Q&A for How to Work Out at Home Using Hand Weights

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  • Question
    How do I use hand weights to work on my abs?
    Michele Dolan
    Michele Dolan
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.
    Michele Dolan
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Expert Answer
    One way is to hold one or two dumbbells at chest height while doing crunches. The "Straight Arm pullover" described above, can work the abs, especially if you raise your legs up to meet the dumbbells as the arms pull the dumbbells from overhead to above the chest.
  • Question
    What exercise gets rid of arm flab?
    Michele Dolan
    Michele Dolan
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.
    Michele Dolan
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Expert Answer
    Cardio will burn fat overall, and arm exercises will build muscle and tone which will improve the shape of your arms.
  • Question
    What exercises can I do with free weights?
    Michele Dolan
    Michele Dolan
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.
    Michele Dolan
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Expert Answer
    Aim to do exercises for all the major muscle groups: bent over rows for the back, held dumbbell lunges for the legs and gluteals, overhead press for the shoulders, and pec flyes for the chest. Build on those to add variety and work the smaller muscles.
  • Question
    Can you build muscle without lifting weights?
    Michele Dolan
    Michele Dolan
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.
    Michele Dolan
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Expert Answer
    Yes, you can build muscle using the resistance of your own body weight, as with pushups, lunges, squats and calf raises, to name a few exercises.
  • Question
    Do planks work out your chest?
    Michele Dolan
    Michele Dolan
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.
    Michele Dolan
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Expert Answer
    Yes, the pectorals help support your body weight in the plank exercise, which means you're working them as you perform planks.
  • Question
    What is the best exercise for pectoral muscles?
    Michele Dolan
    Michele Dolan
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.
    Michele Dolan
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Expert Answer
    The bench press or dumbbell presses and pec flyes are the most effective exercises for working the pectoral muscles.
  • Question
    How do you develop your pecs?
    Michele Dolan
    Michele Dolan
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.
    Michele Dolan
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Expert Answer
    You can develop your pecs by following a specific exercise plan of weight lifting, bench presses, pec flyes, and push ups, in combination with a healthy diet containing sufficient protein to build muscle.
  • Question
    What can I use as weights at home?
    Michele Dolan
    Michele Dolan
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.
    Michele Dolan
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Expert Answer
    Milk jugs, laundry detergent containers filled with sand or water, or even cans can be useful weights.
  • Question
    How often should I exercise in a week?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    At least 150 minutes of exercise per week is recommended. You should distribute this time evenly by exercising regularly. Exercising 5-6 days a week is ideal.
  • Question
    Do these exercises affect the height of teens?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    No, they should have no impact on height whatsoever.
  • Question
    What are the best ways to work out as a teen?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Squeeze in small exercises when you can. If you're stuck on a homework problem or don't know what to write next, just do some short but intense sets.
  • Question
    What is the best weight to use for hand weights?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    It depends on you. Pick something light enough to lift, but heavy enough to make you work.
  • Question
    How do I do a workout for my forearms?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Exercising your hands can help with your forearms. The tendons in your hands are connected to muscles in your forearms, the grips that you squeeze in your hands or simply squeezing a hi-bounce ball (most commonly used for handball) can help you with this.
  • Question
    Can I use weights for belly fat?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Weight lifting and exercise won't target fat in a particular area. Spot reduction in weight loss is a myth. Weight lifting regimens that are core-strengthening will help with your abdominal area and leave you with nice looking abs, but you might need to lose some weight first. I'd recommend you start with doing some cardio.
  • Question
    Should I do all of these exercises at once, or focus on upper body one day and lower body the next day?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Normally, exercise is split between different body areas, then alternated every other day. This allows the muscles to rest and grow larger.
  • Question
    What's an exercise I can do to work out my stomach?
    Randy Munro
    Randy Munro
    Community Answer
    Lie flat on your back, holding a 10 lb dumbell in each hand straight behind you on the floor (like you would to start floor pullovers, only just keep them on the floor to stabilize your torso). Now, lift both feet about one foot off the floor and, holding them together, do figure 8's with your feet. Since this is not a 'weight lifting' exercise, you can pretty much do them every day.
  • Question
    What is an exercise to work out my upper legs?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Do high knees and hold at the highest for three seconds. It will really help your leg and thigh muscles. You can also do squats, lunges, or leg lifts.
  • Question
    Can I use hand weights for exercising when I have neck pain?
    Ally Jo
    Ally Jo
    Community Answer
    No, you will only stress your muscles and make them more sore. Your arm tendons are connected to your neck tendons, and if you try to work out, you will only make the pain worse.
  • Question
    What's the best exercise to do for my inner upper thighs?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    I would advise squats using body weight first, then small weights. Cycling is also good.
  • Question
    Can doing sit-ups with weights help me work out?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Yes, because this would build up your abdomen muscles. Perform this exercise by only using one dumbbell or weight plate, holding it in the center of your chest. This is even more effective on an inclined sit-up bench.
  • Question
    Can I use dumbbells if I have disc 4/5 problems?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Lifting heavy weights or running marathons might not be a good idea if you have significant disc degeneration or many DDD symptoms. Instead, your goal should be doing regular, moderate exercise, which will help strengthen your muscles, bones, and joints.
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