How to Work Your Back With Dumbbells
Wear the right clothing., Start with light dumbbells., Warm-up before lifting heavy dumbbells., Work on perfect form., Quit when you’re tired., Work out with a buddy., Put one dumbbell in each hand and squat., Place two dumbbells on the ground – one...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Wear the right clothing.
Wear workout clothes that give your body a full-range of motion.
It’s almost important to wear tied athletic shoes.
Loose laces pose a risk of injury., If you’re a beginner, start with the lightest, smallest dumbbells you can find and slowly work your way up to heavier dumbbells over the course of several weeks (depending on how often you work out).
If you are pregnant or have a history of back or joint problems, talk to your doctor about safe lifting limits., It’s important to give your body some time to stretch and warm up before burdening it with heavy weights.
Try working with lighter dumbbells for 5 to 10 minutes before switching to heavier dumbbells for the remainder of your workout., Poor posture or straining during lift work can cause severe injury.
Try to avoid jerking your arms or back (or the dumbbells, themselves) when you’re lifting.
If you’re ever unsure of proper form and position, talk to a trainer at a gym or watch instructional videos online for help., If you start to strain or huff and puff, it’s time to set the dumbbells down.
You’re more likely to get injured lifting dumbbells when you’re tired because your muscles or joints can give out under the weight., It’s safer (and usually more fun!) having a buddy to work out with.
Lifting dumbbells is particularly dangerous when you’re lifting alone because you don’t have anyone to take the weight from you or monitor your physiology if you run into trouble.If you have to lift alone, always let someone know where you are and how long you plan to work out for.
If they don’t hear from you within 15 minutes of your projected workout finish time, ask them to check on you or call for help., To obtain the squat, flex your knees and hips.
Lift both dumbbells straight up to your chest and then lower them (after a pause) without changing the angles of your body.This is called the Wide Row.
Be sure to exhale when you lift the dumbbells and inhale when returning to a resting position. , With a slight bend in your knees, reach down with both hands and lift the dumbbells until your upper arms are parallel with the line of your torso.
Lower the dumbbells back to the floor, after a short pause.This is called the Bent Over Row.
Do your best to keep your back straight during this exercise.
Focus on only moving your arms. , Lower the dumbbells to the floor by flexing at your knees and hips.
After a short pause, raise yourself back up.This is called the dead lift, and it is one of the most efficient dumbbell exercises because it works both your back and other muscle groups.
Do your best to keep your back straight during this exercise.
Focus on only moving your arms.
You can also adapt this exercise into the Stiff Legged Dead Lift by bending at the waist to lower the dumbbells to the ground and then straightening after a brief pause., Keeping your knees slightly bent, reach down to grab it with your left hand.
Lift the dumbbell up until you are standing with a straight waist and back.
Then, lower the dumbbell after a pause.After 5 to 10 repetitions, switch to lifting with your right side.
This is called the Bend to Opposite Foot.
Try to keep your knees slightly arched and your lifting arm straight. , Keeping your knees slightly bent, reach down to grab a dumbbell with each hand and lift them until you’re standing up straight.
After a pause, lower the dumbbells to the other foot, so that you alternate sides.This is called the Twisting Bend to Opposite Foot. , Keep your palms facing each other.
Push the dumbbells up towards the sky until your elbows come close to locking.
After a brief pause, lower the dumbbells to resting position at shoulder level.This is called Back Supported Palms-In Shoulder Press.
Be careful that you don’t jerk your back during this exercise – your arms and shoulders should be doing the lifting work. , Be sure that your palms are facing each other.
While sitting on a bench, bring the elevated dumbbell down to your shoulder.
Raise the other dumbbell to the sky.After a brief pause, bring the dumbbell back to your shoulder and lift the other dumbbell to the sky.
Alternate each arm, lifting and lowering one dumbbell at a time.
This is called the Seated Palms-In Alternated Shoulder Pass. , Make sure that your palms are facing forward.
Push the dumbbells up towards the sky until your elbows come close to locking.
Then, lower the dumbbells back to shoulder-level.This is called the Seated Shoulder Press.
Be careful that you don’t jerk your back during this exercise – your arms and shoulders should be doing the lifting work. , Grab a dumbbell with your left hand, and using your left leg for balance, lift the dumbbell up towards your torso.
Lower it back down after a brief pause.
After five to ten repetitions, switch to your left arm and knee on the bench.This is called Kneeling One Arm Row.
Be sure to exhale when you lift the dumbbell and inhale when returning to a resting position.
You can also adapt this exercise into the One Arm Row by resting one hand on a bench, standing with both feet on the ground, and lifting the dumbbell towards your torso., Grab a dumbbell with each hand while keeping your elbows at 90 degree angles.
Lift the dumbbells so that your arms are like wings and parallel to the ground.
After a short pause, lower the dumbbells back to the ground.This is called the Back Fly.
Be sure to exhale when you lift the dumbbells and inhale when returning to a resting position. -
Step 2: Start with light dumbbells.
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Step 3: Warm-up before lifting heavy dumbbells.
-
Step 4: Work on perfect form.
-
Step 5: Quit when you’re tired.
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Step 6: Work out with a buddy.
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Step 7: Put one dumbbell in each hand and squat.
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Step 8: Place two dumbbells on the ground – one by each foot.
