Review of the Dumbbell Routines & Exercises

Dumbbell Routines and Exercises That Really Work is exactly what you want if you are looking for an informative, easy-to-follow comprehensive education on how to proper get started training with dumbbells. This 89-page e-book really delivers, covering everything you need to know including equipment, training and safety, exercise routines and groups, dumbbell exercises, stretching, and more. It even includes suggested routines. The information is provided in an easy-to-read style that tells you everything you need to know without being condescending or too overly-simplified.

The first sections of the book-parts one and two-focus on giving the reader a good overview about a variety of types of exercise, the different kinds of dumbbells available and descriptions of various sorts of exercise equipment. All of the equipment descriptions emphasize things that you would want to include as part of a home gym.

The next section, Training and Safety Tips, is one of my favorites in the book. No matter how experienced and knowledgeable you think you may be there is a lot of worthwhile information that can benefit any reader packed into these five pages. It not only gives you an overview of the basic "do's and don'ts," but goes beyond that and covers coping with stress and the importance of cooling down as well. This section is wrapped up with an excellent list of 22 training tips that provide valuable information for exercise enthusiasts at any level-beginner, intermediate or advanced.

Part four, Exercise Routines and Groups, is the precursor to the next four sections, which are really the heart and soul of the book-the exercises. This segment of the book basically lists the different dumbbell exercises described in detail further on, breaking them down by muscle groups. It does the same for the stretching, abdominal and stability ball exercises detailed in later sections.

Section five, Dumbbell Exercise Descriptions, explains in easy-to-understand concepts, exactly how to perform each exercise properly. The descriptions are concise yet thorough and include clear photos of each exercise. Every aspect of the exercise is covered-hand and body positions, the movements from start to finish, along with anything else that you might need to know in order to perform the exercise properly. I particularly like the way that the instructions include useful tips about maximizing effectiveness and how to avoid pain and/or injury.

The dumbbell exercise section starts out with four exercises for the chest and then moves on to six different shoulder exercises. In the shoulders section, the explanations about the difference between the anterior (front) deltoid, middle/outer deltoid and rear deltoid are useful and a good inclusion-too many exercise books assume prior knowledge about our bodies and muscle groups. The rest of the section gives a really nice variety of dumbbell exercises for the back, biceps, triceps, legs, forearms and abdominal muscles.

Part six is dedicated to stretching exercises-an important element of a well-balanced healthy routine that is too often overlooked by far too many fitness enthusiasts. The section starts out with a nice, informative explanation about the importance of stretching-what happens to our bodies, why it's necessary to stretch, and more. This is followed by clear explanations of ten stretching exercises that cover all of the major muscle groups. The directions are easy to understand and accompanied by helpful photos.

Section seven gives a nice run through of more than a dozen different abdominal exercises to strengthen the body's core. The exercises range from the very simple-for the beginner-to more the more advanced levels for intermediate and advanced skill levels.

Next up is a very well-written section on the gym (or Swiss) ball. This innocuous but very effective piece of equipment is under-utilized or overlooked entirely by lots of people who could really benefit from its use. This versatile gem can be incorporated into training routines for just about any body part and can be used with just body weight or with dumbbells. A key advantage of gym balls is that they require you use multiple muscle groups to perform the exercises. They're also great for improving coordination, balance and posture.

The last part of the book is focused entirely on presenting a variety of exercise routines. Beginner, intermediate and advanced routines are included. The routines start out with full-body workouts in each session for beginners, moving on up to upper/lower body in the intermediate routines and separating them out even further in the advanced routines.

There is a lot of misinformation and plenty of hype in the fitness world. Dumbbell Routines and Exercises That Really Work stands out from the crowd as a solid source of reliable, practical, and safe information for those who seek it. It is an excellent training resource for anyone looking to start getting fit or get back into the training groove.

Dumbbell Routines & Exercises

Dumbbell Conditioning For Fat Burning

Dumbbells are probably the most versatile exercise equipment ever invented. They are perfect for anyone and are ideal for working out at home. Even with light weights, dumbbell workouts can tone your muscles and when combined with cardio, dumbbells can really boost your body's fat-burning capacity.

You'll need to get a set of dumbbells to get started. Stick with lighter weights so you don't run the risk of injuring yourself. We'll start off by going over some dumbbell conditioning exercises that can be done indoors year-round. Make sure you've got enough clear space around you (and above you too) to be able to safely perform the maneuvers without hitting anything.


