Simple TEN in TEN Strength Training Workout Using Hand Weights
Introduction
No matter what your age, or athletic ability, fitness or mobility regular strength training is the way to go to increase flexibility, mobility, improved performance and well being. It doesn't require hours in the gym to see results. This three set - 10 in 10 minute collection of strength training exercises can be done in the comfort of your own home. It will take as little as ten minutes to complete a full-body strength-building workout. All you need is a set of hand weights a towel and minimal space in your home. The exercises can also be done outdoors. A brief set of warm-up exercises is provided which can be extended to add a cardio-vascular element to your workout.
WARM-UP With Cardio Exercises
Before you start the 10 in 10 strength training workout begin with a simple warm-up, or a brief jog if you can. Do three minute each of the following exercises for a minimum of 10 minutes of cardiovascular warm-up exercises. This means you can complete the warm-up and exercise set in 20 minutes. You can increase the time for each exercise for a longer workout, or add the addition exercises that have been added to the article. Allow one-two minutes rest before starting the the weight-bearing exercises using the hand weights.
Warm-up 1. JUMPING JACK
Be careful: If you have knee or ankle pain, focus on your form, not your speed. Always try to land on the front of your foot, with your knees bent, to be sure that your muscles, and not your joints, are bearing the brunt of these exercises.
Modify it: Well-cushioned sneakers can also help alleviate the strain of jumping jacks on your joints.
How to Do a Jumping Jack
A basic, cardiovascular exercise that can be done in limited space.
1. Stand upright with your legs together, arms at your sides.
2. Bend your knees slightly, and jump into the air.
3. As you jump, spread your legs to be about shoulder-width apart. Stretch your arms out and over your head.
4. Jump back to starting position.
5. Repeat.
Warm-up 2. Pogo Hops
How to Do Pogo Hops
A controlled, modified jump for cardiovascular health.
1. Stand tall with your feet slightly spread, about hip-width apart.
2. Raise your heels so you are standing on the balls of your feet.
3. Quickly bounce up and down on the balls of your feet. Don't let your heels touch the ground.
Warm-up 3. Reverse Lunges
How to Do Reverse Lunges
Compared with a basic lunge, this exercise places less stress on the knees while still toning your entire leg.
1. Stand upright, with your hands at your hips.
2. Take a large step backward with your left foot.
3. Lower your hips so that your right thigh (front leg) becomes parallel to the floor with your right knee positioned directly over your ankle. Your left knee should be bent at a 90-degree angle and pointing toward the floor with your left heel lifted.
4. Return to standing by pressing your right heel into the floor and bringing your left leg forward to complete one rep.
5. Alternate legs, and step back with right leg.
Challenge Yourself: Try this exercise with your hands over your head.
10 in 10
10 in 10 STRENGTH TRAINING WORKOUT USING HAND WEIGHTS
First Set: Rows From Plank, Dumbbell Step-up and Upright Dumbbell Row
For beginners: Do each of the exercises in this set for one minute each, without stopping between exercises.
1. ROWS FROM PLANK
Planks work your core and glutes, but by adding a simple row to a plank, you add extra toning for your arms and back.
Be careful: The plank pose can be hard on your wrists.
Modify it this way: Place your knees on the floor as you do plank to reduce the amount of weight resting on your wrists.
How to Do Rows From Plank
The exercise turns a simple plank into an upper body workout as well.
1. Start in a pushup position with weights in your hands, with your legs wider than hip-width to stabilize your body.
2. Keep your core tight and exhale. Lift your right elbow up to lift the weight.
3. Lower your right elbow to rest the weight on the ground.
4. Left your left elbow straight up to lift the weight.
5. Repeat, alternating sides.
2. DUMBBELL STEP-UP
Find a sturdy bench or step for this exercise, which will help tone your legs and lower back. It’s especially good for people with lower back problems.
Modify It: If you find this exercise too challenging, try it without the weights first.
Challenge Yourself: Challenge yourself by choosing a taller bench or step to do the exercise with.
How to Do a Dumbbell Step-Up
Tone your legs and lower back with this simple exercise.
