Here's a general guideline for choosing dumbbell weights based on your fitness level: Beginner: 5-10 lbs (2.3-4.5 kg) Intermediate: 10-20 lbs (4.5-9 kg) Advanced: 20-30 lbs (9-13.6 kg)
How are dumbbells weighed ? Most adjustable dumbbell handles you'll find will weigh somewhere between 5 pounds to 10 pounds . Though some really sturdy ones can weigh 12 pounds or more.
Dumbbells weigh in the range of half to fifty pounds (up to 20-22 kgs). Usually, fitness experts recommend low weight dumbbells for beginners like you. Once you become handy with the form and workout, you can increase the weight of the dumbbells.
Dumbbells range in weight from 1/2-pound up to about 50 pounds. When you're starting out with a dumbbell routine, you're going to have to play around with different weights in order to find the ones that fatigue your muscles.
Suitable for Beginners: 20 pound dumbbells are a great weight to start with for beginners because they are not too heavy and not too light3. They can help beginners get a great pump and increase their size.
The average Dumbbell Curl weight for a female lifter is 30 lb (1RM). This makes you Intermediate on Strength Level and is a very impressive lift.
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.
Total beginners, who have only ever trained at home with no guidance from a personal trainer, should start with weights anywhere from 2kg-6kg, says Zara. “You don't want to start too heavy and end up losing confidence when you can't perform exercises,” she says.
A good rule of thumb is to start with a weight you can easily lift 10 times, with the last two repetitions being increasingly difficult. For some teens, this might be 1 pound to 2 pounds. If you are strong and fit, you might start at 15 pounds to 20 pounds.
Choose Your Reps and Sets
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 4 to 6 repetitions with heavier weight for hypertrophy (increased muscle size), 8 to 12 repetitions for muscular strength, and 10 to 15 reps for muscular endurance.
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.
Solid Standard Dumbbell Handles
Standard 14″ long dumbbell handles weigh 4-5 lbs each, provided they are solid steel like the above, not hollow.
If at any time you feel like the amount of weight you're lifting is messing up your form or limiting your range of motion, you need to take a step back and reevaluate what you're doing. This can be a clear indication that the weights you're using are too heavy for your current skill level.
How to Determine Your Dumbbell to Bench Press Ratio. While there's no definitive answer to how much less you can dumbbell press compared to bench pressing, a common rule of thumb is that you can lift approximately 20-30% less with dumbbells.
The answer here is yes, you should absolutely count that weight. After all, if you have two plates on the bar, which equates to 90 pounds, you are actually lifting 135 (because the bar weighs 45).
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.
The best exercise for growing the bicep muscle is any variation of the curl. Curls are best done using a barbell and weights or a set of dumbbells. If you're training in the gym, sitting at a bench or using the preacher curl machine can help to further concentrate tension on the bicep muscle, leading to bigger gains.
Resistance training promotes muscle growth. Examples of resistance training include the use of free weights, weight machines, your own body weight or resistance bands. Suggestions include: Train just two or three times per week to give your muscles time to recover.
Dumbbells tend to be more expensive than other gym equipment primarily due to their construction from high-quality materials, which ensures durability and performance.
As a beginner, it's often recommended to start with a set of two 5- to 10-pound weights. This range provides a good balance of challenging your muscles without straining them.
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.
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.