Single dumbbell squat: Grasp a dumbbell with both hands, holding it about 8 inches in front of your chest. With your feet about shoulder-width apart, keep your back straight and slowly bend at the knees until your thighs are parallel to the floor-hold for one or two seconds and then return to the starting position. Do 10-12 reps, rest for a moment then repeat;


Side shoulder raise: Stand and hold the dumbbells at your sides with your palms facing inwards. With your elbows slightly bent, raise your arms out and up, bringing the dumbbells up to about ear height. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat. You can also do front raises-with your palms facing towards you, keep your arm more or less straight and bring the dumbbell up and out in front of you up to about ear height;


Overhead press: Grasp the dumbbells with your palms facing forward. Bring the dumbbells up to about ear height (your upper arms parallel to the floor). Raise the dumbbells up over your head until they just about touch-pause and return to the starting position and then repeat;


Bicep curls: Hold the dumbbells at your side palms facing forward and then keeping your elbows near your side, curl your arm up until the dumbbell just about touches your shoulder. Hold for 1-2 seconds, return to the starting position. You can do one arm at a time or both together-whichever you prefer.

Once you've got these basic movements down, you can start performing these exercises while walking in place. Start easy but try and get to where you can lift your legs high enough so that your thigh is nearly parallel to the floor. You want to get your heart rate up so that you'll achieve maximum benefit. Rotate through the exercises. You can even add your own.

Now we'll discuss a few ways that you can outside or incorporate dumbbells into outdoor activities such as walking:


Jumping jacks with overhead dumbbell press: Begin by standing with your feet about 6-8 inches apart, grasping a dumbbell in each hand and bend your elbows upright (upper arms parallel to the floor) holding the dumbbells about ear height. Jump up spreading your feet out (like you were doing a jumping jack) and as you do so, lift the dumbbells over your head. Jump back to the starting position and as you do, return the dumbbells to the starting position. Repeat 20-30 times;


Walking with dumbbells: Walking is an excellent, low-impact way to get or stay fit-it can be made even better with the addition of a lightweight set of dumbbells. Jumpstart your metabolism by doing bicep curls, overhead presses, or front raises while you're walking;


Walking dumbbell lunges: Find an area where you can walk about 20 feet and then holding a dumbbell in each hand (arms at your side) place one foot forward as far as you comfortably can, then lower your body until the knee of your rear leg almost touches the ground and your front thigh is almost parallel to the floor. Then, keeping your torso upright, lunge forward with the other leg, repeating the process, alternating lunges 10 times;

What I've presented here are just a very few of the many ways to incorporate dumbbells into a conditioning workout. Be creative and come up with some of your own. Be sure to take things slowly at first and gradually build up your capacity and make sure you've got the form down right. Starting off too aggressively right out of the gate may result in injury and can really make it difficult to stick with your program. Try and build up to where you can do at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise 3-5 times a week.
Dumbbell Routines & Exercises

How To Choose The Right Dumbbells

Dumbbells are one of the most useful and versatile pieces of exercise equipment you can own. They can be used to effectively train any body part and are ideal for anyone, regardless of skill level, age, training capacity or fitness goals.

A good set of dumbbells is just about all you need to achieve your fitness goals in the privacy and comfort of your own home. They offer significant cost savings over a gym membership-plus you don't have to waste time and gas getting there. And with dumbbells there's no need to spend thousands of dollars on fancy, hi-tech fitness machines advertised on television or magazines.

In shopping for dumbbells you've got to do it right. It's easy to wind up spending a lot more money on dumbbells than necessary so your homework and don't get ripped off.

In the past, dumbbells were basically little more than metal bars with a couple of iron weights attached to the sides. Functional yes, but the old-style dumbbells were not particularly well-suited for the average home gym. Not only were they unsightly, but storage was often a problem and they were also prone to rolling around and just generally getting in the way. Today though, there are a wide variety of styles, shapes and weights.

First off, dumbbells today are available with both fixed and variable weights. The variable varieties have a clamp or screw-type fixture on the ends of the bar to hold the weights in place. Variable-style dumbbells typically support up to about 50 pounds, making them ideal for the person with somewhat aggressive fitness goals. For the beginner or persons who are primarily looking to tone their bodies or maybe just lose a few pounds, fixed-weight dumbbells may be the best route to go.

