Free Weights: Barbells and Dumbbells, What You Need to Know
Have you ever felt intimidated by the free weights section, barbells and dumbbells, in a gym?
“How do I use them?” you might have asked yourself. Or maybe, “What weight is right for me?”
You’re not alone!
It’s totally understandable! Machines in gyms often have instructions printed on them, which makes them more accessible. Barbells and dumbbells don’t, so some people will avoid them.
Here’s the truth: Barbells and dumbbells can be used to improve your fitness dramatically, and with some instruction you’ll feel more comfortable using them.
Read on. We’ll provide some info on both implements!
Dumbbells:
Dumbbells come in all colors, shapes and sizes. Some are rubber coated, and some are metal. They usually go up in weight by 5-lb jumps, sometimes 1-lb. or 3-lb. dumbbells. On the other end, they can be well over 100 lb., though it’s much more common to see heavy dumbbells in the range of 60 or 70 lb. You may have even seen those fancy adjustable dumbbells on TV.
Whatever they look like, dumbbells are most commonly held in the hands. You might see someone carrying a dumbbell on their shoulders from time to time.
Dumbbell exercises for the upper body:
Here’s a short, non-exhaustive list (some exercise variations can involve benches to provide support):
Shoulder presses
Chest presses
Pull-overs
Rear deltoid flys
Front raise
Shrugs
Bent-over rows
Biceps curls
Triceps extensions.
Dumbbells exercises for the lower body:
Here are just a few exercises you can perform while holding dumbbells:
Squats
Lunges
Deadlifts
Step-ups
Snatches
Cleans
If you take one thing from all this, remember that dumbbells allow you to do a variety of strength-building exercises. Allowing for more movement and progressive overload. You can even use them in conditioning workouts if you select the right loads and movements.
Barbells:
Barbells come in many varieties, but we’ll note one key point: You can adjust the load on some barbells by adding weight plates. While other barbells are locked to a fixed weight, such as 30 lb.
Fixed-weight barbells will often be found on large racks, and they’ll usually go up in increments of 5 or 10 lb.
Adjustable barbells have a sleeve on each end, which you can slide different plates to create the exact load you want. The plates are held on by a “collar” so they don’t slide off. An empty barbell usually weighs 35 or 45 lb. (15 or 20 kg), though lighter variations exist. When loaded with plates, barbells can weigh hundreds of pounds.
Barbells can be used for a whole host of upper- and lower-body exercises. In fact, almost any movement done with a dumbbell can be performed with a barbell. The difference between DB and BB is that you can often lift more with a barbell because you can apply all your force into one object instead of trying to control two objects.
If you’ve ever watched the Olympics you have seen barbells used by very strong, powerful athletes who performed two different lifts: the snatch and clean and jerk. Barbells are also seen in powerlifting competitions in which people try to lift as much as possible in the squat, bench press and deadlift. Even beginners who are new to fitness can learn to do these movements with the help of a coach!
How to Use Dumbbells and Barbells:
We love both types of fitness equipment, but we also understand that dumbbells and barbells can be slightly harder to use than fitness machines.
Don’t Worry!
At Faith Fitness Gym we’ve taught hundreds of people over the last 10+yrs how to use dumbbells and barbells to accomplish their fitness goals, and they’re always thrilled to learn new variations that keep workouts fresh and exciting. Because who wants a boring workout?!
If you’re interested in learning more about how to use different pieces of fitness equipment, we can help! We offer classes, semi-private and 1:1 personal training. With personalized training plans that include movements you enjoy and even equipment you have if training remotely.
To learn more about lifting, book a free consultation HERE
Inspired by Stacy Boil at Faith Fitness Gym