Get Big Muscles Using Dumbbells

Dumbbells are among the most commonly used pieces of exercise equipment in professional and home gyms the world over. Entire workouts can be designed around dumbbells that will yield incredible results in terms of strength and size. All that stands between you and the body you want is a little iron and a lot of effort.

Steps

Developing a Workout Plan

1. Determine your fitness goals. There are many reasons why one might want to increase their muscle mass and there are many workouts designed specifically to aid you in achieving whatever outcome you may desire.
   • Body builders will want to devote special attention to shaping their muscle through specific lifting form while power lifters will be focused on function over aesthetics. Either will have more strict dietary requirements.
   • Casual lifters that simply want to increase in strength and size won’t need to worry as much about competition preparation cycles and have the most leeway in dietary restrictions.
2. Decide on your schedule. Most people see more success in muscle size and strength development through using the “split muscle group” workout technique, where you only work specific muscles each day. In order to maximize your gains, you will need to create a schedule and stick with it.
   • Beginners should provide themselves with a rest or cardio day between each day of heavy lifting to allow their muscles to recover.
   • Advanced lifters can work out more often, but paying special attention to avoid working the same muscle group multiple days in a row.
   • Rest is just as important as exercise in terms of muscle development, so don’t skip rest days and get a good night’s sleep.
3. Get the right equipment. You will need multiple dumbbells to be able to create a solid workout plan. Each lift may require different weights and you will need to increase the weight you use as you progress.
   • Most professional gyms offer a wide variety of dumbbells in weights ranging from 1-2 pounds all the way to over 150.
   • Purchasing your own dumbbells may be a more significant expense to begin, but could save you money in the long run due to gym membership fees.
   • Many dumbbells are sold for under $1 per pound at fitness equipment stores and large retailers like Walmart and Sears. You will need two matching weights for many lifts.

Establishing Your Regime

1. Divide your workouts into muscle groups. The best way to build muscle quickly is to divide your workout into split muscle groups, while allowing yourself ample time to rest between workouts.
   • Do chest and back on Monday.
   • Do legs on Wednesday
   • Do shoulders and arms on Friday.
2. Use chest lifts to develop your pectoral muscles. There are several types of chest exercises that aid in developing your chest. Try one of the following:
   • Flat Bench Dumbbell Press: lie flat on the bench with a matching dumbbell in each hand. Place your feet flat on the floor and press the weights up toward the ceiling.
   • Dumbbell Flies: from the same starting position, extended your arms out to your sides so they are perpendicular to your body, then press them up and together with your elbows extended until they touch above your chest.
   • Incline Dumbbell Press: With your bench angled at approximately forty-five degrees, use a matching dumbbell in each hand. Lift them up so you’re holding the dumbbells above your chest with your elbows bent at ninety degrees. Exhale as you press the weights up and out with your chest until you lock your elbows, then return them to the start.
3. Use shoulder lifts to develop larger deltoid muscles. There are several types of shoulder exercises that aid in developing these muscles. Try one of the following:
   • Alternating Dumbbell Deltoid Raise: Stand up and hold a matching weight in each hand at your side. With your elbows straight, raise the weights up from your waist straight ahead of you until they are at shoulder height, then lower them back to your sides. Repeat the movement with your arms angled out at a forty-five degree angle, then alternate between the two.
   • Arnold Dumbbell Press: Begin either seated or standing. With a matching weight in each hand, hold them up with your elbows at a ninety-degree angle and the weights on either side of your head. Press the weights straight up and together until your elbows lock, then return to the starting position.
   • Dumbbell Upright Row: Begin standing with one weight in your hand resting at your waist. Raise the weight along your body until it is alongside your chest, then lower it back to your waist.
4. Use arm lifts to develop larger bicep and tricep muscles. There are a number of exercises that can aid in building larger arms. Try these:
   • Bicep Curls: Begin standing with the weights resting at your sides. Keeping your elbows tight to your body, move only the lower half of your arm as you raise one weight up toward your shoulder with your palm facing you. Lower it back to your side and alternate using each arm.
   • Tricep Extensions: Begin standing with one weight raised directly above your head with your elbow locked. Without moving your upper arm, lower the weight down behind your head, then extend it back up using your elbow as a hinge.
   • Hammer Curls: Begin standing with the weights resting at your sides. Keeping your elbows tight to your body, move only the lower half of your arms as you raise both weight up toward your shoulder with them angled parallel to you as though they’re hammers.
   • Lying Dumbbell Tricep Extension: Lay flat on the bench with one dumbbell in your hand. Raise it so your arm is straight and perpendicular to your body and the bench. Keep your upper arm still as you lower the weight down to the side of your head, then extend it back up.
5. Use back lifts to develop a stronger back. There are a number of back lifts you can do with dumbbells; try some of the following to strengthen this muscle group:
   • Bent Over Two Dumbbell Row: Begin standing with a dumbbell in each hand. Bend your knees and lower back with your back engaged so your torso is nearly even with the floor, but slightly angled up. Lower the weights straight down and pull them back up toward your chest.
   • Dumbbell Shrug: Begin standing with a dumbbell in each hand resting at your waist. Without moving your arms, raise only your shoulders, bringing the weight up a few inches, then lower your shoulders again.
   • Middle Back Shrug: Lay stomach down on an incline bench (angled at approximately forty-five degrees) with a dumbbell in each hand. Let the dumbbells hang freely, then raise them toward your chest by pulling your arms backward.
6. Use leg lifts to develop larger legs. There are lots of lifts that focus on your quads, calves, and hamstrings. Start with some of these:
   • Dumbbell Squats: Begin standing with a dumbbell in each hand resting at your side. Keep your back straight as you squat down until your thighs are perpendicular with the floor, then return to standing
   • Dumbbell Lunges: Begin standing with a dumbbell in each hand resting at your side. Keep your back straight as you step forward with one leg about two feet. Lower your body until your rear knee is almost on the ground, then step forward and press back up.
   • Dumbbell Calf Raises: Begin standing on a step with your heels hanging off and a dumbbell in each hand resting at your side. While maintaining your balance, lift your weight up with your toes, then lower yourself back until your heel is just below the step.

