Medium vs. Heavy Weights. For beginners, Ben recommends trying five to 10 pounds for light weights, 10 to 20 pounds for medium weights, and 15 to 30 pounds for heavy weights—or simply starting with five-pound weights for each exercise and working up from there.
For smaller muscle groups (like arms), they may be adequate, but for larger muscle groups (like legs), you might need heavier weights. In summary, 10 lb dumbbells can be enough for beginners or for specific exercises, but you may need to increase the weight over time to continue making progress in strength training.
As a general guideline: Beginners: Starting with 5 to 10-pound dumbbells is often suitable for most 12-year-olds. This allows them to focus on proper form without risking injury. Form and Technique: It's crucial to prioritize form over the amount of weight lifted.
To tone your arm muscles, consider starting with 2- to 3-pound dumbbells, all the way up to 5- to 10-pound dumbbells for women and 10- to 20-pound dumbbells for men. Once you can do 12 to 15 repetitions with little effort, it's time to increase the weights.
Lightweight Dumbbells (1-5 lbs)
Moreover, for aerobic workouts, such as high-repetition exercises or adding resistance to cardio routines, light dumbbells are excellent for increasing intensity and calorie burn without causing fatigue too quickly.
For beginners, Ben recommends trying five to 10 pounds for light weights, 10 to 20 pounds for medium weights, and 15 to 30 pounds for heavy weights—or simply starting with five-pound weights for each exercise and working up from there.
Using lighter weights with higher repetitions might be a more efficient way to build muscle. If you're new to weight-training, you may wonder what the best approach is when it comes to building muscle.
Everyone has a different fitness goal in mind ranging from losing weight, gaining muscle mass and increasing endurance and strength. Believe it or not, you can reach any of those goals with a set of 10 pound dumbbells.
While six to ten pounds may not sound like very much, an increase of ten pounds of muscle would be noticeable on anyone's physique. More experienced lifters may gain anywhere from two to four pounds of muscle within a year.
Some examples of muscle-building dumbbell exercises include the Arnold Press or the Bench Press. Building muscle mass will require the use of heavier weights and lower reps. 5kg dumbbells or 10kg dumbbells are good for beginners, while intermediate to advanced users will aim for around 15kg dumbbells and above.
Gagliardi put together a list of nine different exercises you can do using 10-pound dumbbells targeting various areas of the body, including lower and upper legs, hips, core, arms, chest and back. For each of the exercises, perform 1 to 4 sets of 8 to 15 reps.
The study found that the muscle size results for both groups were similar. However, for strength gains, the subjects using higher weights and lower reps saw the most benefit. When it comes to gaining muscle, as long as you're working close to failure, the weight you choose becomes less important.
1 Pound Weights
These are a good starting point for older adults who are new to strength training or have limited mobility. They can be used for exercises such as arm circles, bicep curls, and lateral raises. Also recommended pushing up overhead.
Benefits of dumbbell exercises for weight loss
A 2021 study published in the journal Sports Medicine found that resistance training or weightlifting can help reduce body fat percentage, body fat mass and visceral fat in healthy adults. Dumbbell exercises may not only help you lose weight, but gain muscle too.
Beginners are advised to start with 5- to 10-pound weights, while those returning to fitness or looking to bulk up might find a range between 3 and 25 pounds more suitable. Prioritising form and technique over weight is essential, particularly when starting.
A resounding yes. Dumbbells are one of the top resistance training tools for both beginners and elite athletes. Their effectiveness at building strength and muscle makes them a staple for any fitness routine – and their storability makes them a staple for any home gym.
Build Strength and Tone Muscles
Durable 10 lb dumbbells provide the perfect amount of resistance to help you build strength and tone your muscles effectively.
Visually, you'll usually notice muscle growth in as little as four to six weeks after beginning training, Carlson says. And you can expect those gains to continue for another year or two. “We will maximize most of our increases in lean muscle within the first 18–24 months of strength training,” he adds.
Muscle weighs more than body fat
A pound of lean muscle mass and a pound of body fat tissue might weigh the same, but they take up different amounts of space. This means that muscle and fat may look the same on the scale, but they'll look different on your body.
You don't need to spend hours a day lifting weights to benefit from strength training. You can see significant improvement in your strength with just two or three 20- or 30-minute strength training sessions a week.
Understanding What “Heavy” Means
The answer varies depending on your personal experience and goals. For a seasoned lifter, heavy might mean lifting close to their one-repetition maximum (1RM). For someone just starting, lifting a 10-pound dumbbell might feel like a significant challenge.
However, for strength gains, the subjects using higher weights and lower reps saw the most benefit. Lygdback adds that 'if you are competing in a strength sport or you want to get stronger, higher weight and lower reps are definitely much better for you.
One of the most common ways to build arm muscle is to lift weights, but you don't have to bench press hundreds of pounds to strengthen your upper limbs. Light weights can also do the trick, especially if you use the right strategy and have realistic expectations.
Rest between set durations should be based on sets/exercise (volume), and not load or training goal. General recommendations include moderate (2 min) rest between sets if performing 2 sets/exercise, long rest (3 min) if performing 3 sets/exercise, and very long rest (> 4 min) if performing 4 sets or more/exercise.