If you want firm, slender shoulders and you want to lose a few kilos, start exercising with dumbbells. Contrary to appearances, it is not only equipment intended for men. We will tell you what to consider when choosing your first dumbbells and how to choose them for the type of exercises you do.
Dumbbells for womenusually have a different purpose than those for men. They strengthen the muscles to a lesser extent, but efficiently enough to keep the body slim and flexible. They are especially recommended for women who have little strength in their hands and would like to prevent sagging skin on their arms.
Exercises with dumbbells are also important in the prevention of osteoporosis - they strengthen not only muscles, but also bones. Increased bone density means that you are less prone to injury and fracture.
Exercising with dumbbells is also an effective way to burn excess body fat, because this type of training usually involves several muscle groups at once and forces them to work more than traditional exercises.
There are many types of dumbbells for women on the market today. They differ in weight, material and colors. An important criterion when buying is also the nature of the exercises that we intend to perform with the use of dumbbells.
Dumbbells for women - types
Due to the material from which the dumbbells are made, we distinguish:
- Neoprene dumbbells- the inside of the dumbbells is made of cast iron, while the neoprene covers the weight only on the outside. The synthetic coating makes the tool pleasant to the touch - it is not cold and rough, as in the case of dumbbells with a metal bar. Good neoprene does not absorb moisture, so there is less risk that the weight will slip out of your hand. In addition, in the event that the dumbbell falls on the floor, the material will dampen the impact sound and cushion the fall. Neoprene dumbbell weights are available from 0.5 to 5 kg. They come in different colors and can have different ends: round, triangular, square. Custom shapes prevent the weights from rolling after standing.
- Soft dumbbells- covered on the outside with a nice-to-touch PVC material. They are available with only one type of tip, round, so when set aside the dumbbell can easily come offmove. Usually their weight does not exceed 2 kg. The small size makes them suitable for people with small hands who have problems with comfortably grasping other types of dumbbells.
- Vinyl dumbbell(otherwise: coated) - the inside is made of concrete, while the outside is covered with a layer of vinyl. They have ends with special grooves that prevent the weight from rolling over the floor. The vinyl dumbbell weights available are from 1.5 to 5 kg. They are slightly larger than soft or neoprene dumbbells, so they are not recommended for people with small hands. They come in a wide range of colors.
- Rubber dumbbells- the rubber used in them has a non-slip effect. Dumbbells are divided into three types:
- all covered with a rubber coating - they are the smallest and weigh from 0.5 to 5 kg;
- with rubber-coated ends - available in both smaller and larger weights (up to 50 kg);
- with rubberized plates - these dumbbells are intended for advanced strength practitioners. The weight of the plates is 7-37 kg.
- Dumbbells with a handle- can be covered with neoprene or a soft sponge. They have a Velcro-fastened handle, which is perfect for aerobic exercises, because it prevents the device from slipping out of the hand. The material from which they are made, however, has a major disadvantage - it easily absorbs moisture, so that after some time the dumbbells may look dirty and smell bad. Weights are available from 0.5 to 5 kg.
- Bitumen dumbbells- consist of a bar, clamps and plates. The plates are made of sand and covered with plastic. They can be changed depending on your needs. Recommended rather for people who have chosen strength training. The maximum weight available is 10 kg.
- Cast iron dumbbells- similar to bituminous dumbbells, they consist of a bar, clamps and plates. The discs are made of cast iron.
Read also:
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Dumbbells for women - which dumbbells to start with?
If you plan your dumbbell training for a specific purpose, such as toning your arms or losing a few kilos, choose neoprene, soft, vinyl or rubber dumbbells. They will be more handy and comfortable than adjustable dumbbells, i.e. bituminous and cast iron dumbbells.
If you want to enrich your aerobic training with strength elements, choose dumbbells withhandle - they will be more secure in your hand.
Complete beginners who have never used strength training should start with the smallest weight, i.e. 0.5 kg. Those who are more fit can try to start with 2 kg. To check that you have adjusted the dumbbell weight correctly to your abilities, do approx. 13 lifts with the weights. If you feel tired but your hands are not shaking, you have selected the correct weight.
As time goes on, your muscles will get stronger and stronger. Small loads of 0.5 or 1 kg can stop the positive effects of training. When you feel that the muscles are not working as intensively when lifting dumbbells as at the beginning, change the dumbbells to heavier ones - e.g. by 0.5 kg. If you only want to tone specific parts of the body, but do not want to emphasize them, choose weights up to 5 kg.
Bitumen and cast iron dumbbells will be useful for people who plan regular training in order to build visible muscle mass. Buying plates of different weights will make it easier to move to the next level of advancement and will be cheaper than buying separate weights each time.