Dumbbells and barbells as home strength machines
There are many strength training equipment available, both professional and home. What other strength machines are there? For example: multistations and power complexes, benches, benches with barbell racks, power frames and racks, abdominal machines, hyperextensions and Roman chairs, horizontal bars and parallel bars, Smith machines, crossovers, inversion and stretching, various exercise machines for certain muscle groups, etc..d.
Power systems are usually very bulky and take up a lot of space. And if you arrange a gym at home from smaller strength simulators, then you also need to have enough space.
What should someone who wants to study at home do? Use dumbbells and a barbell.
Dumbbells as a home trainer
Speaking about modern strength trainers, I would like to note that these are quite complex mechanisms, the muscles in them receive a load using weights (the weight of this burden can be changed depending on your desire) through a system of ropes or levers. The purpose of strength machines is to train individual muscles of the skeletal muscles (for example, biceps, triceps of the arm), as well as large muscle groups (muscles of the back or legs, for example).
But dumbbells and barbells can quite adequately replace the simulator at home. Even in the gym, training with a barbell and dumbbells will be more effective, and here's why:
Modern typesetting dumbbells are comfortable and safe, as they do not slip in the hands, their discs are framed with rubber, which reduces the risk of bruises and injuries, the weight of the dumbbell can be easily changed.
- The movement performed with dumbbells is more anatomical. The design of the machine may not be suitable for your height, which increases the risk of injury.
- Dumbbells allow you to work out the entire skeletal muscles and stabilizer muscles, when the simulators, due to their design and thoughtful trajectory, load individual muscles and do not load the stabilizers.
- Dumbbells do not take up much space, and you can train with them anywhere.
- Reduce rest pauses between sets;
- Change the sequence of exercises in the program;
- Use complex set-repetitive modes like circuit training, superset, triset;
- To complicate the exercises themselves, for example, after mastering the Romanian deadlift on two legs, you can learn the technique of the Romanian deadlift on one leg, replace the two-handed seated presses with a one-handed standing press, etc.
- Include in the program combined movements like squats with dumbbells and press up.
Attention! The technique for performing the exercises should be ideal, since the trajectory of the dumbbells is not fixed. That is why the weight of the dumbbell must be selected carefully. Start training with a light weight - one that will allow you to complete all reps in the exercise with the correct technique and feel significant fatigue on the last 3-4 reps. Control the technique with a large mirror. Be sure to warm up before exercising to avoid injury.
Home workouts with a barbell
Now let's look at the barbell. This apparatus has also been tested by time and generations of athletes. Modern barbells come in a variety of sizes. There are Olympic bars weighing 20 kg and small bars weighing 7-10 kg. Modern barbells have bars of various shapes for comfortable performance of certain exercises. Pancakes are usually purchased additionally.
By using the barbell in your workouts, you can work out the major muscle groups, and many "basic" skeletal muscle exercises are done with the barbell alone. When training with a barbell, as well as with dumbbells, you need to slowly increase the weight, carefully monitor the technique and trajectory of movement, and do not forget to warm up the muscles before exercising.
If you have never trained with free weights (barbell and dumbbells), then you should carefully study the technique of movements, since improper exercise is always traumatic. If you already have injuries, then some free weights exercises are contraindicated for you. In this case, it is better to start exercising in the gym under the supervision of a trainer who can choose an adequate load on the simulators for you. Over time, when you get stronger and more comfortable, you can move on to training with free weights.
Beginners at home workouts should be aware that for barbell training, you need to purchase a special bench for the press and customizable racks. As you increase in fitness, your muscles will get stronger and your working weights will increase. There will come a time when you simply cannot pick up a barbell and start performing any exercise with it - you will need racks. You don't need racks for dumbbell workouts, but a customizable bench will come in handy.
How to train with a barbell and dumbbells
Working out with free weights at home is different from working out in the gym. At home, your strength progress will limit the number of barbell and dumbbell pancakes.
To keep your body from getting used to the exercise, you can:
Increase the working weight while there is an opportunity;
When exercising with free weights, it is advised to select the weight so that it is 50-70% of the maximum weight that you can lift. The more weight, the fewer reps and approaches you can perform (otherwise the risk of injury increases and the technique of performing the exercise suffers). If the exercises are easy, then the load must be increased. The load should be such that you can perform exactly 2-3 sets of 12-15 reps. For example, if you have completed 15 reps and can do 1-2 more reps, then the weight should be increased. If you have done only 8-10 exercises out of 12, then it should be reduced.
If there is no specific program, you should first do four to six exercises for the lower body, and then six to eight exercises for the upper body. They start working with larger muscles, and then move on to smaller ones. For example, on the lower body, you can do a complex of squats, Romanian deadlifts, lunges and leg curls. For the upper body, do a barbell row and a bent-over row of dumbbells for the back muscles, bench press and extension of dumbbells lying for the chest, seated press and lifts of dumbbells through the sides for the shoulders, and end with bending of the arms for biceps and extension for triceps.
And remember, in order to avoid injury, it is necessary to warm up the muscles well before training and monitor the technique of performing the exercises, for this it is better to practice in front of a mirror. It is necessary to perform strength exercises in a measured and calm manner, with a straight posture, a tucked up stomach and lowered shoulders. Inhale is the lowering phase, exhalation is the ascent.
Enjoy your activities!
Author: Zhanna Sh. (Specially for Calorizator.ru)
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