Tag: Dumbbell

One-Dumbbell Front Raises

Stand with the legs slightly apart, a straight back, and the abdominal muscles contracted. With arms extended, grasp a dumbbell in both hands with fingers crossed over each other as it rests against the thighs:

  • Inhale and raise the dumbbell to eye level.
  • Lower gently, avoiding abrupt movements.
  • Exhale at the end of the movement.

This exercise mainly contracts the anterior deltoid, the clavicular head of the pectoralis major, and the short head of the biceps.
Note that all the fixators of the scapula are used during the isometric contraction, which allows the humerus to move from a stable position.

  • Single-Arm One-Dumbbell Front Raise: This variation involves performing the exercise with one arm at a time. This allows you to focus on each side individually and can help to correct any muscle imbalances.
  • Alternating One-Dumbbell Front Raise: This variation involves performing the exercise by raising the dumbbell with one arm, lowering it, and then raising it with the other arm. This allows you to work both sides of the body and adds a coordination challenge to the exercise.
  • Cross-Body One-Dumbbell Front Raise: This variation involves raising the dumbbell in a diagonal direction across your body, from your hip to your opposite shoulder. This targets the front deltoids and upper chest muscles in a different way.
  • One-Dumbbell Lateral Raise to Front Raise: This variation involves lifting the dumbbell out to the side and then lifting it up in front of your body. This combines the benefits of a lateral raise and a front raise and is a great exercise for building shoulder strength.
  • One-Dumbbell Arnold Press: This variation involves lifting the dumbbell from shoulder height to overhead, while simultaneously rotating your wrist and elbow. This targets the front and side deltoids, as well as the upper back and trapezius muscles.

Side Lying Lateral Raises

Lie on one side on the floor or on a bench holding a dumbbell with an overhand grip:

  • Inhale and raise the arm to vertical.
  • Exhale at the end of the movement.

Unlike standing raises, which progressively work the muscle to maximum intensity at the end of the movement (when the arm reaches horizontal), this exercise works the deltoid differently by focusing the effort at the beginning of the raise. Sets of 10 to 12 repetitions work best.

Comment: This movement contracts the supraspinatus, the muscle mainly responsible for initiating abduction. Varying the initial position (dumbbell in front of or behind the thigh) allows you to work all the deltoid fibers.

Front Arm Raises

Stand with the feet slightly apart, holding the barbells with an overhand grip as they rest against the front of the thighs or slightly to the side:

  • Inhale and alternate raising the arms to the front to eye level.
  • Exhale at the end of the effort.

This exercise uses mainly the anterior deltoid, the clavicular head of the pectoralis major, and, to a lesser degree, the remaining deltoids. All movements that raise the arms contract the muscles that anchor the scapula to the rib cage, such as the serratus anterior and rhomboids, which create a stable support for the humerus to move from.

Lateral Dumbbell Raises

Stand with a straight back, with legs slightly apart, arms hanging next to the body, holding a barbell in each hand:

  • Raise the arms to horizontal with the elbows slightly bent.
  • Return to the initial position.

This exercise mainly uses the middle deltoid.
The three divisions of the deltoids create a multipennate muscle whose different fiber directions converge on the humerus. Their function is to support relatively heavy weight and to move the arm through its full range of motion with precision. 

Therefore, it is important to adapt training to the specifics of this muscle by varying the initial position of the movement (hands behind, to the side, or in front). This thoroughly works all the fibers of the middle deltoid. Because everyone’s physical structure is different (length of the clavicle, shape of the acromion, and height of the insertion at the humerus), you must find the angle of the initial position that is best for you. Lateral raises contract the supraspinatus, although you can’t see this because it is located deep in the supraspinatus fossa of the scapula (shoulder blade), where it attaches to the lesser tubercle of the humerus.

Raising the arm above horizontal contracts the upper part of the trapezius; however, many bodybuilders don’t work above horizontal so that they isolate the the lateral deltoid. This exercise should not be performed with heavy weights, but instead in sets of 10 to 25 reps, while varying the working angle without much recuperation time until you feel a burn. To increase the intensity, maintain an isometric contraction for a few seconds with the arm at horizontal between each repetition.

Bent-Over Lateral Raises

Stand with legs slightly apart and knees slightly bent and lean forward at the waist while keeping the back straight. With arms hanging down, grasp the dumbbells with the elbows slightly bent:

  • Inhale and raise the arms to horizontal.
  • Exhale at the end of the effort.

