Are Dumbbells Enough?
A lot of people think that in order to stay healthy/in shape, you require access to a gym that has all the fancy machines.
Well, I’m here to tell you, you don’t!
This is a common theme of my messaging: That not everyone is looking to be the next great athlete, some jacked body builder or the next Crossfit Games champion. Most people just want to live their lives the way they see fit, and sometimes part of that includes some sort of hobby that helps keep our mind and bodies healthy.
Whether that’s walking, hiking, running, cross country skiing, lifting weights, playing board games, reading, writing, cooking, baking, etc. The list goes on!
When it comes to taking care of ourselves, it’s always the basics that we know deep down are the things that will make the biggest differences. There’s no magic pill, supplement, or fancy machine that’s going to help us cheat the basics. Although Creatine could be a solid contender for that position. (See blog post about creatine)
So what are the basics when it comes to a healthy lifestyle?
The boring stuff we all know. Healthy eating/water intake, exercise and good sleep. So why am I bringing this up in a post about dumbbells?
When it comes to strength-training, it’s very similar in the sense that it’s the basics that will benefit you the most.
Dumbbells and barbells.
Dumbbells are a very versatile tool for strength-training and go back as far as 2500 years, used by the Ancient Greeks. They can be used/incorporated into any fundamental human movement. Pressing, pulling, squatting, hinging and rotating. Dumbbells are a foundational tool when it comes to exercise and when used properly, will give you much more meaningful benefit overtime than any gym machine will.
Most gym machines put you into a fixed position, usually unnatural depending on how tall or short you are and how long your limbs are. This can sometimes put you into compromised positions that over time will wear at your joints. Depending on the machine, it also provides you with a lot of support, which sounds nice, but I’ll tell you why it’s not.
When we’re using our bodies to move around the world, we’re not doing things in a supported, fixed position. Whether we’re out for a walk, or moving furniture around the house, we are not supported and we’re using our bodies in very dynamic ways. Machines can take away our ability to support ourselves since it’s doing a lot of the work for us. Machines and other gym equipment, to me, don’t translate well to real life. It would be like learning Spanish for a semester, but then your exam is in Italian.
This is why, though I work at a gym with plenty of machines, I mostly use barbell and dumbbell training with my clients.
Don’t get me wrong, machines for sure have their place. Like for timid beginners trying to get that ball rolling, or for supplemental exercises, but to me they’re not foundational when it comes to fitness. It’s back to the basics that will benefit you the most.
So what’s the takeaway from all this?
Dumbbells are enough. In fact, they’re more than enough. They’re foundational!
Like I said earlier, dumbbells can be incorporated into almost any fundamental movement and can be used in so many different ways that a lot of other exercise equipment just can’t. Because of this, even a light pair of dumbbells you have a home, when used properly, will benefit plenty without having to go to the gym. Especially if you’re the type of person who’s just looking to keep yourself in good condition so you can enjoy your life and hobbies as long as you can.
Or if you’re looking to start a routine, but don’t have dumbbells, get yourself a pair! A light pair of dumbbells for training at home is a great place to start!
Given today’s topic, I will have to plug my dumbbell program! It’s a 12-week program that’s friendly for all fitness levels! It’s designed for people training from home and each exercise is video demonstrated by me as well! It’s a good place to start if you’re new, getting back into routine, or just need to switch up your current routine!
Thanks for reading, and happy training!
Go get yourself some dumbbells!
Joshua
Druid Fitness