Fixed-weight dumbbells are available in a broad range of styles-and colors too. The weights are usually hex- or octagon shaped to reduce the chances that they'll roll around. Also, in many of the varieties developed specifically for the home, the weights are covered in rubber or vinyl, which considerably lowers the risk of damaging your floor or furniture when you set them down.

For the person frequently on the go who wants to be able to workout in the hotel room, aqua dumbbells may be the right piece of equipment for you. When empty, these innovative dumbbells weigh just a few ounces, take up minimal space and fit easily into a briefcase or duffel bag. To use them, you just fill them up with water and you're all set to work out. They range in weight up to a maximum of about 16 pounds.

Before rushing out and buying a set of dumbbells, take time to think about your goals, where you'll be working out and where you'll be storing them-especially if you live in a condominium or apartment with limited space.

If general fitness or toning up is your goal then you won't want a lot of weight-up to about 12 pounds for women and maybe up to 20 pounds for men. You'll want a few different increments of weight though so you can vary your workouts. For women and older folks two-pound increments are ideal-for men, five-pound increments should work well.

So once you've made those decisions you can embark on a quest for the right dumbbells for you. My first rule of thumb is this: Keep it simple. Start small, establish a foundation and upgrade from there if necessary.

You might consider buying your first set of dumbbells used. There are plenty of people out there who bought nice dumbbells only to have them being used as doorstops six months later. Take advantage of their lack of commitment and enjoy the savings.

Depending on the style, quantity and where you buy them, a new set of dumbbells can cost anywhere from $1 per pound up to about $2.50 per pound. Sometimes you can find bargains online, but keep in mind weights can be costly to ship.

On the other hand, a used set of dumbbells might run from as little as 25 cents a pound up to maybe 50 cents a pound. You can find really good deals on used dumbbells by scanning classified ads. If there are any stores in your area that sell used fitness equipment you should check them out as well-don't forget thrift shops and garage sales too.

Now you're equipped with the basic information you need to go about setting up your own home gym with dumbbells that are right for your needs and goals-and without getting ripped off. Dumbbell Routines & Exercises

Powerblock Dumbbells - The Dumbbells That Grow As You Grow

Any fitness trainer will tell you that choosing the right dumbbells for home-training is essential for creating a successful and regular workout routine. Many newcomers to the world of strength-training cringe at the thought of having to purchase a wall-sized rack of weights to accompany the changes in their strength abilities over time. Powerblock dumbbells are one of the most popular, adjustable weight training sets on the market. They are a great product to help you jump-start your own home fitness routine, without having to sacrifice a room of your house. These balanced, adjustable dumbbells provide good stability for strength-straining movements, while taking up very little space in your home. The following article will walk you through some of the finer points of these great, space-saving dumbbells.

Don't let their cage-like square shape fool you. The square shape actually weighs more than traditional round or hexagonal weights. These weights are impeccably composed of rectangular steel plates, side-rods and stacked vertical square plates, taking up about the same space as two of your average large dumbbells. In the realm of quick change dumbbells, Powerblocks are also extremely compact, allowing you to seamlessly integrate them into your space, without the bulkiness of a more traditional weight-lifting set. Powerblocks are adjustable dumbbells that can provide the entire weight-choice spectrum of a more traditional set of dumbbells. A small set can fit into an 18 X 22 inch space, and can replace a whopping 37 pairs of traditional dumbbells. This means that you can store your entire free-weight workout facility in the space the size of a shoe box, instead of needing a massive wall or floor mount for your rack of weights.

This ingenious "all-in-one" setup is achieved through a pin mechanism that allows you to select the desired weight you want to lift. The pins mark off the needed weight to be lifted, and store the rest of the weight in the waist-high stand. Another great advantage to using this type of dumbbell is that they not only are they the heaviest of the non-traditional set-ups, but they are also super-versatile, in that they allow you to start with a 50-pound set, and expand upward in increments of 3 pounds towards a maximum of 130 pounds per dummbell. This means that you can easily shift weight from as little as 5 lbs. to 50 lbs. in around 5-10 seconds.

Powerblocks also provide the ideal setup for micro-loading, as the Powerblock set allows for small increases on the weight increments. To do this, you simply select your desired weight, and then easily add on the 2 pound micro-weights, which slip seamlessly into the hand-weight itself. In this way, the dumbbells are equally suited for all you beginner lifters, as well as the more seasoned lifting pro. Another advantage is that you can work slowly to move toward your desired strength goals, instead of having to jump from one weight to the next, as with other types of home-gym equipment.

