Dumbbells vs. The Gym

I first started working out with weights when I was barely a teenager, lifting at home down in my basement. I put together my own "home gym," a few sets of weights and a bench, and it was all I needed to start sculpting my body and building muscle.

Working out at home had so many advantages. I could do it whenever I wanted, sometimes lifting weights early in the morning, other times after school, and sometimes even right before bed. Whenever I felt motivated and had a few extra minutes I could simply walk down one flight of steps and get to work. No commute, no crowd and no monthly gym fees.

I loved working out in the privacy of my own home without anyone watching me. I was skinny and self-conscious and being alone was the perfect way to start. I could focus on my workout without any outside distractions whatsoever.

I also loved strength training with my set of dumbbells. They gave me the freedom to focus on the exact body parts I wanted to target, which, being a teenage boy at the time, meant my arms and my chest. Dumbbells also gave me the freedom to do an infinite number of exercises so that I was never bored. I stuck with my workouts and my body kept changing for the better.

Fast forward to today and I still love working out at home. I still walk down one flight of stairs and work out at all different times of the day. The only real difference after thirty years is that I have replaced my dozens of old dumbbells with one shiny set of BowFlex^® SelectTech^® 1090‎s.

Here is a dumbbell workout I recommend to strengthen your upper-body:

Upper-body Dumbbell Workout

1. Dumbbell Chest Presses (12 Repetitions, 2-3 sets)
2. Dumbbell Bent-Over Rows (12 Repetitions, 2-3 sets)
3. Dumbbell Overhead Shoulder Presses (12 Repetitions, 2-3 sets)
4. Dumbbell Bicep Curls (12 Repetitions, 2-3 sets)
5. Dumbbell Triceps Kickbacks (12 Repetitions, 2-3 sets)

Dumbbell Chest Presses

Dumbbell Bent-Over Rows

Dumbbell Overhead Shoulder Presses

Dumbbell Bicep Curls

Dumbbell Triceps Kickbacks