Since a Pull Up Bar or Chin Up Bar are #7 on my list of How to Create an Inexpensive Home Gym, I thought I would explain why and what you can do with one.

A Pull Up bar is a great addition to your exercise equipment for working the upper body. They sell simple door attachment pull up bars which simply hand off the frame of your door without any screws and without damaging your door frame. By performing a simple pull up, you give your entire upper body an effective workout. Whether it’s your biceps, triceps, or shoulder, you’ll feel your muscles getting a good workout.

The Advantages of using a Pull Up Bar

They sell all different variations of door hanging pull up bars, which don’t require you to screw anything into the wall or door, you simply hang it over the door frame. The set up is very quick and easy. Pull up bars offer even more workouts than just a simple pull up.

Some you are able to place on the floor of the door frame and you can perform sit-ups or you can work your triceps by performing dips. A simple pull up bar gives your entire upper body a great workout with a variety of exercises.

Pull Up Bar Safety

As always before you perform any workout be sure your stretch all your muscles. Be sure to learn the proper form and technique for each exercise you perform. Without stretch or performing the exercise in the wrong form can lead to muscle injuries or at least cause a least effective workout.

With pull up bars, before performing a pull up be sure the pull up bar is secure on the door frame, if you do not do this it can result in the bar slipping off the door frame and I’m sure you can imagine what happens next.

Each pull up bar is different, some offer numerous hand positions for your pull ups and chin ups, some allow you to perform dips and sits. I personally have the Iron Gym Pull Up Bar, you can read my review of it here.

I am able to perform pull ups in three different gripping positions, I perform dips to work my triceps, sit ups to work my abs.

A Pull Up bar is a great piece of equipment to have for your home gym, like everything else of my How to Create an Inexpensive Home Gym list, it adds a variety of exercises to your workouts. By mixing up your exercises, you will have much greater results.

Since Weighted Vests are #10 on my list of How to Create an Inexpensive Home Gym, I thought I would explain why and what you can do with one.

After performing exercises over and over, you will get stronger and stronger. Soon those workouts won’t be as effective. So by adding a weight vest to your body, it will increase your overall body weight significantly increasing resistance to workouts. A weighted vest is a vest where you place small weights to it. By attaching the weights to your vest, it will increase endurance when performed in numerous exercises.

The workouts which are very common to wear a weighted vest once body weight is not enough anywhere are strength training and cardiovascular exercises.

Cardiovascular Workouts with a Weighted Vest

Safety always comes first and with weighted vest you must be cautious. Weighted vest are not for beginners, they are for those who could use more body weight when performing cardio and strength training exercise which involve your body weight.

Add the weights slowly, do not add 20 pounds of weight the very first time you use it. They are set up to place weights in the vest in small increments. Slowly increase the weight in the vest to avoid injury.

Cardiovascular Workouts with a Weighted Vest

Include…

• Running
• Walking
• Jump Rope
• Sprinting

Strength Training Workouts with a Weighted Vest

Include…

• Pull Ups
• Balance Trainer Exercises
• Squatting
• Dips
• Push Ups
• Crunches
• Sit Ups
• Planche

Your muscle will get stronger as you perform body weight exercises, just like increasing dumbbells weights, you want to increase your body weight. A Weight Vest is a great addition to your workout equipment. If you want to workout at home, I strongly suggest getting one, plus everything else on How to Create an Inexpensive Home Gym.

An Exercise Mat is #6 on my list of How to Create an Inexpensive Home Gym, because they are necessary, especially if the room you are going to exercise in has a hard floor.

When we exercise, it’s best to be as comfortable as possible. By performing exercises on a hard floor you can risk hurting yourself or even the floor with some exercise equipment. You always want to keep dumbbells and balance trainers on the exercise mat to keep from scratching the floor.

If you have carpet flooring, it is still recommend you use a exercise mat because when you work up a sweat while performing exercises, you want to limit home much sweat ends up in the carpet. You don’t want your carpet soaked in sweat, do you?

Exercise mats protect both the space in which you exercise and your health. They provide safety, comfort and leverage for improving your overall workout. Therefore, they are very important to have to get the most out of your workouts.

Since a Jump Rope are #7 on my list of How to Create an Inexpensive Home Gym, I thought I would explain why and what you can do with one.

