Dumbbells are my favorite form of exercise, and one I recommend to all beginners. Most beginners end up joining a gym and follow a program full of machines. Machines actually limit your range of movement and even put you in greater risk for injury.

Dumbbells, on the other hand will allow your body to move through its natural range of motion. And as long as you maintain proper technique,dumbbells are actually safer then machines.

If at any time you feel like you are unable to perform another repetition, then all you need to do is drop the dumbbells on the ground and walk away. You can’t do the same with machines.

Check out this video:

I have no idea what that exercise was or what muscles it worked. But, you can bet that guy was hurting in the wrong way when he woke up the following morning. I used to use one of those free two-week passes to train a friend of mine at the gym, and I saw some ridiculous stuff.

I literally changed my friend’s program and made him do all free weights. All barbell and dumbbell exercises, plus some pushups and pullups thrown in. After 10 months in the gym, he told me it was the toughest workout he’s done.

Anyways, lets move onto some good dumbbell exercises that you can do in the comfort of your own home. In fact, I’m going to let CraigBallantyne, author of Turbulence Training talk you through an entire beginner workout:

Warm up:

Workout A:

Workout B:

Click here for more Turbulence Training Workouts

P.S. For anyone who purchases a Turbulence Training through my links gets a free, 4-week bodyweight and dumbbell program

Click here for more Turbulence Training Workouts

Women these days are extremely busy. Most have full time careers, and need to raise a family. However, there is no reason why you can not stay in shape despite a busy schedule. You do not need to join a gym or perform hour long workouts for exceptional fitness.

All you need is a pair of dumbbells and your own bodyweight. The following are some key benefits of dumbbell and bodyweight workout routines for women:

Benefit #1: Get a Tighter, Slimmer Stomach

Most bodyweight and dumbbell exercises are compound, multi-joint movements. These movements do more for your abdominals then endless crunches andsitups. Crunches and situps do have some value, but you shouldn’t rely on them exclusively to get a tighter, slimmer stomach.

Benefit #2: Save Lots of Money

If you can learn how to train with dumbbell and bodyweight exercises in the comfort of your own home, then you will no longer have to rely on personal trainers, gym memberships, or expensive equipment. A good personal trainer averages $50 per session and gym memberships costs at least $400 per year.

Benefit #3: No More Excuses

Imagine being able to workout anywhere and anytime you choose. You can do a quick bodyweight circuit in your office in between meetings. You can get a great, 30 minute workout before you eat breakfast. Bodyweight and dumbbells exercises can literally be done anywhere and anytime you wish.

Benefit #4: Get Better Results

If you can learn how to design super intense workouts, then you can force your body to work harder. It’s not how long you workout, but how hard you workout. You can get better results with a super high intensity 10 minute workouts rather than a 60 minute low intensity workout.

One of the best Bodyweight and Dumbbell Workout programs for Women is the Turbulence Training 8-Week Program. Click here for more information.

The word “Cardio” or cardiovascular means “relating to, or involving the heart and blood vessels,” according to the Merriam-Webster medical dictionary. In other words, “Cardio” has nothing to do with spending countless hours on a treadmill, or watching a video of an anorexic woman doing aerobics.

Cardio basically refers to training the heart. And the best way to train the heart is not with boring jogging or aerobics, but instead high intensity bodyweight and dumbbell exercises. This is because I prefer to have fun while I workout.

The following is a list of 24 bodyweight and dumbbell exercises that you can use to develop your own fun cardio workout:

1. Dumbbell Push Press
2. Dumbbell Jump Shrugs
3. Bodyweight Split Jump
4. Bodyweight Knee Raise to Side Push Up
5. Bodyweight Free Squat
6. Dumbbell Sumo Deadlift
7. Bodyweight Hindu Pushups
8. Dumbbell Alternating Hanging High Pull
9. Dumbbell Front Squat
10. Dumbbell Two Handed Swing
11. Bodyweight Squat Thrust
12. Bodyweight Step Ups
13. Bodyweight Squat Jumps
14. Dumbbell Squat Clean
15. Bodyweight Rest Pause Pull Ups
16. Bodyweight Butt Raises
17. Bodyweight Ice Skater Hops
18. Bodyweight Dive Bomber Push Ups
19. Dumbbell Renegade Row
20. Bodyweight Classic Push Up
21. Dumbbell Bent Over Row
22. Dumbbell Twisting Military Press
23. Dumbbell Split Jerk
24. Dumbbell Golf Squat

To learn how to perform these exercises, along with high intensity workouts and intensity techniques, check out the Gladiator Body Workout. Click here for more information.

Your lower body is one of the biggest and most important muscle group in your body. Unfortunately, most people ignore the lower body or just perform a few sets of squats just to “work” it. The following are a few exercises you can use to add some more variety and make your lower body workouts fun and exciting.

