Work out Your Abs With Dumbbells

Although dumbbells are most commonly used to strengthen arms, they can help build strong abdominal muscles as well. There are many exercises that use dumbbells to work out your core. You can also add dumbbells to more traditional exercises to make them more difficult. As you exercise, make sure that you are able to maintain the proper form so that you build muscle quickly and without injury.

Steps

Developing Proper Technique

  1. Choose a proper weight. You do not want to use a weight that is either too heavy or too light for you. A good weight will be one that you are comfortable using for at least twelve or fifteen reps.[1] To find a good weight, you may want to practice bicep curls with a dumbbell first before trying any of your new ab exercises.
  2. Warm up before you start. Before you begin, you should warm up with a short jog or run. Five or ten minutes is all you need to make sure that your muscles are ready for exercise. This will prevent injury and maximize your results.[1]
    • If you are doing cardio and weight training together, you should save the cardio for after your weight training. Only do five or ten minutes of jogging before you start lifting.[2]
  3. Keep your spine straight. Spine injuries can be devastating and permanent. To make sure that your spine is safe, keep it straight while doing weight exercises.[3]
  4. Move through the full range of motion. For your weight training to be effective, you should move through the full range of motion as dictated by the exercise. Exercise with slow, controlled movements. This will work out all of your abdominal muscles as you train. Do not rush through a movement, or you risk injuring yourself.[4]
  5. Start with eight to ten reps. Unless otherwise indicated by the specific exercise, you should start your exercises with about eight to ten reps. Do three sets of these reps total. When you are more comfortable, you can increase the reps or the number of sets that you do. In addition, you can you’re your number of reps and sets based on what kind of training you would like to do.
    • For strength training, do up three sets of five to eight reps with a heavier weight.
    • For endurance, do up to three sets of fifteen or twenty reps using a lighter weight.[5]
  6. Rest your muscles. Take a full minute of rest between each set. This will prevent you from overexerting your muscles. It will also help you perform more sets without injuring yourself.[3] In addition to resting between sets, you should also rest between days. Do not work out the same group of muscles two days in a row. Give your ab muscles at least day (if not longer) to rest before you try again.[1]
  7. Remember to breathe. Many people forget to breathe while they lift weights, but it is very important to breathe during exercise. Not only does it deliver oxygen to your muscles, but it also prevents injury and fatigue. For abdominal exercises, you should exhale as you tighten your abs. For example, during a crunch, exhale as you rise and inhale as you lower yourself.[6]

Training Your Core with the Dumbbell

  1. Lift the weight in a staggered stance. Hold one dumbbell in each hand. Stagger your stance by placing one foot slightly behind your body and one foot slightly in front. Lower yourself into a slight squat. As you rise, press the dumbbells above your head until your arms are straight. Switch legs every thirty seconds.[7]
    • Make sure your back heel is lifted off the ground. The front foot should be flat against the floor.[8]
  2. Lean to the side. Hold a dumbbell in one hand, keeping the other hand free. Bend to the side without leaning forward or backwards. Your chest should be flat as you do this exercise. Slowly rise and straighten your posture. Repeat.[9]
    • This exercise is very effective if you vary the weights that you use. Use a heavier dumbbell to do between six and ten reps and a lighter one to do up to forty reps in a set.[10]
  3. Perform an abdominal twist. This move will work out your oblique muscles and the entire abdominal sheet. Grip the dumbbells in both hands. Hold the weights at shoulder height. Plant your feet and twist your upper body as you punch one dumbbell forward. Bring the dumbbell back to the starting position as you switch arms, punching between eight and twenty times with each arm.
  4. Raise your legs. Leg raise exercises can help work the lower abs. Place the dumbbell in a standing position on the floor between your feet as you sit with legs extended. Lay flat on your back. Grip the weight between your feet or ankles. Clench your leg muscles as you raise your legs from the ground toward the ceiling, until they are perpendicular to the ground. Lower your legs slowly.
    • Try to keep your back from arching and maintain contracted muscles as you lower your legs back to the floor.
    • You may want to practice gripping the dumbbell for lifts from a sitting position first. Holding the weight between your ankles or inner feet, lift the dumbbell slowly and practice keeping your legs and back stable.
    • If you cannot easily lift the dumbbell, select a lighter weight. It is essential that you can securely lift the dumbbell, as serious injury can occur if the dumbbell slips out of its position between the ankles or feet.
    • If needed, you can support your lower back muscles by folding a towel under the small of the back.

Adding Dumbbells to Traditional Exercises

  1. Squat with the dumbbell. Grip one dumbbell with both hands. Lean slightly forward at the hips. This is your starting position. Slowly rise and straighten before lowering into a squat. Hold this pose for two seconds. Slowly rise and return to the forward starting position.[11]
  2. Do crunches. Lie down on the floor, and bend your knees. Grasp the dumbbell between both hands, gently leaning it against your chest. Raise your torso towards your knees before lowering slowly back to the floor. Use your abs to lift your body, not your arms or back.[12]
    • Make sure that your lower back muscles are strong enough to support weight from dumbbells before attempting this exercise.
  3. Practice sit-ups with an overhead dumbbell. Lay flat on your back with a dumbbell in one hand. Extend your arm straight toward the ceiling. Contract your abdominal muscles to sit up, keeping your arm extended and stretched toward the ceiling. Gradually lower your upper body back to the floor, keeping the dumbbell above you.

Tips

  • Try practicing the exercises without dumbbells the first time in order to learn the appropriate form and technique.
  • If you only do exercises that work out your abs, you may not have much success overall. Try compound exercises that work out many different muscles in your body for the best results.[13]
  • Drink plenty of water while working out.
  • While exercises can increase your core strength, diet is important too. A high-protein diet that is low in processed carbs will help you build muscle faster.

Warnings

  • Consult your doctor or a physical trainer before beginning a strenuous exercise program, particularly if you have experienced lower back pain.
  • If any exercise causes you to be in pain, stop immediately. Try again in a few days with less weight.
  • Do not continue if you can no longer maintain proper form. Either choose a lighter weight or try again another day.

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Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/weight-training/art-20045842?pg=2
  2. ↑ http://www.bodybuilding.com/content/best-beginner-weight-training-guide-with-easy-to-follow-workout.html
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 http://www.acsm.org/docs/brochures/selecting-and-effectively-using-free-weights.pdf
  4. ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/weight-training/art-20045842?pg=2
  5. ↑ http://www.acsm.org/docs/brochures/selecting-and-effectively-using-free-weights.pdf
  6. ↑ https://www.freetrainers.com/c/fitness_guide_faq/fitness_faq/breathing_while_exercising/
  7. ↑ http://www.menshealth.co.uk/building-muscle/abs-workout/home-dumbbell-workout-six-pack-three-weeks#image-8
  8. ↑ http://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/workout-tips/stagger-your-stance-new-gains
  9. ↑ http://www.coachmag.co.uk/exercises/core-exercises/3420/six-pack-abs-dumbbell-workout
  10. ↑ http://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/abs-and-core-exercises/lose-your-love-handles-dumbbell-side-bend
  11. ↑ http://www.menshealth.co.uk/building-muscle/abs-workout/home-dumbbell-workout-six-pack-three-weeks#image-2
  12. ↑ http://www.coachmag.co.uk/exercises/core-exercises/3420/six-pack-abs-dumbbell-workout
  13. ↑ http://www.coachmag.co.uk/exercises/core-exercises/3420/six-pack-abs-dumbbell-workout

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