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. Around the 4-6 rep range is a good benchmark.
If you are looking to build strength and increase muscle mass, you may want to consider a weight that is 15-20 pounds or more, depending on your current fitness level. If you are looking to tone and define muscles, a weight in the 10-15 pound range might be more appropriate.
In general, moving more weight would be associated with more muscle, yes. Between individuals it's not super obvious, but within an individual it is almost entirely down to having more muscle.
They sometimes think they can't train hard anymore, but if they just go lighter and do more reps, they can build muscle too.” Bottom line: “It's the effort you put in that matters most,” Hyson says. “Lifting heavier builds more strength, but lifting to failure with any weight can build bigger, more aesthetic muscles.”
For Hypertrophy
Both lighter weights with higher reps and heavier weights with lower reps increase muscle mass.
Protein and creatine are both beneficial supplements that may help you reach your fitness goals — whatever they may be. Creatine gives you the extra energy you need to power through your workouts and boosts athletic performance, while protein helps build and repair muscles for a more effective recovery.
Yes, you can definitely build muscle in a full-body session with just dumbbells, as well as gains in muscle strength. It's possible to train the entire body with no additional equipment outside of your dumbbells, not even a bench.
Start with a weight you can lift comfortably 12 to 15 times. For most people, a single set of 12 to 15 repetitions with a weight that fatigues the muscles can build strength efficiently and can be as effective as three sets of the same exercise. As you get stronger, gradually increase the amount of weight.
Train like a bodybuilder: If you're looking to maximize muscle size, target 8-12 reps per set (on average) and choose multijoint movements like the bench press, squat, overhead press, bent-over row, and deadlift, which recruit more total muscle mass than single-joint moves, thus allowing you to lift heavier weights.
Resistance training for muscle gain
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.
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.
For beginner men – Men new to weightlifting should aim to lift dumbbells ranging between five and 25 pounds, 12 to 15 times. This is the perfect weight range for toning your body without looking like a bodybuilder.
The 5/3/1 Method Training Cycle
Week one: For each workout, perform three sets of five reps (three x five) of one lifting exercise. So for example, on Monday, do three x five of bench presses, Wednesday three x five of squats, Friday three x five of shoulder presses, and Saturday three x five of deadlifts.
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.
Protein is needed for both building and repairing muscle, so you might think to gain more muscle quickly you need to eat extra protein.
Creatine appears to be generally safe, although when it is taken at high doses there is the potential for serious side effects, such as kidney damage. High doses may also stop the body from making its own creatine.
Excess intake of these proteins can also cause increased bowel movements, bloating, and even nausea. Other side effects include flatulence and diarrhea. If taken in excess quantities, protein supplements can cause you to gain weight. And by weight, we mean fat.