount of money you have a piece of equipment that can be used in or outside of the home, doesn’t take up any room and will work every single muscle in your body.  

For those of you who haven’t been introduced to Dumbbells they typically come in various forms. Some come with a small bar and integrated weight on both ends. Some come in one piece form made from foam or plastic. Other types include weights or various size that can be swapped or added on as you wish.

The moulded and integrated dumbbells generally cost less but are sturdy and safe to use. However you can end up buying several pairs of varying weight as your training progresses, which can offset the savings, made initially plus you have more equipment to store and move around. As you progress with your training the adjustable dumbbell sets will give you more flexibility because you can keep adding weight as you need it. The single drawback is having to swap the weight around when you finish each exercise.

From a safety perspective always make sure the weights are securely fastened before performing any exercise as the last thing you want is a 5kg weight flying off the bar as you perform a bicep curl or overhead press. Also make sure that if you are training at home to wear proper footwear as you don’t want any weight of dumbbell landing on a exposed toe. If training alone then I would advise to start with light weights to make sure you can fully control the dumbbell through the whole exercise movement. You will find that when training with dumbbells for the first time is does take some time for your muscles to get accustomed to using the weights so for various exercises especially those where you are pressing the weight (eg dumbbell bench press) you may find your arms shaking and moving around as you try to keep the proper form while performing the exercise. After practice you will find this does get easier and after a few weeks you should be able to handle the weights more comfortably. As a final note if your not sure how to perform any exercise please consider investing in some professional fitness adviser to teach you correct technique

The main reason I recommend getting a set of dumbbells is that from a training perspective they offer you so much flexibility and variation. Every single muscle in the body can be trained with just one set of dumbbells due to the masses of various dumbell workouts available. Whether you’re a complete beginner or an experienced trainer you can create an effective workout using a set of dumbbells. 

Because a dumbbell is free weight the range of motion you can apply to your exercises allows you to work your muscles far more effectively than say a weight machine. Also by training with free weights such as dumbbells you use so many more muscles during the session meaning that burn up loads of calories while at the same time improve your body’s coordination and functionality. 

If you’re a complete beginner I would recommend to start with a small set of dumbbells that range from 2kg –5kg. For those with larger budgets there are available some really adjustable dumbbell sets. A popular adjustable dumbell set is from Bowflex. They come as a complete set of dumbbells that ranges from just 2kg to 21kg. So instead of having lots of different weights to attach and store you just can adjust the weight with a turn of a dial. The advantages of this are a saving in time as you don’t have to keep changing weights, less storage space required and you have a piece of equipment that will last for a long time. For those of you who are committed and serious about their training these are great investment.