Variation #1: Dumbbell Front Squat

• Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and grab a pair of dumbbells. Lightly rest one of the heads of each dumbbell on your shoulder. Your elbows should be in front of your body with your upper arms parallel to the ground. With your back straight and abdominals contracted, squat down as far as you can go.
• Pause at the bottom and stand up to starting position. Make sure to keep looking forward.

Variation #2: Dumbbell Thruster

• A dumbbell thruster is simply a combination of the dumbbell front squat and shoulder press. Hold the dumbbells up near your shoulders, with your elbows out in front of you and your upper arms parallel to the ground. Squat down as low as you can do, keep your feet flat on the floor.
• Make sure your back is straight, abs are contracted, and your knees do not go past your toes. Keep your head steady and look forwards. When you reach your lowest point, quickly reverse the movement and stand back up. While standing up, start to press the dumbbell over your head.
• The end position should be your arms overhead and your legs straight. Practice this movement until you flow smoothly between the front squat and shoulder press.

Variation #3: Dumbbell Deadlift

• Stand with a shoulder width stance and grab a pair of dumbbells with an overhand grip. Keep them in front of your body with palms facing you. Slowly squat down towards the floor, keep the dumbbells in front of your body. Go down as low as possible, then reverse the movement and stand up at starting position.
• Keep your back straight and core tight. Do not let your knees fall past your toes.

Variation #4: Dumbbell One Leg Deadlift

• Place two dumbbells on the floor with the handles parallel to each other. Stand between the dumbbells, and lift on leg slightly off the ground. Tuck it behind your body by bending your knees. With your back straight, chest out, and head looking forward, squat down with one leg and reach forward to grab the dumbbells.
• Stand up to starting position. Lower your body back down to place the dumbbells back on the floor. Return to starting position and repeat with the other leg.

Easier version of one leg deadlift:

Variation #5: Dumbbell Bulgarian Squat

• Stand facing away from a sturdy chair or bench with feet shoulder width apart and dumbbells held at your sides. Lift on leg and place your toes on the chair/bench behind you. Keep your back straight and chest out as you lower your body towards the ground by bending your knee.
• Lower yourself as far as you can go, then return back to starting position. In the beginning, you will need to adjust the distance and position of the surface behind you a few times before you get it right.

Variation #6: Sumo Dumbbell Deadlift

• Place two dumbbells on the floor side by side with the handles parallel to each other. Stand over the dumbbells with a wide stance. With your hands between your legs, ready to grab the dumbbells, squat down as if you were doing a sumo squat.
• When you get low enough, grab the two dumbbells. Keep your back straight and head facing forward as you lift the dumbbells up. Do not bend your arms. You are not bending or engaging any other part of your body besides your legs. The biggest mistakes people make with this movements is bending their arms using their upper backs to lift the dumbbells.
• Keep your back straight, core tight, and stance grounded as you straighten out your body. Lower yourself to starting position.

Like this, but with two dumbbells:

For some more great unique dumbbell exercsies and workouts, check out the Superior Dumbbell Workout.

I’ve been promoting Coach Lomax’s Gladiator Body Workout (GBW) for quiet some time. GBW is a fitness program that combines bodyweight and dumbbell training for highly effective workouts. I began promoting GBW simply because I found Coach Lomax’s methods very similar to my own.

I decided to contact Coach Lomax and ask a few questions about the Gladiator Body Workout and why it is so effective for overal health and fitness:

Parth: Hey Coach, thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule to have a chat with me. So, what is Gladiator Body Workout?

Coach: The Gladiator Body Workout is a series of workouts and challenges that combine bodyweight exercises and dumbbell exercises. Exercise is about movement…and there are not better movements to train that the movement of your own body, or weighted movement in a single limb or alternating fashion. These are the movements most used to face the challenges of work, sport and life and therefor the best movements to train for the most benefits of your everyday life.

Parth: Ok, Coach. I get the whole idea of training movements rather than muscle groups. But can’t an individual successfully achieve this with bodyweight training alone? Why is it necessary to add free weights into a training program?

Coach: There are two types of movement…the movement of your own body, and the movement of weighted objects through space. Both movement should be trained. And free weights closely resemble weighted movement you would encounter outside the gym. This means more real world benefits for you.

Click here for more information about the Gladiator Body Workout Program

Parth: But there are so many machines and products out there that claim to improve your health, fitness, and athletic abilities. Why are free weights more effective than machines or infomercial products?

Coach: As I stated above, free weights more closely resemble real world activities. Using a machine in a gym helps you get better at using a machine in a gym. While there will be some improvement of ability in other activities, most of your improvements will be specific to the method of training you use. I’m assuming you work out to improve performance outside the gym. Therefore, these machines and gadgets that restrict movement, have you sitting down most of the time and make the exercises “easier” aren’t really training you for the real world.

Parth: Alright Coach, you’ve convinced me. Now, for individuals who really wish to add free weights to their current programs but don’t have a weight set at home, what kind of equipment do you feel they should start with?

