No time, no money, no opportunity to go to the gym, just one dumbbell? No problem! All is not lost and it alone can work wonders if used correctly.
Do exercises with one dumbbell at home seem borderline fantastic to you, or at least a waste of time? But in vain! A system of exercises with dumbbells, even with just one, allows you to achieve dizzying results in a short time. Of course, if you don't mess around.
Want to warm up with a fun video? We recommend this workout for 6 minutes.
No equipment needed and no expensive gym membership. You can do everything at home - all you need to do is exercise with one dumbbell.
Exercises with one dumbbell will not strain you too much and will not take much time. This is a super option to gain your own willpower and internal discipline, as well as strengthen all your muscles. You want to have a flat stomach and sculpted abs, right?
Let's get down to basics.
Why do you have to give up lunges?
The main reason for the inability to do lunges is pain or discomfort in the knees, hip joints, and lower back.
They can occur both during the attacks themselves and after them. Or stiffness, pain in these joints occurs all the time, but against the background of lunges they become more acute. Of course, all this is a good reason to check your health with a doctor, and not just replace the exercise. The second reason is that a person is not physically developed enough to lunge. The fact is that during lunges you either take steps or put your legs in a not very stable position, one in front of the other. Therefore, this exercise loads not only the muscles, but also the vestibular apparatus, which is responsible for balance.
“Lunges are a complex exercise that requires a good warm-up before starting the workout,” says Daniil Lobakin, candidate master of sports, PRO expert Sportmaster PRO . — Performance may not be very stable if a person’s vestibular apparatus is not trained. You need to start small - do a shallow lunge and work without weight, working on technique and range of motion, balance.”
How to choose dumbbell weights
When choosing the optimal dumbbell weight, experts advise adhering to certain rules.
Professional recommendations:
- The initial weight of men's dumbbells is 4 kg, women's - from 2 kg.
- You can estimate the weight using a regular biceps curl. If, with the correct technique, you can do from 14 to 20 repetitions, then the weight is chosen correctly. Otherwise, you need to reduce your weight by 2 kg.
- If there are contraindications, then the minimum weight is used.
- Age should be taken into account. When an athlete is over 50, the condition of the joints is unsatisfactory.
- You need to learn to listen to your body, understand the principles of increasing the load.
How to do lunges to avoid knee pain?
Although classic lunges are performed with dumbbells or a barbell, you should start without them. The main thing is to master the correct technique, which will protect the joints from injury and maintain the health of the lower back.
“You can take a small weight and do shallow lunges with a small amplitude, gradually increasing the weight and pace,” advises Daniil Lobakin. “Even weightlifters do their first approach with an empty bar so that the body remembers how to do the exercises correctly.”
To protect your knee joints, it is important to consider the load on them not only in this specific exercise, but in your overall training program. After all, the leg joints are involved not only in lunges. Therefore, when planning exercises, you need to dose the load on the thigh and buttocks, because it is exercises for them that usually load the knee.
Anterior deltoid muscle
Most basic exercises target the anterior deltoid by working the middle part of the shoulder, so take this into account when training.
Dumbbell press on a vertical bench
Technique: starting position, hands slightly tilted inward, shoulders slightly stretched. We press strictly above our heads, bringing the dumbbells together (or we do a partial press, without bringing the dumbbells together at the top point)
Scott press
Technique: starting position, hands tilted inward. The movement is carried out in an arc, there is no movement in the elbow joint, we try to move the hands and elbows behind the head
Arnold press (this exercise works the middle and front parts)
Execution technique: starting position, dumbbells in front of you, hands facing your face. Raising your arms to the sides, press the dumbbells overhead.
Swing forward with dumbbells
Execution technique: starting position, hands at the hips. When swinging forward, we bring our arms in front of us, tilting our hands at 45 degrees to each other.
Swings with dumbbells alternately forward
Technique: starting position, hands at hips. We swing in front of us with one hand, in the starting position, slightly moving towards the opposite hand, the hand is tilted at 45 degrees.
Swings with a rope handle from the lower block forward
Execution technique: starting position, rope between legs, torso slightly tilted forward. We swing forward, performing a slight pronation of the hand (turning the hand downward).
Barbell chest press
Execution technique: medium grip, press from the upper chest, do not fully extend the elbows at the top point in order to maintain tension in the muscle.
Army press
Execution technique: grip strictly shoulder-width apart, moving upward, elbows pointing straight forward, at the end point the arms are not fully extended (partial movement).
Barbell Overhead Press
Execution technique: grip wider than shoulders, movement starts from behind the head at neck level.
Swing dumbbells forward with supination
Execution technique: when swinging forward, we perform supination of the hand (turning the palm upward), bringing our hands together in front of us.
