There are a wide variety of exercises available to facilitate your muscular development and of these by far the best are free weight training exercises. Free weight exercises offer increased muscular development as opposed to nautilus style machines because of the additional resistance these machines place on supporting muscles. Dumbbell exercises are a kind of free weight exercise that has been around for a very long time. In fact, dumbbells are the world’s oldest known work out instrument and can be traced back several thousand years to ancient times. Dumbbells offer a reliable and effective means of building muscle.

Like most other free weight exercises, dumbbells facilitate muscle growth by placing resistance on stabilizing and supporting muscles. As compared to nautilus machines and even body weight exercises, dumbbells offer a much greater range of motion and actually mimic natural body motion. Greater range of motion and broader muscle resistance mean substantial muscle gains, one reason that dumbbells have been around as long as they have. Utilizing dumbbells during workouts allows you to target specific areas of the body more effectively than would ordinarily be possible.

Use of dumbbells during a workout requires strict safety considerations. Because dumbbells are free weights there is always the possibility of injury from a dropped or mishandled weight. Before handling dumbbells it’s always a good idea to do some muscle warm ups in order to loosen and condition each muscle. Accidents are much more likely to happen when your muscles have not been properly warmed up. To warm your muscles up before using dumbbells, try lifting a weight that allows you to do a minimum of fifteen repetitions. In addition, try basic warm up exercises such as stretches and extensions. Using a spotter during a dumbbell workout can also greatly reduce the likelihood of an accident.

Most people commonly associate dumbbells with the triceps and biceps but in reality dumbbells are effective on many of the bodies muscle groups. A common exercise for working out the biceps is the hammer curl, which also has the distinction of being one of my favorite exercises. To perform the hammer curl, grip a dumbbell in each arm that will allow you to do at least six repetitions. Grip the weight in such a way that the weights are facing up and down instead of side to side. With your elbows held tight against your body, curl each weight towards you in a ‘hammer’ like motion. Try lifting each weight one at a time instead of simultaneously to reduce fatigue.

There are many other exercises that can be performed with dumbbells such as shoulder press, chest flies, bench rows, and lunges. Not all of these dumbbell exercises will be right for your particular workout regimen, but you should incorporate at least one dumbbell exercise. Always remember to warm up before lifting dumbbells and never attempt to lift a weight that is too heavy for you.

It’s my opinion that anyone trying to put on muscle should spend their first six months or so doing a strength based routine.

A good strength program will have you using the major compound movements using low reps and heavy weights. I would suggest doing 5 sets with 5 reps per set. Squats, deadlifts, bench press, barbell bent over rows, overhead press are the main exercises with dips, pull-ups and pushups as supplements

Start with a light enough weight to get the proper form down and then add weight to the bar every session. Don’t worry about the starting weight being too light and looking like a wimp. If you add 5 to 10 pounds every day you train, you’ll be moving up very quickly

With proper nutrition and rest, and following a strength routine like this, a person new to lifting can double their strength within a few months

Once you have a solid strength foundation to build on you can then go on to a more bodybuilding focused program or you might just like to stay with a strength program once you see, and feel, the results.

For many years it was debated whether or not it was advisable for those aged 50 and older to engage in weight lifting. Some physiologists reasoned that weight lifting could place an undo strain on the bones and joints of older people. Research conducted over the past twenty years has shown that mild weight lifting by those aged fifty and over not only promotes good health but can also slow down the visible and internal effects of aging. Mild weight lifting has even been shown to lessen the effects of depression and anxiety.

Aging takes a terrible and unfortunate toll on the body including organ deterioration, bone deterioration, loss of muscle tone, and a slowing of the body’s metabolism. Twenty five years ago it was reported by the New England journal of medicine that mild weight lifting could actually reduce the likelihood of certain diseases and slow down the overall effects of aging on the body. The journal reported that one of the underlying causes behind bone and muscle deterioration was excessive resting due to the onset of fatigue. Excessive resting of the body leads to a downward spiral of deterioration.

For years, those close to professional athletes have noticed that their bodies have a tendency to age much more slowly than normal. A sports illustrated journalist once remarked that many athletes he had seen over the age of forty still had bodies that resembled those of men half their age. The reason behind the slowed aging process was believed to be because of many of the former athletes continued lifting weights on a regular basis despite the fact that they no longer played a sport. Recently, Sylvester Stallone gave an interview to promote his new film and the audience was shocked to learn that 61 year old actor was in amazing physical condition. The reason, he explained, was that he was still working out and had been for more than forty straight years.

The center for disease control recently reported as fact what many in the fitness world have known for years. The center concluded that mild weight lifting is a very powerful means of reducing the symptoms associated with chronic conditions like diabetes, arthritis, depression, and obesity. Mild weight lifting was also found to help keep the skin remain firm and elastic during the aging process. One study even found that weightlifting just two days a week amongst those age eighty and over actually reduced falls by as much forty percent.

There are actually very few negatives associated with weight lifting over the long term. On the contrary, there are many benefits to weight lifting especially amongst older people. Those interested in developing a healthy workout regimen should consult with a fitness expert before attempting regular weight lifting. While weight lifting may be very beneficial, it can be potentially harmful if done incorrectly.

If you’re interested in learning more about weightlifting for older people you should check out Weightlifting Over Fifty.