This is the third part of my new dumbbell workout video series covering home gym workouts that you can do with minimal equipment. I get a lot of requests for basic workouts that can be done at home using just dumbbells and bodyweight exercises. So over the next several videos and blog posts I’m going to be showing you how to stimulate muscle growth in all your major muscle groups without the need for fancy gym equipment.
This is how I got started working out back in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. My father had one of those old York Barbell & Dumbbell sets, and I’m not talking about the iron plate weight set, but the big clumsy plastic weight plates that were filled with cement… That’s the only exercise equipment I had when I started working out, but as basic as it was – it worked – and I made some impressive muscle gains throughout my teenage years.
Bottom line, you can workout and make progress with the most basic of exercise equipment – if you are committed…
In this workout we’re going to focus on building Bigger BICEPS…
Everyone admires big biceps and well-developed muscular arms, whether their egos will allow them to admit it or not. When a man sees another guy with big powerful arms he automatically associates him with having strength and respect. Women are naturally attracted to men who are athletic and have muscular arms. This triggers their natural instinct that the man can provide for her and would make a good lover. And children feel safe when held by a father with big strong arms.
Let’s face it… everyone loves big biceps and strong muscular arms!
In this home gym bicep workout you’ll learn how to train all aspects of your biceps for complete muscle development.
Here’s an overview of the home gym dumbbell bicep workout outlined exercise by exercise…
Warm Up:
Before you do any weight training workout, always start with a proper warm up. If you want to follow along with a complete total body warm up routine, check out my Warm Up Routine Video
Alternate Dumbbell Curls…
This is a great overall mass building exercise for the biceps. With this one you’re going to feel most of the tension on the biceps through the mid range of the movement. It also provides a second function of forearm supination. Which basically means twisting the forearm until your palm is facing upward.
Dumbbell Preacher Curls…
The preacher curl is a very strict and isolated bicep exercises because your upper arm is braced against the bench and this prevents swinging or cheating during the movement. It also helps to work the biceps through a fully stretched position as the majority of the tension will be in the muscles when your arms are fully extended in the bottom position.
Incline Bench Dumbbell Curls…
Another killer stretching exercise for the biceps is the incline bench db curl. Doing exercises that allow you to stretch with weights will enhance muscle growth from hyperplasia (i.e. muscle-fiber splitting). However, I would recommend only doing one main stretching exercise per bicep workout, so choose either the preacher curl or the incline bench db curl as your main stretching movement.
Dumbbell Concentration Curls…
The concentration curl is a strict bicep isolation exercise that works the biceps in the peak contracted position. It’s the opposite of a fully stretched exercise because you’ll feel most of the tension at the top of the movement. You’ll have to work hard to hold the db in that top position.
Optional Finishing Exercise… Dumbbell Hammer Curls…
The exercises we’ve done up until this point will work all aspects of your biceps for complete muscle development. But if you’d like to do more, you can do some extra hammer curls. This is a great exercise that will strengthen your forearms and work the brachialis. This is a small muscle that runs underneath the biceps, and when fully developed can actually help push the peak of your biceps up higher and add lines and detail to your arms.
That’s it, if you do this workout your biceps will be feeling pumped, jacked, and your arms will stretch out your shirt sleeves a little bit more 🙂
Give it a try for yourself and leave me a comment letting me know how you like the home gym dumbbell bicep workout.
#leehayward #bicepworkout #dumbbellworkout #biceps
Chest Supported Dumbbell Rows:
This is a great exercise to isolate the back muscles and pre-fatigue them with a strict rowing movement, before we get into doing the rest of the back workout. A lot of guys have trouble getting that mind muscle connection when training back, but this exercise will pump up the lats so you can feel your back muscles working.
Chest Supported Reverse Dumbbell Fly:
The dumbbell back fly will work the rear delts, traps, and upper back muscles. By doing this exercise laying face down on an exercise bench you’ll eliminate swinging, cheating, and momentum – making it a strict upper back exercise. Keep the weight light and really focus on squeezing your upper back and holding the peak contraction with each rep.
Pull Ups:
The pull up is one of the best back exercises you can do for building a v-shaped back. For this one you’ll need to rig up some sort of pull up bar or get one of those door way pull up bars. Focus on using a full range of motion, letting your arms extend and stretch out your back muscles at the bottom of each rep, then pull yourself up as high as you can for a full peak contraction throughout the lats.
NOTE:
If you can’t do pull ups with your bodyweight, than check out my video showing How To Do Pull Ups For Beginners.
One Arm Dumbbell Row:
This move is similar to the chest supported db row we did earlier, but because we’re doing this with one arm at a time you’ll be stronger and be able to lift more weight per arm. And doing the exercise standing will help you to generate more power as well. So it’s more of a power rowing move, rather than a strict isolated rowing move. This will help to add mass to your back.
Dumbbell Deadlifts:
No back workout would be complete without a deadlift variation. Deadlifts work the entire back of the body, from your traps, rhomboids, lats, spinal erectors, hips, glutes, and hamstrings. With the dumbbell deadlift you won’t be able to lift as heavy as you can with a barbell deadlift, so you’ll need to do higher reps, and that’s why I’m saving this one for the end of the back workout.
Optional Finishing Exercise… Superman Back Extensions:
The exercises we’ve done up until this point will work all aspects of your back for complete muscle development. But if you’d like to do more, you can do some extra high rep sets of Superman Back Extensions to work the entire posterior chain. This is a great exercise that will strengthen your core and lower back.
That’s it, if you do this your back muscles will be feeling pumped and your lats will be wide and swole. Give it a try for yourself and leave me a comment letting me know how you like the home gym dumbbell back workout.
This content was originally published here.