Swings with a w-shaped bar forward with a reverse grip
Execution technique: swings are performed with a w-shaped bar, medium grip, reverse grip (hands pointing up).
How to replace lunges with dumbbells?
The choice of replacement also depends on your health and physical fitness.
“For sore knees, you can replace lunges with simpler exercises on machines or exercises for the leg muscles in a lying position,” says Sergey Kiselev, an expert in X-Fit gyms in Russia. “ Exercises using additional equipment will give a suitable effect: fitness band, fitball, TRX loops, etc.”
If the inability to do lunges results from poor physical shape, then they should be done without dumbbells and with your hand resting on a wall or chair. Or replace it with a squat: it places less demands on balance, since the legs are in an anatomically more comfortable position. Having strengthened the muscles with squats, you can do the lunges themselves. But if the problem is in the joints, then squats will overload them just like lunges.
“The lunges themselves can be made safer,” explains Sergey Kiselev. — First, remove the dumbbells (or barbell). Secondly, change the direction of movement when lunging and see how changing this parameter will affect the feeling in your knees. Try lunges not only forward, but also backward, to the side, and diagonally. The main thing is to maintain control of the technique while moving. The back lunge may be the best choice for you. The more complex the exercise is in coordination, the more difficult it is to maintain control in the joint. Therefore, choose the simpler option for yourself first.”
Thirdly, during lunges you can focus on different movements: in the knee joint, or the hip joint, or stick to an average option between these two. For problems in the knees, an option with an emphasis on the pelvis or an average one may be suitable.
Trapezius muscle workout
Anatomically, the trapezium is divided into 3 parts: upper, middle, lower. Each is responsible for various movements in the human body (turning the neck, pulling loads, lifting weights above the head). It’s not difficult to pump up a powerful trapezius; the following exercises will help with this:
Shrugs . By strengthening the upper part, posture, the visual appearance of the shoulders, and the volume of the back muscles are improved.
Tips for implementation:
- In a standing position, take the weight in your hands, palms located along the body.
- The entire shoulder girdle is tense.
- As you exhale, raise your shoulders up as high as possible.
- To avoid damage to the joints, lower your arms down and inhale.
- To work out the lower position, use stands of appropriate height.
Shrugs on an incline bench . A highly effective exercise for the prevention of musculoskeletal diseases.
Forces the shoulders and shoulder blades to contract at maximum amplitude, which has a beneficial effect on pumping up muscles:
- To perform the movement, sitting or standing, you will need an incline bench.
- They take the load, leaning on the exercise machine, and rest their feet on the floor.
- Focus on raising the weight to neck level and watch your breathing.
- Take the starting position.
Common exercises
Let's look at how you can replace lunges with dumbbells when training at home.
Wall squats: Stand with your back to a wall, press against it and slide down it, doing squats until your hips are horizontal. Here it is important to immediately choose a comfortable position for your feet - from the wall to the length of your hips. Place your feet wide enough and do not overstep during squats. Support under your back will relieve the hip joints and lower back, and shifting the center of gravity back to the wall will reduce pressure on the knee menisci.
Deadlift : lifting a barbell or dumbbells from the floor through a squat. Weights can be safely replaced with plastic bottles of water or packages of cereal placed in bags with handles. “There will be a load on the knees in any case, since this is work with weight and there is no way to avoid it,” explains Daniil Lobakin. “But each muscle works differently because the weight you're working with is in your hands. Your core muscles will work efficiently and will be affected by the weight and your sense of balance. You can try to place your feet wider, but if your support is unstable, you can get injured.
Swinging your leg back, forward and to the side perfectly pumps the muscles of the buttocks and the abductor/adductor muscles of the thigh. They are done standing, sometimes on the wall or on all fours. “Swings will not replace lunges - we work with very light weight, only the weight of the leg,” explains Daniil Lobakin. “In this case, you can use weighted ankle bracelets.”
Glute bridge: lying on the floor on your back, lean on your bent legs and lift your pelvis up. Your hips and torso should form a straight line. At the top point you can fix the pelvis or spring up and down. “The gluteal bridge is close to lunges in terms of load,” agrees Daniil Lobakin. “The load will be higher if you lift one leg and do a glute bridge alternately on different legs.”
Biceps Exercise Plan
If you want to see quick results in the form of powerful biceps, then train the target muscles 2-3 times a week according to one of our plans. But do not forget that the biceps do not need a separate workout; they are trained after working the chest, back or shoulders. Perform each exercise for 10-12 repetitions in three sets.
