Dumbbell Exercises

As you gear up to start your weight loss program, adding in some dumbbell exercises to your routine is an extremely good idea.  The nice thing about dumbbell exercises over the traditional machine weight lifting exercises is that since you don't have that machine to guide you, you're going to find that you utilize the core muscles to a much greater extent therefore getting an ab workout at the exact same time.

In addition to that, the other nice thing about dumbbell exercises is that you aren't locked into a certain pathway of motion like you are with the machines.  In some cases if you happen to be a taller or shorter individual, even though the machine can adjust, it's still not going to fit you quite right.  When doing dumbbell exercises however, you create your own pathway of movement so as long as you're able to ensure you're using proper form, this is definitely the best way to go about designing your workout.

Let's have a quick look at some of the best dumbbells that are not only going to ramp up your fat loss results but also get you a great deal stronger as well.

Dumbbell Lunges

The very first dumbbell exercise that you'll definitely want included in your workout are dumbbell lunges.  These work very well for anyone who's doing an at-home workout since all you'll require is the set of dumbbells along with an open space.

To perform your dumbbell lunges, simply hold the dumbbells down at your sides maintaining a standing position.  From there, take one comfortable step forward and then begin to slowly bend at the knee as you lower yourself down to the ground.

Note that as you do so you're also going to be bending the back leg as well bringing it close to touching the floor.  Once you're in the full lunge position, then press back up again and return to the standing position.  As you do so, bring the back leg up towards the front and then take one more step forward this time leading with the opposite leg.

Incline Dumbbell Bench Press

The next of the dumbbell exercises that you'll want to definitely add into your workout is the incline dumbbell bench press.  This is an excellent alternative to the bench press and is going to target the upper chest a little better.

To perform it, simply get into an incline bench and bring the dumbbells up so they are resting on the knees.  From there, kick them up as you lean back into the bench and then press them up until the elbows are extended but not locked.

Pause there for a second and then lower them back down into the body until they're almost at chest level.

Dumbbell Rows

To target the back muscles, turn to dumbbell rows.  This exercise is another great strength builder so good for anyone looking for extreme amounts of muscle mass.  To perform them, place a set of dumbbells down by your feet and then with a shoulder width apart stance, bend over at the waist and grasp the dumbbells in either hand.

From there, pull them directly up and into the body squeezing the shoulder blades together as you do.  Make sure while doing this though that you do maintain that flat back position otherwise you're going to risk developing back pain and will not target the back muscles properly with this dumbbell exercise.

Aim to hold the position with the dumbbells up at chest level for a brief second and then lower them back down so they are close to the ground but not quite touching it to complete the rep.

Dumbbell Fly's

Another good dumbbell exercise for the chest is dumbbell fly's.  For this movement you're going to get into a similar position as you were for the dumbbell incline press only this time rather than pressing the dumbbells up and down on a straight line, you're going to move through a hugging type of motion where you move them out towards the sides of the body while keeping the elbows slightly bent.
Once they're about parallel to the body, then you are to raise them back up again to the starting position to complete the rep.  This exercise is really great for bringing out maximum chest definition so is definitely one to be adding into your workout program.

Dumbbell Lateral Raises

Finally, the last of the dumbbell exercises that you should include in your workout program is dumbbell lateral raises.  This movement is very effective for targeting the shoulder muscles and bringing out a high level of definition to give you a very attractive look to the upper body.  Once you've performed dumbbell shoulder presses to bring up your strength levels, this is definitely the next exercise to do to compliment that.
To perform dumbbell lateral raises, hold a set of dumbbells down by your sides and them move them directly out to the side of the body keeping the elbows straight.  As soon as they are in alignment with the shoulder joint, hold them there for a second and then lower back down to the starting position once again to complete the rep.

If you can perform 10-15 reps of these each workout session, you'll be right on track to seeing extreme progress with the shoulder muscles.

So be sure that you keep all of these dumbbell exercises in mind as you create your workout program. Dumbbell exercises are quick, convenient, and can be used to create an entire full body workout that will firm and tone every area of your body.

Best of all, they're cheap to purchase so you won't need to invest in an expensive gym membership if you don't want to.  Pick up a set of adjustable dumbbells and do the workout right in the comfort of your own home.