We’ve all heard of jump ropes before. You see kids playing jump rope out on their drive way during the summer months having a great time. But, did you know that a jump rope is one of the most beneficial exercises a person can do because it’s an unparalleled cardiovascular workout which will strengthen and tone your entire body!

The Advantages of using a Jump Rope

There are several advantages to performing jump rope exercises, some with surprise you. First off, using a jump rope is very easy to learn. You can tone your entire body by performing jump rope exercises.

Here comes the shock: Did you know you that you can burn up to 1000 calories an hour with jump rope exercises? It’s because you’re using all the major muscle groups in your entire body. You will burn an incredible amount of fat but simply performing jump exercises.

They are portable and very inexpensive. You can take a jump rope anywhere you go and use it anywhere you want. Makes finding a time and place to exercise much easier.

Jump Rope Workout

Here is a sample workout routine with a Jump rope. This is an H.I.I.T workout or High Intensity Interval Training.

The 15 Minute Jump Rope Workout

• Jump Rope for 3 minutes (warm up)
• Rest for 30 seconds
• Jump rope as quickly as possible for 60 seconds
• Rest for 30 seconds
• Jump Rope as quickly as possible for 60 seconds
• Rest for 30 seconds
• Repeat this alternating pattern for 15-20 minutes

This is just a sample workout you can perform with a jump rope. You can also add your own style to it, whether it’s running in place, jumping, etc. A jump rope are a fantastic piece of equipment to help burn calories and body fat. If you want to workout at home, I strongly suggest getting one, plus everything else on How to Create an Inexpensive Home Gym.

Since a Balance Trainer is #5 on my list of How to Create an Inexpensive Home Gym, I thought I would explain why and what you can do with them.

A Balance Trainer is great piece of equipment for working on your balance, core strength and stability. There are two sides to a Balance Trainer, the dome side and the platform. The dome side is great for exercises working on cardio to strength training. The platform side is great for core exercises. Both sides offer a variety of workouts and exercises.

The Advantages of Using a Balance Trainer

The balance trainer offers several advantages that no offer exercise equipment offers. By adding a balance trainer to your workouts, you will work on balance, core strength and stability, which require you to use more muscles in your body, increasing the effectiveness of each exercise.

When using a Balance Training, Remember these Tips

When first performing exercises on the balance trainer, you should add a contact point (a chair, wall, or bar) to keep your balance. Once the exercises become easier, then you should take away the contact point to create a more challenging exercise.

If you are getting sore using the balance trainer, take a break from it and use the floor. Then go back to the balance trainer when you’re ready.

Balance Trainer Exercises

A great tool for working on balance, stability and core strength is the balance trainer. Here are 5 exercises that you can perform on a balance trainer to work on those three.

1) Basic Stance

To perform the basic stance, stand on the dome side with both feet. Your feet should be on either side of the bull’s eye. By just standing on the dome, you’ll feel your feet moving and your torso contacting to find balance.

Once this becomes easier for you, try simply closing your eyes or lifting your arms.

2) Squats

To perform the squat on the balance trainer, stand on the dome side with your feet slightly forward of the center. Then, bend your knees and perform a squat by slowly descending down while keeping your back straight. Extend your arms straight out to help keep your balance. Once you reach as low as you can, push up with your legs. Don’t just stand up. Perform this exercise for 3 sets, with 10-12 each reps each.

3) Basic Crunch

To perform the basic crunch, sit down on the dome side of the balance trainer with your hops toward the bottom of the dome and your knees bent. Place your hands behind your head or even across your chest, then roll back until you feel your abs stretch. Then, by contracting your abs, curl up.  Perform this exercise for 3 sets, with 10-12 each reps each.

4) Ball Tilt

To perform the ball tilt, turn the balance trainer over and grab the handles on each side. The dome should be face down. Then get into a plank position on your toes. Then, keep the body in a straight line and without bending your arms, tilt the balance trainer forward and then bring it back. Perform this exercise for 3 sets, with 10-12 each reps each. After each 10-12 set, switch to your other side.

For a more difficult exercise, instead of just tilting the trainer back and forth, go in a circle. Rock it forward, right back, and the to the left.