Fitness wise, this is intelligent design. Powerblocks allow you to slowly and safely increase your strength and endurance without the risk of injury that comes from jumping and struggling with a heavier 5 pound increase. Safety and reduction of risk are of extreme importance, especially when working from a home-based gym without the supervision of a coach or trainer. The structural design of each Powerblock handle creates a very comfortable lifting experience for both the novice and advanced lifters. More importantly, for a beginner weight-trainer who may have weak wrists, the Powerblock has a wrist-protector handle padding to ensure wrist support, reducing the chance of injury.

Cost-wise, the average dumbbell will run you anywhere from 80-99 cents per pound and up. The average cost of Powerblocks run around 11 cents per pound, making them one of the most affordable products on the market. The set-up also comes with an easy-to-move workbench and a triceps bar that attaches to the the back of the workbench. Powerblocks offer a several versions of their selectorized dumbbell sets. The first is the Elite Personal Set, which equals 500 pounds of free-weights, or 10 pairs of dumbbells. This set allows you to train within a range of 5-50 pounds per dumbbell. The second version of this product is the Elite Powerblock, which equals 28 pairs of dumbbells, or a whopping 2,570 pounds of free weights. This allows you to work anywhere from 5 to 130 pounds per dumbbell.

All in all, with a good weight bench and a set of these dumbbells, anyone can have a quality weight-training set-up in a small space in their home. Powerblocks are the best bet for an efficient, safe workout, for both beginner and advanced lifters alike.

Mike Westerdal is the author of "Dumbbell Exercises and Lifting Routines" To Help You Gain More Muscle, Lose Weight, or Just Get Yourself in Better Physical Shape... WITHOUT the Hassles, and Expenses of Health Clubs. Increase Your Muscle Size And Improve Your Physical Fitness In 90 Days - Guaranteed.

No More Excuses - At Home Workouts Using Dumbbells

Its 5:30 p.m. You are stuck in traffic on your way to the gym, longing for a way to get in your daily workout without the hassle of high membership fees, people hitting on you in the hallways, the music you don't like, and that laborious trek to just get there. If your own private gym sounds like an impossibility, think again. A home workout could be just the thing you need to de-stress after work on your own terms.

It is so easy to come up with reasons not to work out. An at-home workout will reduce some of these excuses that we create not to work out. Firstly, a home workout comes at little or no cost after you purchase a nice set of dumbbells. Secondly, you can easily fit in a workout from home in 30 minutes, instead of the hour or two that going to a gym can take. Buying an inexpensive DVD can also help you feel that you are getting the benefits of a top-notch personal trainer, without the high costs of paying one. Lastly, if you are in poor shape or just starting out, going to a gym can be an embarrassing affair. An at-home workout will allow you to go at your own pace without the fear of who is watching or judging you.

This article will now give you some great tips on how to strengthen and train at home, with some simple at-home workouts using dumbbells.

To start, it is important to set some goals regarding your personal fitness vision. Make a commitment to setting a time and schedule for a realistic workout plan such as three days a week, every other day. This way, you can give your body some resting time in between workouts, allowing it to come back even stronger for your next day of strength training. Using dumbbells is an essential part of your home workout. They make you use your natural stabilizing muscular capabilities, as well as the body's natural patterns of movement. They also incorporate a bigger range of movement, and allow us to fine-tune target muscle groups.

The following gives a simple dumbbell home routine that pinpoints some major muscle groups.

Lunges: Warm the body with some cardio lunges for strength and upping that heart-rate. Hold a pair of dumbbells in each hand, appropriate for your strength abilities. Stand with feet about 10-18 inches apart. Hold the dumbbells at your sides and step one leg back, bending the front knee at a 90-degree angle, and allowing the back leg to bend automatically at a natural angle, almost to the floor, but not touching. (Stepping back instead of forward will help protect the knees.) Come back to the original position slowly and repeat the same leg 10-12 times. Do a set with the opposite leg. Repeat each side 2x.

Bicep curls: Stand straight with a slight microbend to protect the knee. Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Lower your arms to your side-body, palms facing the outer legs. With the elbows tight into the mid-line and the shoulders released away from the ears, curl the weights up towards your chest, and slowly lower them down. Repeat. It is possible to alternate arms, or work both of them simultaneously. Start with 12 reps, 3x.

