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Give Dumbbells a Chance!

When going to the gym, it is essential to get the most out of every workout.  If you only have an hour to lift and want to feel a better pump how can you do that? What is the best way to execute an exercise for maximum efficiency?

One way, replace your barbell workouts with dumbbells whenever you can.

Now obviously, this is not realistic for things like squats, deadlifts or any compound exercises involving major muscle groups because those require much more coordination and weight than exercises for your smaller muscles.  However, it is very possible for people to replace a great deal of their upper body and some lower body work with dumbbells as they move away from compound exercises. 

Why do this?

Muscular Imbalances: When I am working with a client, I start them off with dumbbells for every exercise I can.  This is because as they go through the exercise, I can compare both sides of their body.  A lot of the times, we will see an imbalance where one side has better form, or can even lift more weight than the other.  This is not a good thing.  If people come to rely on barbells, they will also continue to rely on their dominate side to support more weight throughout the movement worsening the imbalance over time.  Imbalances can lead to injury, impair athletic performance or even become visible when they become bad enough.  When we can see an imbalance from dumbbell work, we can then work towards correcting it through proper weight adjustments and technique.

Stabilization: The use of dumbbells increases the need for core stability and focus during your exercise.  This can improve your general core strength as well as balance over time. 

Range of Motion: Have you ever used a barbell and felt like you were continuously unable to complete the exercise because the bar is bumping into your shoulders, or pecs, or abs?  Using dumbbells eliminates that issue, subsequently, increasing the range of motion you can achieve throughout a movement.  With increased range of motion, you are able to work out more of the muscle in order to achieve an overall more complete repetition.

The author's views are entirely his or her own and may not always reflect the views of Bodybuilding Nation.
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