5) V- Sit

The V-Sit is when you sit in the center or perhaps slightly forward on the dome. With hands on either side, keep your support. Then, lift your legs with the knees bend and balance keeping your torso straight and your shoulders relaxed. You should feel your abs tight. Hold this position for 25-30 seconds. You increase the difficulty of the v-sit, take your hands away from the sides and hold them straight out in front of you. Then, straighten your legs, adding a lower leg crunch.

These are just a few workouts that involve the balance trainer. There are plentty of others which involve dumbbells, resistance bands and medicine balls. These are just a few of the begginner exercises. Balance Trainers are a fantastic piece of equipment to have at your home to increase balance, stabilty, and core strength by increasing the number of muscles used in each workout and increasing the variety of workouts possible. If you want to workout at home, I strongly suggest getting one, plus everything else on How to Create an Inexpensive Home Gym.

Since Kettlebells are #9 on my list of How to Create an Inexpensive Home Gym, I thought I would explain why and what you can do with them.

For those who do not know what a kettlebell is exactly, it’s a cast iron weight, which looks similar to a cannonball with a handle. These exercise tools have become extremely popular. Exercises with kettlebells help increase strength, endurance, and balance. They challenge the muscular system and the cardiovascular system.

Kettlebell Safety is Always Important

Just like using weight machines, there are a few rules of safety to follow when working out with kettlebells weights. As always, it is very important to stretch before using weights to loosen each muscle group and prepare them to be lifting extra weight. If you do not stretch before using any weight, tears, strain and other injuries can happen to your muscles.

Always learn how to perform each exercise before attempting. Practice without the kettlebells in your hands first and perform the exercise. Once you feel you have the correct form and technique, then you may add the kettlebells to your exercise. Using the correct form will result in more effective workouts, unlike when you perform them with the wrong form, which can lead to injuries or just no results.

Kettlebell Workout Exercises

1) Kettlebell Floor Press

To perform the Kettlebell Floor Press, begin by lying on your back holding a kettlebell in each one of your hands. Then, by altenerating your arms, push one kettlebell up at a time. Be sure to slightly rotate your trunk when pressing the kettlebell upward. Then, repeat with the other arm. Perform this exercise for 3 sets, with 10-12 each reps each. If you are not feeling fatigued after the 12 rep, add more weight for the next set. This is a good reason to have adjustable kettlebells or a variety of different weights.

2) Kettlebell Squat

To perform the Kettlebell Squat, begin by hold a kettlebell in each hand and hold them in front of you at chest level. Then, stand with feet shoulder width apart with your knees bent slightly. Slowly descend downward a your knees and hips. Keep your back straight, but can lean slightly forward. Then, once you are as far as you can go, drive upward with your legs. Do not just stand up. Perform this exercise for 3 sets, with 10-12 each reps each. If you are not feeling fatigued after the 12 rep, add more weight for the next set.

3) Kettlebell Swing

To perform the Kettlebell Swing, begin by holding a single kettlebell between your legs and slightly bend your body forward with your back flat. Then, swing the kettlebell backwards and forefully swing it forward to chest level. Be sure to keep your arm straight and with force extend your hips, knees, and ankles. Perform this exercise for 3 sets, with 10-12 each reps each. If you are not feeling fatigued after the 12 rep, add more weight for the next set.

4) Kettlebell Windmill

To perform the kettlebell windmill, begin by placing one arm overhead completely extended with a kettlebell. Lean forward at the hips, keeping your back flat to grab the other kettleball with the free hand. Then, while holding holding the kettlebell over your head, continue to raise and lower the other kettlebell. Perform this exercise for 3 sets, with 10-12 each reps each arm (12 with right arm, 12 with left arm = 1 set). If you are not feeling fatigued after the 12 rep, add more weight for the next set.

These are just a few of the different kettlebell workout options. Trainers and fitness professionals have developed kettlebell exercises for all levels and situations. kettlebells are a fairly inexpensive, versatile way to burn calories and target specific muscle groups. They work well for people with limited space and for anyone who wants to add difficulty to an existing workout.

Since Medicine Balls are #3 on my list of How to Create an Inexpensive Home Gym, I thought I would explain why and what you can do with them.