This exercise works the shoulder group, accenting the work of the posterior deltoid. Squeeze the shoulder blades together at the end of the movement to contract the middle and lower portions of the trapezius, rhomboids, teres minor, and infraspinatus.
Variation: The exercise may be performed facedown on an incline bench.

Front Dumbbell Press

Sit on a bench, keeping the back
straight. With elbows bent and pointing forward, hold the dumb- bells at shoulder level with an underhand grip (thumbs pointing away from each other):

  • Inhale and extend the arms vertically while rotating 180 degrees at the wrists, bringing them into an overhand grip (thumbs pointing toward each other).
  • Exhale at the end of the movement.

This exercise solicits the deltoid, mainly the anterior deltoid, as well as the clavicular head of the pectoralis major, triceps brachii, trapezius, and serratus anterior.

Variations:
This exercise may be performed seated against a backrest to help prevent an excessive arch in the back, standing, and alternating arms.

Comment: Working with the elbows pointing forward prevents excessive friction, which triggers inflammation in the shoulder that can eventually develop into a more serious injury.
This movement is recommended for people with weak shoulders and is meant to replace more intense exercises, such as classic dumbbell extensions with the elbows pointing to the sides or extensions from behind the neck.

Seated Dumbbell Press

Sit on a bench, keeping the back straight, and hold dumb- bells at shoulder level with an overhand grip (thumbs pointing inward):

  • Inhale and extend the arms vertically.
  • Exhale at the end of the movement.

This exercise contracts the deltoid, mainly the middle deltoid, as well as trapezius, serratus anterior, and triceps brachii.
This movement may also be performed standing or alternating the arms. A backrest helps prevent an excessive arch in the back.

Variants:

  • Seated Alternating Dumbbell Press: Alternate pressing one dumbbell at a time for a more intense isolation of each arm.
  • Seated Dumbbell Overhead Press: Perform the exercise with a wide grip for greater involvement of the lateral deltoid.
  • Seated Dumbbell Arnold Press: This variation involves rotating the dumbbells as you press up, working the front, side and rear deltoids.
  • Seated Dumbbell Lateral Raise: Hold the dumbbells at your sides and raise them to the side in a smooth, controlled movement, focusing on the lateral deltoids.
  • Seated Dumbbell Upright Row: Keep the dumbbells close to your body and raise them vertically, targeting the front and side deltoids as well as the biceps.

Triceps Kickbacks

Stand with the knees slightly bent and lean forward at the waist, maintaining a straight back. Bend the elbow and hold the upper arm horizontally alongside the body:

• Inhale and extend the forearm.
• Exhale at the end of the movement.

This is an excellent exercise for pumping the triceps group.
Perform this exercise until you feel a burn for best results.

Variations:

• One-arm cable triceps kickbacks – performed using a cable machine with one arm at a time, emphasizing the isolated contraction of the triceps.

• Dumbbell triceps kickbacks with a twist – performed with a twisting motion at the top of the extension to increase the stretch in the triceps.

• Banded triceps kickbacks – performed with resistance bands for a more challenging and dynamic workout.

• Alternating triceps kickbacks – performed by alternating arms during the set for a more cardiovascular challenge.

• Bent-over triceps kickbacks – performed with a slight bend in the knees and hips, putting more emphasis on the upper triceps.

Seated Dumbbell Triceps Extensions

Sit and grasp a dumbbell, holding it behind the neck:

• Inhale, and extend the forearm.
• Exhale at the end of the
movement.

The vertical position of the arm strongly stretches the long head of the triceps brachii, emphasizing its contraction while working. Contract the abdominal core to prevent arching the low back. If possible use a bench with support for the low back.

One Arm Dumbbell Triceps Extensions

Sit or stand and grip a dumbbell in one hand with the arm vertical:

• Inhale and bend the elbow to lower the dumbbell behind the head to the neck.
• Return to the initial position.
• Exhale at the end of the movement.

The vertical position of the arm stretches the long head of the triceps brachii, emphasizing its contraction while working.

Comment: Contract the abdominal core to prevent arching the low back. If possible use a bench with support for the low back.

Variations:

• Seated one arm dumbbell triceps extensions: This exercise involves sitting on a bench or chair and extending one arm overhead at a time.

• Lying one arm dumbbell triceps extensions: This exercise is done lying on a flat bench, and involves extending one arm straight up towards the ceiling.

• Bent-over one arm dumbbell triceps extensions: This exercise involves bending over at the waist, with one arm hanging straight down and holding a dumbbell, and then extending the arm straight up behind you.

• Concentration one arm dumbbell triceps extensions: This exercise is done sitting on a bench with one arm extended overhead and the other arm resting on the bench, holding a dumbbell.