1. Stand straight facing a sturdy bench or step with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your body.
2. Place your left foot on the bench, pressing your heel into its surface.
3. Push your body up until your left leg is straight and you’re standing on one leg. (Keep your right foot elevated.)
4. Lower your body until your right foot touches the floor.
5. Place your right foot on the bench, pressing your heel into its surface.
6. Push your body up until your right leg is straight and you’re standing on one leg. (Keep your left foot elevated.
7. Repeat, alternating legs.
3. UPRIGHT DUMBBELL ROW
This exercise works the muscles in your upper back and shoulders. Try it with dumbbells, kettlebells.
Be careful: Don’t try to lift weights that are too heavy. Heavy weights increase your risk for shoulder and back injuries.
Modify it: If you are doing this exercise at the gym, try using a lightweight barbell.
How to Do an Upright Dumbbell Row
Work your upper back and shoulders with this simple exercise.
1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms held slightly away from your body.
2. Bend at your hips and knees and lower your torso until it’s nearly parallel to the floor, letting the dumbbells hang at arm’s length.
3. Pull the dumbbells, using your shoulder and back muscles up to the sides of your chest.
4. Pause and slowly lower the weights.
5. Repeat.
Second 2: Dumbbell Offset Reverse Lunge, Hammer Curl and Dumbbell Squat
Take a one minute break after the first set of exercises. Now you’re ready for set No. 2. Like in set No. 1, perform each exercise for one minute and then move onto the next for a total of three minutes of exercise.
4. DUMBBELL OFFSET REVERSE LUNGE
This is a great exercise to work your legs and core. It also builds shoulder strength and improves balance.
Be careful: When doing the lunge, make sure your knee doesn’t bend and move past your toe.
How to Do a Dumbbell Offset Reverse Lunge
Improve your balance and build strength in your legs and core with this exercise.
1. Hold a dumbbell in your right hand, with your arm hanging next to your side.
2. Step back with your right foot and slowly lower your body until your front knee is bent 90 degrees.
3. Pause, and then push back up to the starting position with your legs.
4. Halfway through the allotted time, switch the dumbbells to your left hand, and complete the lunge using your left foot.
5. PUSHUP-POSITION HAMMER CURL
Looking for toned arms? Look no further. This exercise works your arms and core at the same time.
Be careful: As you progress, increase the amount of weight you hold in each hand, but don’t speed up your pace.
Modify it: If this is too challenging to do in a full push up position, try dropping your knees to the floor. That will reduce the weight resting on your upper body.
How to Do a Pushup-Position Hammer Curl
Work your core and arms in one exercise.
1. Hold a pair of dumbbells in your hands and assume a pushup position with your palms facing each other. Keep your legs hip-width apart for stability.
2. Tighten your core and glutes.
3. Without moving your upper arm, curl the weight in your right hand up toward your right shoulder.
4. Lower the weight.
5. Without moving your upper arm, curl the weight in your left hand up toward your left shoulder.
6. Repeat, alternating sides.
6. DUMBBELL SQUAT TO ALTERNATING SHOULDER PRESS AND TWIST
By twisting as you complete this exercise, your shoulder muscles can be targeted from various angles. This exercise also tones your triceps.
Be careful: Keep your core tight and back upright throughout this exercise.
How to Do a Dumbbell Squat to Alternating Shoulder Press and Twist
Build strong, toned shoulders with this exercise.
1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold dumbbell in each hand, next to your shoulders, palms facing in.
2. Push your hips back, bend your knees and squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
3. Push back up with your legs, pivoting on your left foot and rotating your torso to the right as you press the dumbbell in your left hand above your shoulder.
4. Lower the weight and rotate back to center.
5. Push your hips back, bend your knees and squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor again.
6. Push back up with your legs, pivoting on your right food and rotating your torso to the left as you press the dumbbell in your right hand above your shoulder.
7. Repeat, alternating sides.
Third Set Low Side-to-Side Lunge, Dumbbell Russian Twist, Muscle Maker and Bicep Curl to Overhead Press
Good news! You’re almost done. Take a one-minute break after the second set. Then start the third set, again performing each exercise for one minute each.