Medicine balls are also known as (weighted exercise balls, med balls, etc.). They are great for strength training exercises and to increase power. They are primary used to strengthen abdominal muscle with various different exercises. However, there are several exercises, which medicine balls can workout the chest, legs, and arms.

The Advantages of Medicine Ball Workouts

Abdominal workouts with Medicine Balls are far more effective than performing them without the medicine ball. By using a medicine ball you add more weight to your workout, increasing your use of muscles, increasing your muscle growth.

Medicine Balls can be also used to stretch your muscle because we all know, stretch is very important when lifting weights.

Medicine Ball Safety is Always Important

Just like using dumbbells and weight machines, there are a few rules of safety to follow when working out with medicine balls. As always, it is very important to stretch before using weights/bands to loosen each muscle group and prepare them to be lifting extra weight. If you do not stretch before using any band, tears, strain and other injuries can happen to your muscles.

Always learn how to perform each exercise before attempting. Practice without the medicine ball in your hands first and perform the exercise. Once you feel you have the correct form and technique, then you may add the medicine ball to your exercise. Using the correct form will result in more effective workouts, unlike when you perform them with the wrong form, which can lead to injuries or just no results.

Medicine Ball Exercises

Medicine Balls are primary used for abdominal exercises, but can be used to strength chest, leg, and arm muscles, too. Here are 5 exercises with medicine balls that are extremely effective. Some are exercises you already know, but by adding a medicine ball you will increase the use of your muscles in the exercise, giving your muscle a better workout.

1) The Twist

To perform the Overhead Twist, start in a standing position with your feet at shoulder width apart. Then, hold the medicine ball over your head with your arms locked. Once in this position, move the ball slowly right to left and then left to right. This is a great exercise to stretch your lower back and upper torso.

To stretch the lower back, hold to ball straight out in front of you. Then move the ball from left to right, then right to left.

2) Crunches

Crunches with medicine balls give your abs better workout. To perform crunches with a medicine ball, lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent. Hold the ball on your chest with both hands. Then perform a crunch keeping the ball on your chest and hold for 1 second, then lay back down. Perform this exercise for 3 sets, with 10-12 each reps each.

3) Working the Obliques

To perform this exercise, lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent. Place the medicine ball between your knees, holding in place. Then, rotate your legs from left to right and then back to the starting position.  Perform this exercise for 3 sets, with 10-12 each reps each.

4) Lateral Flexion

To perform the lateral flexion, you will need a physio ball. To start, lie on your side over the physio ball and then spread your legs for balance. Then, hold the medicine ball over your head and curl up towards the ceiling. Then, lay back down across the ball to the starting position. Perform this exercise for 3 sets, with 10-12 each reps each. After each 10-12 set, switch to your other side.

5) Squats

To perform a squat with a medicine ball. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Then, while holding the medicine ball with both hands straight out in front of you, slowly descend down toward the ground. Then, using your leg muscle push up, keeping your back straight at all times. Perform this exercise for 3 sets, with 10-12 each reps each.

These are just a few workouts that use a medicine ball, there are plenty more. Medicine Balls are a fantastic piece of equipment to have at your home to increase muscle use in abdominal workouts. If you want to workout at home, I strongly suggest getting one, plus everything else on How to Create an Inexpensive Home Gym.

Since a Physio Ball is #4 on my list of How to Create an Inexpensive Home Gym, I thought I would explain why and what you can do with them.

A Physio Ball can add more variety to your workouts. They can be used to sit on and perform exercises with dumbbells, resistance bands, and medicine balls. And they can also be used to workout your leg muscle and even your abdominal without any other exercise equipment.

The Advantages of Using a Physio Ball

Many workouts require you to sit or lay down on a bench, but workout benches cost a lot of money, plus they take up quite a bit of room. A physio ball you can inflate and deflate whenever you need to, so they hardly take up any space. Plus, using a physio ball allows your body to respond to the instability, increase the number of muscles used.

Physio Balls allow you to perform several leg and abdominal workouts with just the physio ball, which is great for beginners.

Physio Ball Exercises

Physio Balls are great to have for your workouts. And there are numerous uses for them. Here are 5 exercises you can perform with a Physio Ball. Some of the exercise, the Physio Ball is just used to sit on or lay on and some are exercises which only use the physio ball.