In the gym with dumbbells
Option 1
- Dumbbell curls with supination
- Reverse dumbbell curls
- Dumbbell curls with support on a bench (or Scott bench)
Option 2
- Dumbbell curls
- Dumbbell curls for biceps with a hammer
- Concentrated dumbbell biceps curl
In the gym with dumbbells and barbell
Option 1
- Barbell curls
- Incline Dumbbell Raises
- Dumbbell curls for biceps with a hammer
Option 2
- Dumbbell curls with supination
- Reverse barbell curls
- Spider barbell curls
At home with dumbbells
Option 1
- Dumbbell curls with supination
- Dumbbell curls for biceps with a hammer
- Reverse dumbbell curls
Option 2
- Dumbbell curls
- Concentrated dumbbell biceps curl
- Cross bicep curls
At home with dumbbells and barbell
Option 1
- Barbell curls
- Dumbbell curls with supination
- Reverse dumbbell curls
Option 2
- Dumbbell curls
- Dumbbell curls for biceps with a hammer
- Reverse barbell curls
What to replace lunges with at home?
As a rule, few people have a barbell at home. Meanwhile, lunges with it will be especially stressful. How to get the same effect?
“Lunges can be replaced by stepping onto a bed, stool or some kind of bench,” suggests Daniil Lobakine. — Place one foot on the stand, tilt your body forward and stand with the other leg. Then go the same way.”
Also, weights are an excellent substitute for squatting on one leg (with a pistol) or with one leg placed on a sofa stool. In the second case, the exercise is just as difficult. Like a squat on one leg, but the load on balance is less, because there is at least some support for the second leg.
Now you know how you can replace lunges with dumbbells or a barbell if you have no health restrictions. But what if they exist?
Training Recommendations
The main thing in training is that the weight of the weight is heavy enough for certain muscle groups. For example:
- for the legs, back and chest, a heavy dumbbell is suitable - from 8 to 12 kg and above;
- For the hands, the weight required is much lower.
The load is selected purely individually ; it is necessary that by the end of the approach the muscles feel tired and cannot perform more repetitions than required.
- For men, the muscle building regimen is often preferred, so perform up to 12 times.
- For women and men who want to lose weight or tone their muscles, it is necessary to perform training with one dumbbell for 15 or more repetitions, with a pause between sets of up to 1 minute.
Lunges for different health conditions
During menstruation. “Lunges, like many other exercises, are not contraindicated these days,” explains Sergey Kiselev, an expert in X-Fit gyms in Russia. “However, we need to take into account the girl’s well-being during this period. If critical days are painful, then you need to reduce the load during training, change the focus or give yourself complete rest.” In general, light cardio, stretching, and myofascial release are more comfortable than strength exercises.
If you have varicose veins, any standing exercises with weights are prohibited. Therefore, it is better to replace lunges with swings and leg bends while lying on your back with your legs up.
If you have hemorrhoids, you should also not strain, which invariably happens when rising from a fall or squatting. An at-home alternative would be the glute bridge.
For lumbar hernia and scoliosis, any training program should consist of exercises approved by a doctor. And these exercises will be light, stretching and balancing in nature, not strength. “In this case, your training will not be high-intensity,” says Sergey Kiselev. “Exercises will play a supporting role, maintaining muscle tone, improving microcirculation and tissue nutrition.”
Remember that full-fledged training of the required intensity to improve your figure can only be done when your health is normal. If there is a serious chronic illness, training should begin as a recreational exercise, and only after a few months can serious loads, including lunges, be possible.
Middle deltoid muscle
Swing dumbbells to the sides
Execution technique: starting position, hands at the hips, hands directed towards each other. When performing a swing, the arms are slightly bent at the elbows, with the hands making a slight pronation
Swing dumbbells to the sides while sitting
Execution technique: movement identical to side swings.
Swing dumbbells to the side with an inclination
Execution technique: hold on to any support, the body is tilted to the side so that the arm is hanging. We perform a movement identical to side swings, up to shoulder level.
Swing one arm to the side from the lower block
Execution technique: the hand is turned towards the block, the elbow is slightly bent, we try to perform an identical movement as in swings to the sides.
Swing one arm to the side from the lower block from behind the back
Execution technique: the movement is identical to the previous exercise, we perform it from behind the back.
Close-grip pull-down with w-bar
Execution technique: narrow grip, movement along the body, pointing the elbows up through the sides, trying to reach the chin.
Medium grip pull-down with w-bar
Execution technique: medium grip, we carry out a movement identical to pulling with a narrow grip.
Dumbbell swings to the sides, forwards, and upwards (in this exercise, the middle and front bundles work)
Execution technique: we carry out the work with light weights, swing to the side, then move our arms forward, then up. We return to the starting position using the same positions: we lower our arms in front of us, then we spread them to the sides and lower them to our feet.
