First, let’s talk about why you need to learn proper technique and form even before you touch the dumbbells. Most people think that no matter how you lift weights, nothing will go wrong and your body will accept the pressure while magically adjusting itself to your lifting style. This kind of mentality can end up hurting you as lack of proper form can result in injuries like sprains, strains, and dislocation of joints.
Lifting is way more than just picking up a chunk of metal and one has to understand that our muscles stretch a certain way. Our body has its own compass to calculate right angles and scales and if you start to load your body with exercises without proper form, your whole effort would go in vain. This may also cause you mild to severe pain with no results to show of your bodybuilding regimen.
Weight Matters
Choosing the right weight should be your topmost priority. The general advice is to get yourself comfortable with light weights then work your way up. However, light weight does not always mean that you should go too low – rather, it is more about your comfort. Which weight might suit you can be easily known by experimenting with different options.
Posture
Now that you have chosen the weight you are comfortable with, it’s time to correct your posture. The best tip here is to go through a little warm up routine. This gets your blood flowing and makes it easier to move. The second tip is to stand straight before attempting to lift anything.
Although there are many types of dumbbell exercises, the general advice you find here will apply to every dumbbell exercise. For example, the bicep curl, which needs you to:
- Stand straight
- Pick up dumbbells
- Keep them parallel to your side before bringing to the chest (which may result in your palm facing your chest)
- Another thing you have to remember is to breathe out on your way up and breathe in on you way down. Keep in mind not to hold your breath because this may unnecessarily increase your blood pressure.
To get the most result out of lifting, make sure to lift slowly and steady because this puts maximum strain on your muscles. Keeping yourself hydrated is also a good practice.
Common Ground for All Dumbbell Exercises
As mentioned earlier, there are many exercises that you can do using dumbbells like dumbbell press, dumbbell rows, lateral raise, shoulder press, upright row, etc. However, these exercises all require the same proper form for them to be carried out effectively. These include: warming up a little, standing straight, lifting slowly and steadily, breathing out on your way up while breathing in on your way down, keeping yourself hydrated, repeating sets, and last but not least rest. Happy lifting!