1) Hip Bridge

To perform the hip bridge, place the physio ball on the floor. Then, lay on your back on the floor so you can place your feet flat toward the top of the physio ball. Then by pressing your feet on the ball, raise your hips as far as you can up. The physio ball should not move. Then, slowly bring your hips back down.  Perform this exercise for 3 sets, with 10-12 each reps each.

2) Squat with Dumbbells

To perform the squat with dumbbells, stand with your back to the wall and the physio ball between your back and the wall. The ball should be at the middle of your back. With a dumbbell in each hand, slowly descend toward the floor bending your knees until the dumbbells are just above the floor. Then using your legs, push back up the starting position. Be sure to keep your back straight at all times and keep your arms straight at your sides. Perform this exercise for 3 sets, with 10-12 each reps each.

3) Reverse Crunch

To perform this exercise, you will lie flat on your back with the physio ball under your legs. Your legs should be wrapped around the ball only a few inches apart. Then, using your abdominal muscles, bring your knees to your chest, keeping the ball locked under your legs.  Perform this exercise for 3 sets, with 10-12 each reps each.

4) Lateral Flexion

To perform the lateral flexion, you will need a physio ball. To start, lie on your side over the physio ball and then spread your legs for balance. Then, hold the medicine ball over your head and curl up towards the ceiling. Then, lay back down across the ball to the starting position. Perform this exercise for 3 sets, with 10-12 each reps each. After each 10-12 set, switch to your other side.

5) Ham String Curl

The Ham string curl is the reverse of the hip bridge. Lie on your back with your feet on top of the physio ball. Raise your hips up and keep them there. Then, using your leg muscle and your feet on top of the ball, move the ball away from you and then bring it back. Perform this exercise for 3 sets, with 10-12 each reps each.

These are just a few workouts that use a physio ball, there are plenty more. Physio balls are a fantastic piece of equipment to have at your home to increase the number of muscles used in each workout and increasing the variety of workouts possible. If you want to workout at home, I strongly suggest getting one, plus everything else on How to Create an Inexpensive Home Gym.

Since Resistance Bands are #2 on my list of How to Create an Inexpensive Home Gym, I thought I would explain why and what you can do with them.

Resistance Bands are a great piece of equipment to have when working out and exercising. Many think that resistance bands can be replace dumbbells, however that’s not the case. Resistance bands and Dumbbells each have their own workouts and their own advantages. Here are some for resistance bands…

The Advantages of Resistance Band Workouts

Working out with resistance bands has several advantages over working with weight machines. Just like dumbbells, resistance bands allow you to mimic natural body movements. They allow you to control the resistance extremely easily simply by adding another band or positioning your hands closer together on the band. Resistance bands can not replace dumbbells entirely and vice versa. There are many exercise you can only do with resistance bands which help workout different muscle groups.

Having resistance bands and dumbbells adds more variety to your workouts increasing your results.

Resistance Band Safety is Always Important

Just like using dumbbells and weight machines, there are a few rules of safety to follow when working out with resistance bands. As always, it is very important to stretch before using weights/bands to loosen each muscle group and prepare them to be lifting extra weight/resistance. If you do not stretch before using any band, tears, strain and other injuries can happen to your muscles.

Always learn how to perform each exercise before attempting. Practice without the resistance bands in your hands first and perform the exercise. Once you feel you have the correct form and technique, then you may add the resistance bands to your exercise. Using the correct form will result in more effective workouts, unlike when you perform them with the wrong form, which can lead to injuries or just no results.

Since resistance bands are much safer than dumbbells, there is no need to have a partner when performing exercises with the resistance bands because you control the resistance.

Resistance Band Exercises

Resistance Bands can be used to workout all the major group muscles in your body. There is a wide variety of workouts/exercises you can perform with resistance bands that are extremely effective when build muscle and burning fat. You may increase the resistance by adding another band or by placing your hands closer together on the bands. Here are 5 exercises with resistance bands that are extremely effective. Some are exercises you already know, but by adding resistance bands you will increase resistance in the exercise, giving your muscle a better workout.