Shoulders: Sit down on a bench or chair with back support. Using a dumbbell in each hand, lift your arms slowly above the head, keeping a micro-bend in the elbow. Slowly keep bending into the elbows until you come to a 90-degree angle, and then push back up into your original extended position. Repeat 12 reps, 2x.

Tricep press: Lie flat, ideally on a weight bench, or on a mat if you don't have access to a bench.
Holding the appropriate weights, with the palms about two inches apart and facing each other, extend your arms straight above your head. Keep grounding and stabilizing your shoulders into the mat as you slowly bend your elbows, lowering the dumbbells down beside each side of your ears. Slowly push arms back up to extended and repeat 12 reps, 2x.

Chest flies: Use your weight bench and again lie down flat, or inclined if you have access to an incline bench. Place a dumbbell in each hand, your arms out wide, extended above the chest with your palms facing each other. Place a micro-bend in the elbows to prevent locking and ensure safety and then slowly begin to lower your arms until your upper arm bones are parallel to the floor. From there, come back to the original "cactus arm" position and repeat 12 reps, 3x.

Keep in mind that these are just a few of the many dumbbell workout options out there, but can be a good place to get you started on your path towards strength and wellness.

Mike Westerdal is the author of "Dumbbell Exercises and Lifting Routines" To Help You Gain More Muscle, Lose Weight, or Just Get Yourself in Better Physical Shape... WITHOUT the Hassles, and Expenses of Health Clubs. Increase Your Muscle Size And Improve Your Physical Fitness In 90 Days - Guaranteed.

Home Fitness Workouts Be As Effective As Gym Workouts?

Sometimes you just can't make it to the gym every time you want to-meetings run late, traffic gets backed up, the car breaks down or something else happens that stops you from getting in your workout. The next time that happens you might want to consider working out at home rather than skipping your training session entirely. Have you not trained at home because you don't believe you can get a decent workout? Well, think again because you're dead wrong-you can. At-home workouts, if done with reasonable intensity, can be extremely effective. A good in-the-house workout session can be made even better if you add in a pair of dumbbells.

While depending on your fitness goals, training in the home might not be right for every person all the time, and nothing will ever replace weight lifting for building mass, for even the most dedicated gym rat, working out at home can be a nice break from the routine at the gym once in a while. Plus, it's always a good idea to keep your muscles guessing by challenging them. There are a few other advantages to working out at home too: you can listen to your favorite music, there's no waiting for machines, there's no one to hassle you, no worries about cleaning up after others and you don't have to drive. It can also be a great way to dodge the inner escape artist every once in a while when you just don't feel like going to the gym or need a change of pace. If you've got kids, at-home workouts can help get them on the right track early on.

The question is though, "Is working out at home effective and can I see results?" The answer is yes! The key though to an effective home exercise program is to include exercises that work three key areas: cardio, strength and flexibility. Even if you don't have a fully-equipped home gym, there are plenty of exercises you can do using just your bodyweight. Keeping a set of dumbbells around the house can give your in-home workout some teeth and get your muscles pumped. Plus, they don't take up a lot of space and help in stabilizing and developing muscles that are important to strength, balance, and posture. Some strength training exercises you can do at home using just your bodyweight and dumbbells include:

Chest: Push-ups are great for working the pecs. Vary the spread of your hands to work different parts of the chest. For even more punch, place your feet on a chair or your bed and try some decline push-ups. Do some chest presses with dumbbells lying on the floor and dumbbell flies (flat or incline if you happen to have an adjustable bench at home) to round things out.

Shoulders: Shoulders are little tougher to work out using just your body weight so you're better off using dumbbells. These are all great exercises that are easy to do in the house: seated press, side raises, front raises, bent-over reverse flies and shoulder shrugs; upright row.

Arms: There are plenty of effective exercises you can do at home to pump up your arms using just a chair and a set of dumbbells. Biceps: Just like at the gym you can do standing or seated bicep curls, concentrated curls, standing or seated alternating curls and hammer curls. Triceps: Doing push-ups with your hands close together is an excellent way to beef up your triceps. Or, sitting on a chair, do some one-arm behind-the-neck extensions with a dumbbell. Using a chair you can also do bent-over kickbacks and lying flat on the floor you can do a couple of variations of triceps extensions using a dumbbell.

Back: For your back, try dumbbell rows, dumbbell dead-lifts and if you've got a spot where you can do pull-ups, holding a dumbbell between your ankles will really give you an extra punch.

