Durable 10 lb dumbbells provide the perfect amount of resistance to help you build strength and tone your muscles effectively. Whether you're targeting your arms, shoulders, or even your core, these dumbbells offer the versatility to work multiple muscle groups.
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.
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.
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.
5 Pounds - It will take you about three months to build your first 5 pounds of muscle. That's not a long time at all, and will have a noticeable impact on your physique. 10 Pounds - After 7 months in the gym you will have built a approximately 10 total pounds of mass.
Muscle is denser (meaning a lot less fluffy) than fat, says Dr. Calabrese. Put another way, 10 pounds of muscle takes up a lot less space than 10 pounds of fat. So, as you start working out regularly and building strength, the new muscle you build may eventually weigh more than the fat you've burnt off.
It's no myth that weight gain can be more pronounced in the face for some people, and several factors contribute to this. Genetics, hormonal changes, and water retention can all make the face appear fuller, even if the rest of the body doesn't. Some individuals are predisposed to store fat more visibly in their face.
Muscle tissue burns more calories than fat tissue, even when you're resting. More muscle means your body uses more energy, making it easier to lose weight and keep it off. “Investing in your muscle mass is like investing your 401(k),” says Kate.
In order to maximize hypertrophic gains, you should use a weight that you can do for 8 to 12 reps. That may mean 10 lbs.
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.
I recommend starting with 5-pound weights. Halfway through the month, do a check-in with your body to see if they feel too light. If so, you can move up to 7.5- or 8-pound weights. If you notice you are building muscle too quickly, or bulking instead of toning, I recommend staying lighter with your weights.
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.
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.
While it's possible to drop a lot of weight in one month, we don't recommend it. Anything over 8 pounds is likely water weight that you'll gain back. Crash dieting leads to gaining more weight long-term and slows your metabolism.
The rule of thumb, Fernstrom says, is that losing 8 to 10 pounds translates to going down one size. Still, if you lose "up to 15 pounds, you may be OK in your old size," she says. But putting off buying new clothes until you really need them doesn't work for everyone.
Choose a weight or resistance level heavy enough to tire your muscles after about 12 to 15 repetitions. When you can easily do more repetitions of a certain exercise, gradually increase the weight or resistance.
Increase the intensity of your workouts instead of working out for long periods of time. Make sure you're getting enough calories and protein in your diet for muscle growth. Get plenty of sleep and give your muscles time for recovery. Try supplements for more strength, energy, and power, like creatine and HMB.
Downtime between workouts (whether you're lifting, doing cardio or training for a sport) is when our bodies have a chance to actually build muscle. Strenuous workouts cause muscle breakdown, while rest allows our bodies to build it back up.
Doing the same strength workout every day
When you lift heavy weights, your muscles actually tear a little. Taking a day off between workouts gives those taxed muscles time to recover and allows your body to flush out products like lactic acid that build up while lifting.