1) Push-Ups

We all have done push ups before, but if you add the resistance bands, push-ups well be much more effective in your workouts. To perform a push-up with resistance bands, take one band with your hands at each end. Swing the band behind you and get into push-up form. The resistance band should be across your back when in the push up position with your hands griping the band and on the floor. Make sure you grip the bands to the point when you do a push-up the resistance band adds resistance and it’s hard then a normal push-up. If the band is too loose, then grip closer toward the middle of the band. Perform this exercise for 3 sets, with 10-12 each reps each. If you are not feeling fatigued after the 12 rep, add more resistance for the next set.

2) Arm Curls

Performing arm curls with resistance bands are as simple as performing them with dumbbells. With one end of the band in one hand and the other in the other, step on the band in the middle with both feet shoulder width apart and perform an arm curl. If there is not much resistance position your feet further apart. Then slowly raise your arms, keeping your elbows at your side. Then, bring them back done slowly. Perform this exercise for 3 sets, with 10-12 each reps each. If you are not feeling fatigued after the 12 rep, add more resistance for the next set.

3) Push A-ways

To perform the push always, wrap the resistance band around a anchored pole of some sort (something that won’t move when you perform this exercise). Grad one end of the band with one and and the other end with the other hand. Take a few steps away fromt he pole that the band is wrapped around. The should be behind you. In a staggered stance (one foot forward), you hands should be behind your head (that’s the starting position). Push your arms forward, using your triceps to where your hands gripping the ends on the bands are straight out in front of you, then slowly bring them back to the starting position.  Perform this exercise for 3 sets, with 10-12 each reps each. If you are not feeling fatigued after the 12 rep, add more resistance for the next set.

4) Leg Extensions

To perform the leg extensions, you will lie flat on your back on the floor with the resistance band around on foot and both ends in the hand of the same side. Keeping your arm straight up at a 90 degree angle, lift your leg off the ground a extend your foot forward, then slowly bring it back.  Perform this exercise for 3 sets, with 10-12 each reps each. After each 10-12 set, switch to your other leg and hand.. If you are not feeling fatigued after the 12 rep, add more resistance for the next set.

5) Squats

To perform squats with resistance bands. Have one end of the band in each hand and place both feet shoulder width apart on the middle of the resistance band. Then, with your arms and shoulders at 90 degrees pointing up, slowly descend straight down keeping your shoulders and back straight, then with your leg muscle drive up to the starting position. To work your shoulder, when you reach the starting position, push your arms straight up. Then, bring them back to start. Perform this exercise for 3 sets, with 10-12 each reps each. If you are not feeling fatigued after the 12 rep, add more resistance for the next set.

These are just a few workouts that use resistance bands, there are plenty more. So, resistance bands are a fantastic piece of equipment to have at your home. They a very inexpensive compared to machines that use similar bands. If you want to workout at home, I strongly suggest getting some, plus everything else on How to Create an Inexpensive Home Gym.

Since Dumbbells are #1 on my list of How to Create an Inexpensive Home Gym, I thought I would explain why and what you can do with them.

We all know dumbbells have been around for many years. They have greatly improved the dumbbells by making them more easily adjustable and inexpensive compared to other weight machines. They are extremely reliable and effective when you incorporate them into your workouts. Another benefit of dumbbells is that they do not take up much space at all compared to lifting machines. It is a obvious choice when creating a inexpensive home gym to include dumbbells, especially because there are so many different workouts which can be done with them.

The Advantages of Dumbbell Workouts

Working out with dumbbells has numerous advantages over the other types of weight equipment which use resistance. For example, dumbbell workouts require you to use stabilizing muscles and they mimic natural movements, unlike weight machines that are important to improve strength, posture, and balance. There is a wide range of dumbbell workouts, meaning  you can target specific areas of the body very effectively with just a simple pair of dumbbells.

Dumbbell Safety is Always Important

Just like using weight machines, there are a few rules of safety to follow when working out with dumbbell weights. As always, it is very important to stretch before using weights to loosen each muscle group and prepare them to be lifting extra weight. If you do not stretch before using any weight, tears, strain and other injuries can happen to your muscles.

Always learn how to perform each exercise before attempting. Practice without the dumbbells in your hands first and perform the exercise. Once you feel you have the correct form and technique, then you may add the dumbbells to your exercise. Using the correct form will result in more effective workouts, unlike when you perform them with the wrong form, which can lead to injuries or just no results.

