Of all the weight loss tips you’ll read in a year, the most important one to remember AND follow is to make sure you’re including some weight training in whatever workout you have going. This means do something that creates resistance in your movements. This may mean using your own body weight and gravity to provide resistance while you do some chin-ups or pull ups. The same can be done when you’re doing push up or even crunches. All of these exercises are types of resistance training and they all use your own weight for the resistance. But, there are other ways you can include some resistance in your workouts.
The most common way to start working with weights is to introduce some dumbells to your regular routine. If you’re in an aerobics or dance class, try doing some of the exercises with some dumbells in your hands. This will increase the resistance and your muscle mass at the same time. Don’t let that word ‘mass’ scare you, it doesn’t mean you’re going to become MASSive. Just pick up a small set of 3 lb weights and doing your aerobic workout. When that’s no longer a challenge, you can move up to 5, 10, 15 and more pounds of weight.
The most common type of dumbell weights are the rubber coated cast iron dumbbells. You’ll find these in the 1 – 12 lb ranges with some going as high as 15 lbs. Once you move beyond this weight, they usually lose the rubber coating. There are some dumbells which are just like the larger barbells, with metal plates you can throw on the ends and a screw or crimp locking system to keep them from sliding off of the dumbell.
One of the latest ideas in the dumbell weights world are the adjustable sets with one bar and several levels of weight built in. With these, you usually have a rack the weights are mounted in and a slider to select the appropriate weight. The slider will determine how many plates are released with the bar. If you need to change your weights, you just dock the bar back in the holder and move the slider. It couldn’t be easier. This is a great system for the smaller or lower weights.
You don’t need to go out and buy ever size dumbell from 1 lb on up to 50 lbs, but I would highly recommend you get a complete set of light weights. This will usually include a 2 or 3 lb set as well as a 5, a 10 and maybe a 12 lbs set. This is a fantastic starter region for most people. Then as you’re working out, if you find you’re maxing out with your highest weight but you aren’t reaching failure in 10-12 reps, you’re going to need to get some heavier weights.
Once you’ve got your collection of weights, if they didn’t come with one, you should get a rack to store them. These are usually little pyramid racks that store your weights from heaviest on the bottom, to lightest on top. Some of the heavier weights such at the 20 or 30 lb sets will be best left right on the floor in your workout area. Just always make sure you put them in the same place and you’ll have them as soon as you need them during your next workout.