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Step 9: Hold a dumbbell in each hand while standing up straight.
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Step 10: Put a dumbbell just above your right foot.
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Step 11: Set 2 dumbbells just above your left foot.
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Step 12: Sit on a bench holding two dumbbells at shoulder level.
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Step 13: Hold one dumbbell at shoulder level and one dumbbell extended towards the sky.
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Step 14: Hold 2 dumbbells at shoulder level while sitting on a bench.
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Step 15: Rest your right hand and bent right knee on a bench.
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Step 16: Lay chest-down on a bench.
Detailed Guide
Wear workout clothes that give your body a full-range of motion.
It’s almost important to wear tied athletic shoes.
Loose laces pose a risk of injury., If you’re a beginner, start with the lightest, smallest dumbbells you can find and slowly work your way up to heavier dumbbells over the course of several weeks (depending on how often you work out).
If you are pregnant or have a history of back or joint problems, talk to your doctor about safe lifting limits., It’s important to give your body some time to stretch and warm up before burdening it with heavy weights.
Try working with lighter dumbbells for 5 to 10 minutes before switching to heavier dumbbells for the remainder of your workout., Poor posture or straining during lift work can cause severe injury.
Try to avoid jerking your arms or back (or the dumbbells, themselves) when you’re lifting.
If you’re ever unsure of proper form and position, talk to a trainer at a gym or watch instructional videos online for help., If you start to strain or huff and puff, it’s time to set the dumbbells down.
You’re more likely to get injured lifting dumbbells when you’re tired because your muscles or joints can give out under the weight., It’s safer (and usually more fun!) having a buddy to work out with.
Lifting dumbbells is particularly dangerous when you’re lifting alone because you don’t have anyone to take the weight from you or monitor your physiology if you run into trouble.If you have to lift alone, always let someone know where you are and how long you plan to work out for.
If they don’t hear from you within 15 minutes of your projected workout finish time, ask them to check on you or call for help., To obtain the squat, flex your knees and hips.
Lift both dumbbells straight up to your chest and then lower them (after a pause) without changing the angles of your body.This is called the Wide Row.
Be sure to exhale when you lift the dumbbells and inhale when returning to a resting position. , With a slight bend in your knees, reach down with both hands and lift the dumbbells until your upper arms are parallel with the line of your torso.
Lower the dumbbells back to the floor, after a short pause.This is called the Bent Over Row.
Do your best to keep your back straight during this exercise.
Focus on only moving your arms. , Lower the dumbbells to the floor by flexing at your knees and hips.
After a short pause, raise yourself back up.This is called the dead lift, and it is one of the most efficient dumbbell exercises because it works both your back and other muscle groups.
Do your best to keep your back straight during this exercise.
Focus on only moving your arms.
You can also adapt this exercise into the Stiff Legged Dead Lift by bending at the waist to lower the dumbbells to the ground and then straightening after a brief pause., Keeping your knees slightly bent, reach down to grab it with your left hand.
Lift the dumbbell up until you are standing with a straight waist and back.
Then, lower the dumbbell after a pause.After 5 to 10 repetitions, switch to lifting with your right side.
This is called the Bend to Opposite Foot.
Try to keep your knees slightly arched and your lifting arm straight. , Keeping your knees slightly bent, reach down to grab a dumbbell with each hand and lift them until you’re standing up straight.
After a pause, lower the dumbbells to the other foot, so that you alternate sides.This is called the Twisting Bend to Opposite Foot. , Keep your palms facing each other.
Push the dumbbells up towards the sky until your elbows come close to locking.
After a brief pause, lower the dumbbells to resting position at shoulder level.This is called Back Supported Palms-In Shoulder Press.
Be careful that you don’t jerk your back during this exercise – your arms and shoulders should be doing the lifting work. , Be sure that your palms are facing each other.
While sitting on a bench, bring the elevated dumbbell down to your shoulder.
Raise the other dumbbell to the sky.After a brief pause, bring the dumbbell back to your shoulder and lift the other dumbbell to the sky.
Alternate each arm, lifting and lowering one dumbbell at a time.
This is called the Seated Palms-In Alternated Shoulder Pass. , Make sure that your palms are facing forward.
Push the dumbbells up towards the sky until your elbows come close to locking.
Then, lower the dumbbells back to shoulder-level.This is called the Seated Shoulder Press.
Be careful that you don’t jerk your back during this exercise – your arms and shoulders should be doing the lifting work. , Grab a dumbbell with your left hand, and using your left leg for balance, lift the dumbbell up towards your torso.
Lower it back down after a brief pause.
After five to ten repetitions, switch to your left arm and knee on the bench.This is called Kneeling One Arm Row.
Be sure to exhale when you lift the dumbbell and inhale when returning to a resting position.
You can also adapt this exercise into the One Arm Row by resting one hand on a bench, standing with both feet on the ground, and lifting the dumbbell towards your torso., Grab a dumbbell with each hand while keeping your elbows at 90 degree angles.
Lift the dumbbells so that your arms are like wings and parallel to the ground.
After a short pause, lower the dumbbells back to the ground.This is called the Back Fly.
Be sure to exhale when you lift the dumbbells and inhale when returning to a resting position.
About the Author
Diana Hamilton
Specializes in breaking down complex organization topics into simple steps.
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