Legs: There are plenty of exercises you can do in the home to work your legs but add dumbbells and they'll be even more effective. Here are a few examples: squats with dumbbells, lunges with dumbbells and standing calf raise (holding a dumbbell in one hand).
Adding dumbbells to your out-of-gym or at-home cardio routine can help you make the most of your time. Carry a set of dumbbells with you when you walk, alternating between curls and just carrying them at your side. If you do this though, be careful not to swing your arms around too much, you can injure yourself easily. If you've got access to a set of stairs, walk up and down carrying a couple of dumbbells at your side-you'll get your heart moving in no time.

If you don't want to skip the gym in favor of an at-home workout but do want to kick your metabolism up a notch while you're hanging around the house, set aside some times throughout the day to spend a few minutes moving around using dumbbells. A University of Missouri (Columbia) study found that when we spend too much time sitting on our rumps, the body's fat burning mechanisms slow to a near halt. No surprises there but the study also found that moving around whenever possible can jumpstart the fat burning process again. So instead of just lying around on the sofa for hours at a stretch, get up, pick up the dumbbells and get your ass moving-even if it's only ten minutes at a time. You'll burn some extra calories and you'll do your body good.

Mike Westerdal is the author of "Dumbbell Exercises and Lifting Routines" To Help You Gain More Muscle, Lose Weight, or Just Get Yourself in Better Physical Shape... WITHOUT the Hassles, and Expenses of Health Clubs. Increase Your Muscle Size And Improve Your Physical Fitness In 90 Days - Guaranteed.

Commercial Health Club Hassles

Commercial health clubs and gyms can be great but they can also be a huge hassle, jam-packed with little annoyances and major headaches that can just about put you over the edge. Call me strange but I go to a gym to train, not to look for conversation, watch guys strutting around in short shorts that would make Daisy Duke blush or listen to unsolicited advice from out of shape, opinionated loud-mouths.

Today I want to spotlight a few of the most annoying things that can come from having a gym membership and talk about some of what goes on there that than can drive you nuts.

Sometimes, just having a gym membership can be a hassle. And good luck if you move or need to cancel for some reason. I've had friends who have had to keep paying for years-long membership commitments even though the gym had gone bankrupt and was no longer in business. And with a lot of gyms-especially some of the big chains-you can forget about freezing your membership if you want to take an extended vacation or are just otherwise going to be out of commission for a while.

It is an understatement to say that the employees at some gyms can be enough to make you want to go ballistic. Too many of them seem to think that they're doing you a favor just by showing up to work.

The quality of personal trainers at some gyms seems to have gone way downhill over the years too. I've seen plenty who I wouldn't trust to train an inflatable CPR dummy strutting around offering unsolicited and very bad (really bad) advice to people who unfortunately, don't know any better. There's nothing like getting training advice about proper form from a freshly-minted 18-year-old personal trainer who couldn't lift a 100-pound dumbbell if his life depended on it.

And it's too bad, but not everyone who goes to the gym is there to train. Some of them are there just so they chat with their friends. Others want to hit on anything that moves and some just want to show off or otherwise practice their strange behavior in public. Every gym on the planet seems to have at least one guy who wears shorts so tiny they'd make a $5 hooker look twice. And entire books could be written about the strange and annoying behavior some people seem hell-bent on displaying in the locker room. I'll just stop there except to say that I've seen enough to last me three lifetimes.

If you don't bring your own IPOD or MP3 player, you're going to be stuck listening to the gym's choice of tunes, whether or not you like their choices. Once, I bought a week pass but ripped it to shreds when I realized that the gym only played their own compilations of "motivational" music with nauseating lyrics like "you can do it, yes you can," and "try just a little bit harder, you've know you've got it in you," repeated endlessly over and over. Now I listen to the music before I buy my pass when I'm traveling.

And even if you do bring your own music, that's no guarantee that you'll be able to focus and workout in peace. Plenty of people don't seem to take headphones as a definitive sign of "leave me alone." I'm willing to cut some slack if a guy politely taps me on the shoulder because he needs a spot and there's no one else around, but some people just because they want to talk. I've come real close to clocking a few guys in the nose because they couldn't get it through their thick skulls that when I'm wearing headphones, I'm not interested in conversation.