It’s recommend that you workout with a partner if possible. Having a spotter has it’s advantages. A spotter can assist you when you come to a failing point in your workout and you need help recovering. A partner can also make sure you are performing the exercise correctly. Try to workout in front of a mirror if a partner is unavailable, this way you have a better view of your technique and form.

People think of dumbbell workouts are just working the biceps and triceps. Dumbbells are great for growing and strengthening these muscle groups. However, there are different exercises to incorporate dumbbells with to work every major muscle group in the body. The following exercises can be performed work each major muscle group in the body. These are some of the most common and easy to understand exercise to perform, along with effective.

Dumbbell Exercises

1) Building those Biceps

Hammer Curls – To perform the hammer curls, which are ideal for building your biceps, you are going to stand with your back straight and slightly loose and a dumbbell in each hand at your side (Your palms should be facing each leg).  While keeping your elbows tight against your body, curl the weights up and slowly return to the starting position. You may alternate each arm or work them together. Perform this exercise for 3 sets, with 10-12 each reps each. If you are not feeling fatigued after the 12 rep, add more weight for the next set. This is a good reason to have adjustable dumbbells or a variety of different weights.

2) Working Those triceps

Press – To perform the Press, sit on a mat, weight bench, or a Physio ball. Then, with a dumbbell in each hand, extend your arms straight above your head, palms facing each other about two inches apart. Bend your elbows and slowly lower the weights until your hands are on either side of your head. Push your arms back to the extended position and repeat for the desired number of reps. Perform this exercise for 3 sets, with 10-12 each reps each. If you are not feeling fatigued after the 12 rep, add more weight for the next set.

3) Weight on the Shoulders

Shoulder Press – To perform the shoulder press, sit on a chair or weight bench for back support, but can be performed on a Physio ball. With a dumbbell weight in each hand, extend your arms directly over your head with your palms facing the front and keep elbows slightly bent to avoid locking. Then, by slowly lower your arms until they are bent in a 90-degree angle and pushing back to the extended position and repeat, you workout your shoulder muscles. It is important to be pressing  straight overhead as you may have tendency to move at a more diagonal angle. Perform this exercise for 3 sets, with 10-12 each reps each. If you are not feeling fatigued after the 12 rep, add more weight for the next set.

4) The Best Chests

Butterflies – To perform the butterflies to workout the chest, lie flat on an exercise mat, weight bench, or physio ball (You can all add a slight incline to your weight bench). Then, while having a weight in each hand, extend arms above your chest with your palms facing one another. Then, slightly bend your elbows and be sure to keep the bend throughout the exercise. Lower your arms to either side until your upper arms are parallel with the floor. Push back to the extended position and repeat. Perform this exercise for 3 sets, with 10-12 each reps each. If you are not feeling fatigued after the 12 rep, add more weight for the next set.

5) Working the Leg Muscles

Lunges – To perform lunges with dumbbells to workout your leg muscle stand up with a dumbbell in each hand. With your palms facing your sides, take a step forward with one foot, keeping the other foot in the same spot. Then bend the knee of the leg out in front to make a 90 degree angle and allow your back knee to bend naturally to where it’s just above the floor. Using the muscle of the leg out in front, push up to the original position. Then, repeat with the opposite leg.  Perform this exercise for 3 sets, with 10-12 each reps each. If you are not feeling fatigued after the 12 rep, add more weight for the next set.

6) Calf muscles

One Calf Raise – Can’t forget your calf muscles. To perform the heel raises stand on the last step of your stairs at the bottom). With a dumbbell in your right hand and your right foot on the edge of the last step (your toes should be on the step with your heel off), your left hand can be placed on the wall or railing for support and your left foot can be wrapped around the back of your right foot, slowly lower the back of your right foot down at a 45 degree angle to the floor and with the front of your foot and calf muscle, push your foot up so you are standing on your toes. Perform this exercise for 3 sets, with 10-12 each reps each foot. If you are not feeling fatigued after the 12 rep, add more weight for the next set.

These are just a few of the different dumbbell workout options. Trainers and fitness professionals have developed dumbbell exercises for all levels and situations. Dumbbells are an inexpensive, versatile way to burn calories and target specific muscle groups. They work well for people with limited space and for anyone who wants to add difficulty to an existing workout.