Coach: Dumbbells are the best. You don’t need a full weight set, just a pair of dumbbells will do. As a matter of fact, I think dumbbells are the best free weights to use. You can lift them in unison, one at a time and in an alternating manner. This means you can train your body in the way it most naturally moves, which means more real world benefits than other forms of training. There are subtle benefits of using dumbbells as well. For example, lifting dumbbells in an alternating manner stresses the core, making every exercise a core strengthening exercise. Or, doing exercises one limb at a time extends the time period of each set…burning more fat.

Basically, not having a full weight set is an advantage because you can focus on dumbbells and get their full benefit. All too often, exercisers only use dumbbells for light weight isolation exercises…a complete waste of time in my opinion.

Parth: Well, the truth is that the majority of people get into exercise to lose weight. So, how can one lose fat with the Gladiator Body Workout?

Coach: Easy, do the workouts. Exercise is a must for weight loss and building the attractive body you want…combined with nutrition of course. There is even a Fat Loss Workout in the Gladiator Body Workout package designed specifically to burn fat. The Above & Beyond workouts, also included in the package, are very challenging and will burn off a lot of fat as well. Combining bodyweight and dumbbell exercises keeps your heart rate up and varies levels of resistance. This challenges your body on multiple levels, and uses a lot of energy. This leads to weight loss.

Click here for more information about the Gladiator Body Workout Program

Parth: What about Cardio? Do you have a cardio plan in the program?

Coach: For the Optimum Fitness & Physique workouts I suggest you do the “cardio” workouts in the Bonus Report “Cardio Common Sense.” In the Above & Beyond workouts, the cardio is intertwined into the workouts themselves…so no extra cardio is necessary.

Parth: Well, I must concede to the fact that the workouts are certainly challenging. What motivated you to design some incredibly challenging workouts?

Coach: I designed the Gladiator Body Workout mainly for the at home exerciser who wanted to build a strong, lean, and athletic body in limited space with limited equipment. All you need is a pair of dumbbells. And the fact is, bodyweight exercise and dumbbell exercise are two of the best methods to use for real world benefits you can see, feel and use. The combination really is powerful. So, this workout is for anyone who wants to improve real world performance, feel their best and build an athletic body that looks and performs great.

Parth: Ok, so as I mentioned, the workouts are really challenging. Is this program more for Advanced or Beginner trainees?

Coach: The workout structure is designed to take you from beginner to advanced. I am big on progression. Incremental improvements towards your ultimate goal. You should start with the workouts in the Optimum Fitness & Physique program first. This will build the physical base you need to tackle the Above & Beyond workouts. No matter what your level…there are workouts to challenge you and promote improvements.

Click here for more information about the Gladiator Body Workout Program

Parth: Another important goal for most people is mass gain. Will the Gladiator Body Workout help them gain muscle mass?

Coach: With this kind of workout, your body builds muscle when it needs muscle to improve performance. This is why the muscle you build is not only attractive, but useful as well. There is a specific strength and size workout, but don’t mistake this with a bodybuilding workout. You are not just building muscle by inflating them just to build muscle. The muscle your body builds is useful muscle that not only is strong…but looks great too. In my opinion, this type of program and the muscle it builds creates the kind of body most exercisers want…athletic muscle, and not inflated bodybuilder muscle.

Parth: So, Gladiator Body Workout also includes a Combo Package. Can you tell use what’s included in this package?

Coach: The Combo Pack includes 2 other full workout programs…Ultimate Gymless Workout and Extreme Dumbbell Fitness. These workouts are the exact same structure and progressions as the Gladiator Body Workout. One just uses bodyweight exercises and other just dumbbell exercises (where Gladiator is a combination of bodyweight and dumbbell exercises).

Honestly, this gives you a lifetime of effective workouts you can do anywhere.

Parth: Why should someone purchase the combo package?

Coach: Choice, flexibility and variety. It is always good to have a choice, and when you have all three workouts you can pick and choose. Since the workout structure is the same (just the exercises and equipment changes), you can mix and match. For example, you could do a combined bodyweight/dumbbell fitness workout, then a bodyweight fatloss workout and then a dumbbell strength and size workout. This kind of variety keeps your body improving while still adhering to the overall workout structure designed for consistent improvements.

Plus, you can continue to do your workout program even on vacation or a business trip. Just pick the bodyweight version of the workout if you are going to be away from your dumbbells.

Variety is great, and you can rotate between the different workouts and methods indefinitely for continued progression.

Parth: Wow, thanks Coach. Hope my readers enjoy Gladiator Body Workout as much I do.

Click here for more information about the Gladiator Body Workout Program

Interval Training is a great intensity technique which helps you blur the lines between cardio and strength training. I personally love combining cardio and strength training because it saves me time. I no longer have to perform separate cardio and strength training workouts.

Actually, I need to stop using the word cardio. It’s not cardio, it’s Energy Systems Training (EST). EST is all about improving the way your body uses nutrients to fuel strenuous physical activity. In other words, train your heart and lungs to help you fuel your workouts.
Continue reading