There are a variety of methods to exercise without the cost of a gym membership. However, a couple of questions arise. When equipment is purchased, how exactly does a person utilize it? In this article, I will cover dumbbells as a type of equipment to use with compound and isolation  movements.

Compound Movements 

Compound movements target not just one, but multiple muscles simultaneously. Exercises such as  squat, deadlift, and lunges target a variety of muscles in the lower extremities. They engage muscles such as the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes all in one exercise. Another exercise would include step-ups on a bench or stair step.

Upper-extremity exercises include bench press (floor press if bench is unavailable), renegade rows, military presses (seated or standing). The muscles utilized for bench press are the pectoralis major and minor (center and outer chest), anterior deltoids (front of the shoulder) and triceps. Renegade rows with a push-up targets the muscles aforementioned as well the lats, posterior deltoids, and biceps.

Advanced individuals can combine upper-body and lower-body movements such as lunge to a press, or a front-squat squat to press. For people looking to lose body-fat to improve body composition, compound exercises are recommended in order to burn more calories throughout the workout.

Isolation Movements

Is there a muscle that is just lagging behind when trying to recruit it to complete compound movements? Has there been an injury making a person significantly weaker on one side? Does one muscle look more defined than the others? If so, isolation exercises would be beneficial to prevent or correct muscle imbalances.

Dumbbells are advantageous for this type of exercise as it allows a single side to be used to further isolate the weakened muscle. Ideal exercises and variations for upper extremities would be pressing, rowing, curling, extensions, rear fly, front, and lateral raises. The muscle groups utilized here are the chest, back , biceps , triceps, and all portions of the deltoid (anterior, medial, posterior). Lower extremity exercises would include glute bridges, hamstring curls, and calf raises.  As mentioned above, the main purpose for the exercises is to assist in the quality of the compound movements or restrengthen a muscle after injury. If you are looking for guns (biceps) to show off during the summer, isolation exercises are also a necessity to your routine.

Stat Exercising with Dumbbells

Now you know how to use dumbbells for your exercise routine. Compound and isolation movements complement each other benefiting individuals who use them. Not aforementioned, you can save money by purchasing an adjustable dumbbell set as opposed to buying them in separate weights. Also, dumbbells  allow to complete workouts in an indoor or outdoor setting.  What are you waiting for? Grab some dumbbells!