I'll wrap this up by saying that the "real" gyms, where a guy can go and train with a bunch of other like-minded folk who are there for the same reason, are fewer and fewer and a lot harder to find. Nowadays the landscape is cluttered with jumbo-sized gyms that are built to appeal to the masses, not the serious trainer. They pay their people minimum wage so you don't get the service you deserve and they're full of people who are there for lots of other reasons besides wanting to train. These and a host of other annoyances can make it really frustrating to have a gym membership. As you can probably tell I had an annoying day at the gym today. Thanks for listening to my rant.

Mike Westerdal is the author of "Dumbbell Exercises and Lifting Routines" To Help You Gain More Muscle, Lose Weight, or Just Get Yourself in Better Physical Shape... WITHOUT the Hassles, and Expenses of Health Clubs. Increase Your Muscle Size And Improve Your Physical Fitness In 90 Days - Guaranteed.

Dumbbells Versus Kettlebells

Everyone knows that dumbbells are extremely versatile, suitable for people of any age or level and great for training just about any body part. But over the past few years, kettlebells have been getting a lot of attention. Though we're just now hearing a lot about them, they're nothing new-they've been around for more than a hundred years. What is a kettlebell and where does it come from? Are kettlebells better than dumbbells? Well that's what I set out to discover.

Kettlebells are a traditional Russian cast iron weight. They basically look like a cast iron cannonball with a handle. Kettlebell exercises are a combination of strength and cardio exercise that are designed to build endurance and stamina. Proponents say that the kettlebell is simply the greatest tool for all-around athletic development.

Dumbbells are well, dumbbells. They've been around for thousands of years in one form or another. The Greeks and the Romans trained with their own versions of dumbbells. Versatility is a key advantage of dumbbells. They can be used to train nearly any part of the body and because they come in such a wide range of weights, can be used by just about anyone-regardless of skill level. They're also fairly inexpensive.

On the other hand, kettlebell exercises are primarily designed to develop functional strength. Their main focus is to work our 'non-mirror' muscles, the ones that we don't necessarily "see" in the mirror but are important nonetheless. That's not to say that kettlebells can't be used to train specific areas of the body-they can. It's just that the majority of kettlebell routines designed by the pros are more focused on movements that include cardio, strength-building and flexibility.

If you're into mixed martial arts or just otherwise are looking to get into some serious cross-training, then kettlebells have the advantage over dumbbells. When doing cross-training exercises with dumbbells-which mostly focus on specific muscles-you're basically restricted to using lighter weights or you run the risk of injuring yourself. With kettlebells though, the exercises require multiple muscle groups to work together, meaning that you can use higher weights, with less risk of injury (assuming proper form).

If your goal is to strictly "tone up" your body rather than to focus on developing overall strength and flexibility, then dumbbells are probably right for you. Dumbbells would also most likely be the best choice if you are recovering from an injury, are just starting out or are elderly. There are an unlimited number of dumbbell exercise techniques for toning the body or aiding in injury recovery that don't require more than five or ten pounds.

I think that if you belong to one of these categories, then you'll probably have an easier time working with dumbbells. For most of the history of kettlebells, they have been primarily used by people looking for a pretty heavy duty workout. It's only been in the last few years that professional trainers have began to realize their value as an all around fitness apparatus, so you're going to find fewer routines to choose from.

On certain levels both dumbbells and kettlebells are about equal. They both can be used in the home-or just about anywhere else-and don't require any special equipment. They're both very versatile, are suitable for all around, full-body training and can be challenging, rewarding and fun. Each can be used to target specific areas of the body and neither of them requires much of a learning curve-just about anyone can learn to use them without too much difficulty. Lastly, neither of them requires a great deal of skill or knowledge to be able to use them and get results.

So what's the verdict? Which are better, dumbbells or kettlebells? My conclusion is that neither one is "better" than the other. Both have their distinct advantages and disadvantages and can help you to achieve your fitness goals, whatever they might be. My personal choice is a combination of both-kettlebells for focusing on developing core strength and flexibility and dumbbells to isolate particular muscles and body parts. Your choice though is going to depend on your fitness goals, your skill level and ultimately, level of commitment.

Mike Westerdal is the author of "Dumbbell Exercises and Lifting Routines" To Help You Gain More Muscle, Lose Weight, or Just Get Yourself in Better Physical Shape... WITHOUT the Hassles, and Expenses of Health Clubs. Increase Your Muscle Size And Improve Your Physical Fitness In 90 Days - Guaranteed.