Creating a Diet Plan

1. Take in more calories. Your body uses the food you eat as fuel, so if you are going to work harder, you’ll need to take in more calories to match.
   • Avoid eating unhealthy foods to increase your caloric intake, as nutrients matter just as much as calories to achieving your fitness goals.
   • Instead of focusing on simply eating more, add some calorie and nutrient dense foods to your diet like nuts, nut butters and dried fruit.
   • Smoothies can be a healthy way in bring in more calories as well as the nutrients your body will need to cope with increased training. Try using fresh fruit, Greek yogurt and dairy based fluids.
2. Increase your protein intake. Your body uses the amino acids it breaks down from protein to repair the muscle you fatigue through exercise. In order to build more muscle, you will need to take in a good deal of protein.
   • In order to develop new muscle mass, you should take in approximately 0.7 to 0.8 grams of protein per pound of overall body weight every day.
   • You can add protein to your diet by increasing the amount of meat and fish that you eat.
   • Protein shakes are also excellent sources of added protein.
3. Be sure to hydrate. Hydration is key if you want to establish a good strength training program. In order to stay hydrated, drink lots of water regularly, not just while hitting the weights.
   • Early fatigue can set in due to dehydration, limiting the amount of weight you can lift and for how long.
   • Being dehydrated by as little as 5% can reduce your body’s capacity to work by more than 30%.
   • Negative effects on your physical output can be measured with even extremely modest dehydration, and the effects compound in warm environments.
4. Take the right supplements. Supplements can be a significant aid in achieving your fitness goals, but many of them can hinder your performance or even have negative affects on your health. It’s important that you choose any supplements you want to add to your diet carefully.
   • The FDA does not regulate the supplement industry, so don’t trust the claims you read in magazines or on packaging.
   • More isn’t always better when it comes to nutrients, some supplements offer extremely high levels of otherwise beneficial nutrients like vitamins A and E that could have negative results in your health.
   • Protein supplements such as protein shakes are an effective way to increase your daily protein intake, but it’s important to remember that they are meant to be supplements, not replacements for other natural sources of protein.
   • Creatine can also be an effective addition to your diet. Science has shown the proper use of creatine can actually aid in muscle development.

Tracking Your Progress

1. Record your weights and reps. In order to develop muscle, you should always be striving to increase the weight you lift. Keeping a record of what you do at each workout can help you stay on track.
   • Keep your eyes peeled for areas of slow or stopped improvement. These plateaus can be defeated by switching up your workouts.
   • There are many smartphone apps designed to aid in recording your progress, but a pen and paper work just as well.
2. Pay attention to what works. If you have been doing a certain lift for a long time that hasn't yielded any results, in may be time to switch it out for an alternative lift.
   • Some people respond better to certain exercises or regimens than others. If you feel as though you aren’t getting what you need from something, swap it for something else that may be more beneficial.
   • Take note of unusual pain you experience during lifts. Soreness is normal, but injury should not be. If you find some lifts cause issues, replace them with others.
3. Compete against yourself. Don’t worry about how strong other people are, just focus on getting stronger than you were yesterday. Try to increase the weight you use for each lift at regular intervals to keep pushing yourself to improve.

Tips

• Change your routine every four to six weeks. As your body adapts to stress, you'll hit a plateau where the benefits of weight training will begin to diminish. The only way to prevent this from happening is to change things up, such as by increasing weight and changing exercises.
• Drink plenty of water to keep your muscles hydrated.

Warnings

• Using improper form while lifting weights can result in injury.

Related Articles

• Work out Your Abs With Dumbbells
• Work out With Dumbbells
• Work Your Back With Dumbbells
• Dumbbell Press
• Make a Homemade Weight Set
• Build Muscle
• Do a Dumbbell Kickback

Sources and Citations

See also

• Lift Weights Safely
• Dumbbell Press
• Make a Homemade Weight Set
• Do a Deadlift
• Bench Press
• Begin Bodybuilding
• Build Glutes
• Lift Weights
• Begin Weight Training
• Warm up for Weight Lifting Exercises

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