The Healthy Bee

Anyone who has tried to get rid of fat has been there. In the beginning, the nutrition and exercise plan seems to be working, but then all the fat loss comes to a screeching halt. We all have those problem areas (for me it is my stomach and love handles), where the fat just won’t seen to go away. Can dumbbell workout routines be the answer?

I say “YES”, dumbbell training is the secret weapon against stubborn fat!

Now, I can see some of you scratching your head right now. You’re saying, “I’ve done dumbbell workouts before and didn’t notice any significant fat loss.” And your right, just using dumbbells is not the key, HOW you use the dumbbells is the key!

Most dumbbell workout routines you see men and women do are “bodybuilding” type workouts. They perform dumbbell exercise with the intention of “isolating” small muscles to make them grow. And since the muscle groups they are targeting are small, they use light weights. And lifting light weight dumbbells using small muscle groups does not burn fat!

But what if you used heavier dumbbells in a full body workout routine that simultaneously builds a strong, muscular body, boosts heart and lung power AND burns a lot of calories both during and after the workout? Do you think those stubborn fat cells would lose that battle? You bet they would!

Here are three examples of dumbbell routines that build a strong, well-conditioned body AND blast off stubborn fat:

Grinding Dumbbell Super Sets

Grinding dumbbell exercises include presses, rows, squats and deadlifts. By themselves, these dumbbell lifts are excellent for building muscle. And the more muscle you have, the more calories your body uses while at rest to maintain the muscle. And just in case you missed it, using more calories while at rest = LESS FAT!

Now, if that wasn’t good enough, when you perform a dumbbell workout using grinding exercises as super sets, you boost the fat burning power. For those of you who don’t know, a super set is when you perform a set of one exercise, and then immediately (or after a short rest), perform a set of a different exercise. This allows you to move through the dumbbell routines faster, involving the cardiorespiratory systems and burning more fat!

Explosive Dumbbell Timed Circuits

Explosive dumbbell exercises include swings, snatches and jerks. By themselves, these dumbbell exercises require a lot of energy due to their explosive nature. These exercises require speed to move the dumbbells as fast as possible, which means repeated bursts of energy. And just in case you missed it, using more energy = LESS FAT!

But perform dumbbell workout routines where you do these exercises as timed circuits, and their fat burning power increases exponentially. Why? Because doing resistance exercise for a longer time period means you expend more energy for longer periods of time during the workout. So you don’t only build incredible explosive power, extraordinary heart and lung power, but you burn more fat!

Dumbbell Combo Matrixes

This is my secret weapon for getting rid of that stubborn fat (and building an all-purpose body where strength and conditioning go hand and hand!). A dumbbell combo matrix is when you combine two or more dumbbell exercises together into one exercise repetition. This means each repetition takes longer to perform, uses more muscle groups and requires a great deal of energy. Translation: bye, bye fat!

Ok, you’ll probably need an example for this one.

How about: Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift + Dumbbell Power Clean + Dumbbell Press. This equals one repetition. So let’s say you do 5 repetitions. You are really doing 15 repetitions per set (5 deadlifts, 5 cleans and 5 presses). This takes a lot of time to perform, uses a wide range of muscles and therefore uses up a lot of energy. And again, more energy used = more fat loss.

Just take a second and compare these dumbbell workout routines to the typical Use Light Weight, Target Small Muscles, Take Long Rest Period approach of other dumbbell workout routines. Do you see a difference? I do, and it is those differences that make these dumbbell workouts so effective at blasting off stubborn fat. So, if you’re having trouble getting rid of that last 10 pounds of ugly fat, these dumbbell routines may be the answer!



By: Eddie Lomax

About the Author:

Body building is getting more and more popular these days and for good reason. However, there are people getting into the sport and failing simply because they aren’t doing it correctly. The following are some great fitness tips to help you get fitter, stronger and healthier.

1. Get a program that will best suit you. Every body building program or workout is different. So always consult a qualified trainer to make sure that the fitness program will not hurt you. Going for a fitness program that sounds good but is out of your league can only cause frustrations and even injuries. So pick wisely.

2. Be realistic in your goals. Make sure that your target is achievable and realistic. The program also needs to be practical and not give you false hope. In fitness and body building, it is important to be aware of the blocks you will encounter.

3. Focus and work the muscles. When you develop muscles, you burn more calories and reduce fats in your body. Multi-joint exercises and weight lifting are recommended to help you achieve a more muscular physique. They aren’t just effective but time saving as well.

4. Be systematic. Your muscles should be working harder over time. Repeating the same sets of exercises and same weight without getting your muscles to work harder will not give satisfactory results. You can record your daily results and make the progression based on your previous data. A daily log will also motivate you since you are able to track how far you have gone. It builds confidence since there is a written proof something that was successfully accomplished.

5. Perform a set of exercises in 10 repetitions. Every number that was accomplished is called a repetition. Try to make every repetition with less momentum as much as possible. The lesser the momentum, the harder your muscles work. And the harder they work, the bigger they become.

6. Be flexible and perform a variety of exercises. Every exercise program should have variety. You can change your exercises, goals and sets every month to keep you motivated and on-the-go. Doing this will prevent boredom and losing energy physically and mentally.

7. Stay motivated! This may be the most important fitness tip of all. Many people drop out of fitness programs and workouts over time. Do not fall victim to this! Keeping an eye of your goals is a way of staying with your program. Remember that motivation gets you started and habit keeps you going.



By: John Lim

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