Dumbbell Exercises You've Never Heard Of

Dumbbells are about the most versatile piece of exercise equipment you'll ever use or own. You can train any body part with them, they're suitable for anyone-beginners, intermediate and pros-and can be used by people of any age to get fit. They're also the ideal regardless of your fitness goals. So whether you're just looking to trim down, maintain or even build mass, dumbbells can be the right piece of equipment you need. And, assuming that you're doing the movements properly, when you train with dumbbells you mimic the body's natural movements, considerably reducing the risk of injuring yourself.

The point today is to present a few little known, but highly effective dumbbell exercises-it's always good to do something new. When the body's muscles get too accustomed to the same routine day after day, week after week, month after month, your routine's effectiveness is diminished. That's why knowledgeable guys change things up every now and then so they can keep seeing gains and achieving the results they want.

Here are a few dumbbell training exercies that you probably haven't heard of.

Dumbbell thrusters (legs, shoulders): Works the glutes and shoulders at the same time. Place an exercise ball behind your legs. Stand straight holding two dumbbells at shoulder height with palms facing each other about even with your shoulders. Squat down until your butt touches the ball, then thrust upward raising your arms towards the ceiling, while maintaining your palms facing the same direction. Squat down again lowering the dumbbells to the starting position, then repeat.

Dumbbell hamstring curl (hamstrings): Lie face down on a flat bench with your knees hanging over about two to three inches. Have someone tuck a dumbbell vertically between your feet-if you're limber and not too clumsy, you can manage it yourself. Grasp the front two legs of the bench for stability. Then, without lifting your waist from the bench, keep your knees together tight and raise your toes (and the dumbbell) towards the ceiling until your shins are perpendicular to the floor.

Dumbbell ab crunch (abs): Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, holding a dumbbell with both hands (one hand over each end of the dumbbell) close to your chest just below your chin. Keeping your butt and lower back on the floor, slowly roll your upper back off the floor, keeping your neck neutral. Pause and hold for a second or two and then return to the starting position and repeat.

Low dumbbell crossover (chest): This awesome move can completely isolate and pump up your pecs. It's like the Low Cable Crossover but done with dumbbells to further isolate the pectoral muscle. With one foot forward for stability, grasp the dumbbells (hands facing forward), spread your arms until they're at about a 45-degree angle and your hands are a few inches behind your hips. Lean forward slightly. Bring the dumbbells up and together, using a sweeping arc motion, stopping right in front of your lower chest. Pause for a full second, return to the starting position and repeat. Keep your arms slightly bent to be sure that you're fully isolating the pecs.

Dumbbell press and fly combo (chest): This double-duty exercise keeps the pectoral muscles under tension throughout the movement. Position yourself for a regular dumbbell chest press. When your arms are fully extended, instead of dropping them back down to your chest, then slowly arc them out in a fly movement-without changing the position of your hands-until you get a nice stretch. Pause, return to the starting position and repeat.

Zero impact dumbbell row (back): Stand with your knees somewhat bent and lean over slightly, keeping your back straight. Hold the dumbbells so they're in front of your thighs (palms facing your legs). Your elbows should be slightly bent. Bring the dumbbells out, back and up behind you in an arc, swinging your elbows back like a pendulum but maintaining control of the weight, keeping your back straight. Focus on contracting the back muscles. Return to the starting position and repeat.

Reverse incline hammer curl (biceps): Use fairly light weights for this one-it really isolates the bicep. Sit backwards on an incline bench adjusted to a 60- to 70-degree angle. With your arms hanging straight down, hold the dumbbells with your thumbs up, palms facing each other (hammer curl position). Curl the weights up until the just touch your shoulders. Squeeze, pause and repeat. If you pull your elbows back just a bit, it will put more emphasis on the long head of the biceps, which can otherwise be tough to train.

Wrong way tricep pullover (triceps): Lie sideways (perpendicular) with your upper back on a flat bench as though you were going to do a dumbbell pullover for your chest. Grasping one dumbbell with both hands, bring your arms up and behind your head-again, as though you are going to do a dumbbell pullover. But instead of trying to keep your arms straight, stretch your arms back, maintain the upper arms in a fixed position and bend your elbows down, lowering the dumbbell and stretching the triceps. Pause, squeeze, return to the starting position and repeat.

Mike Westerdal is the author of "Dumbbell Exercises and Lifting Routines" To Help You Gain More Muscle, Lose Weight, or Just Get Yourself in Better Physical Shape... WITHOUT the Hassles, and Expenses of Health Clubs. Increase Your Muscle Size And Improve Your Physical Fitness In 90 Days - Guaranteed.