It’s time for a dumbbell workout program!

A dumbbell workout program, properly done, builds strong muscles, burns off fat, strengthens the abdominals, improves cardiorespiratory endurance and creates real-world strength and conditioning you can use to improve your quality of life. So, when you want to get back in shape fast, it’s time to dust off those dumbbells and get to work.

But one word of caution.

All dumbbell workout programs are not created equal!

If you want to get the most out of your dumbbell workout program, look for a workout program that simultaneously builds a strong, attractive body, burns off fat and improves cardiorespiratory conditioning. Unfortunately, most of the dumbbell workout programs you see people performing or read about are based on bodybuilding style training. This is not the way to get the most out of your dumbbell training.

By bodybuilding style dumbbell training, I mean using dumbbells to “isolate” small muscle groups. Usually, this goes hand in hand with using light dumbbells. Just think about it, if you are going to “isolate” a small muscle, you’ll only be able to use a small weight. This is not an efficient or effective use of your dumbbell training! (I’m putting parentheses around isolation, because in my opinion it is impossible to completely isolate a muscle. Plus, I don’t see the value in doing so, even if you could.)

By dumbbell workout program, I mean a full body workout program using only dumbbells. And by full body I mean all the muscles in the body, plus the heart and lungs. Yes, contrary to popular belief, you can get a great full body muscle building and cardiorespiratory workout all in one. And just think at all the time you’ll save!

I personally use three types of dumbbell lifts in my dumbbell workout program:

- Grinding “Slow” Lifts: These are dumbbell lifts like presses, rows, squats and deadlifts. These lifts build functional muscle in all the right places. When you know how to combine them into a full dumbbell workout program, you can build the entire body and improve heart and lung function at the same time!

- Explosive “Quick” Lifts: These are dumbbell lifts like swings, snatches and jerks. These lifts not only build explosive, athletic muscle, but they boost cardiorespiratory endurance and burn off fat. So, you don’t just keep and build more muscle, but you strip away the fat keeping your from your best body!

- Dumbbell Combo Matrixes. These are my personal favorite, where you combine two or more dumbbell lifts into one exercise. This is great for teaching your body to function as one complete unit with strength and conditioning. And since these dumbbell exercises are very challenging, they burn a lot of calories both during and after the workout!

At this point you may be thinking, “This doesn’t look like any dumbbell workout program I’ve seen”. And you’re right. It’s better.

The sad truth is, the dumbbell is one of the most underused and misused pieces of training equipment. Men usually limit their use to dumbbell curls, dumbbell flys or dumbbell kickbacks. While there is nothing wrong with those exercises, they don’t constitute a full dumbbell workout program and are not the best ways to use dumbbells. And ladies, stop using dumbbells for just light weight “toning” exercise! You’re missing out on the true benefits of dumbbell training.

I hope this article has opened your eyes to the fantastic results you can get when you perform a dumbbell workout program designed to use dumbbells to their full potential. In my opinion, there is no faster way to build a strong, attractive body, improve cardiorespiratory conditioning and burn off fat.

Now look in the mirror and answer this question:

“Couldn’t you benefit from a proper dumbbell workout program?”