7. LOW SIDE-TO-SIDE LUNGE
Build strength and flexibility in your hips and legs with this exercise. It can also improve balance.
Be careful: Be sure to push your hips back as you lower down and engage your core to keep your upper body vertical.
Modify it: Find this exercise too challenging with a weight? Leave it on the ground for this exercise.
How to Do a Low Side-to-Side Lunge
Improve your balance with this exercise.
1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, facing straight ahead. Hold a dumbbell in your hand in front of your chest.
2. Shift your weight to your right leg and lower your body, bending your right knee and pushing your butt back. Keep your left foot flat on the floor and your left leg straight.
3. Without raising yourself all the way to standing, shift your weight to your left side.
4. Alternate back and forth between sides.
8. DUMBBELL RUSSIAN TWIST
Much of your strength comes from your core. This exercise will strengthen all sides of it.
Modify it: Feel free to do this exercise without holding a weight if it’s too challenging.
Challenge yourself: Once your core is strong enough, try to complete this exercise by holding your legs higher off the floor.
How to Do a Dumbbell Russian Twist
Strengthen your abs and core in one smooth motion.
1. Sit on the floor with your legs in front of you, holding a dumbbell in front of your chest with both hands.
2. Lean your torso back slightly and raise your feet off the floor.
3. Without moving your torso, rotate the weight to your left and then to your right, quickly
9. THE COMBO MUSCLE MAKER
You may know this exercise as the “man maker,” but both women and men can benefit from this all-in-one exercise. By combining a push up with a barbell press, you will work every major muscle group in your body and get your heart pumping.
Be careful: Move slowly at first through this exercise. It takes a bit of coordination. Speed up as you get comfortable with it.
How to Do the Combo Muscle Maker
Sometimes known as the man maker, this exercise works every major muscle group in your body.
1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, standing.
2. Bend your knees and place the weights on the floor
3. Jump with your feet out into a pushup position.
4. Jump back into the squat and stand up, thrusting your arms upwards into an overhead press.
5. Lower your arms back down to place the weight on the floor once again.
6. Kick out legs into pushup position and repeat.
10. BICEP CURL TO OVERHEAD PRESS
How to Do Bicep Curl To Overhead Press
- Stand with your feet directly under your hips, holding a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing out. Bend the elbows, bringing the weights to your shoulders, performing a bicep curl.
- Stabilize your torso and keep your arms moving upward, straightening the arms above you, performing an overhead press with the palms facing out.
- Bend the elbows coming back to the end of your bicep curl, then straighten the arms coming back to the starting position to complete one rep. Do two sets of 15 reps.
ADDITIONAL EXERCISES WITH HAND WEIGHTS
Skull Crushers
How to Do Skull Crushers
- Grab a set of dumbbells, and start by lying on your back with the knees bent.
- With one dumbbell in each hand, raise your arms so they are above your chest, making sure your elbows are straight but not locked.
- Slowly lower both arms toward your head, bending your elbows to 90 degrees as the dumbbells reach the mat. Aim to lower your dumbbells so they are on either side of your head, elbows bent and pressing in toward your head.
- Lift your arms back to starting position. This is one rep. Do two sets of 15 reps.Bicep Curl To Overhead Press
Upright Row
How to Do Upright Row
- Stand with your feet hip distance apart, and place a dumbbell in each hand. Your closed palms should be facing your body. The shoulders should be over your pelvis, with knees slightly bent.
- Keeping the dumbbells close to your body, raise them to your shoulders, bending your elbows out to the sides.
- Slowly lower them to the starting position. This counts as one rep. Do two sets of 15 reps.
Overhead Triceps Extensions
How to Do Overhead Triceps Extensions
- Stand with your feet hip-distance apart.
- Hold one dumbbell (go for your heavier weight) with both hands, bending the elbows behind your head.
- Straighten your arms to lift the dumbbell into the air, then slowly bend the arms to lower. This counts as one rep. Do two sets of 15 reps.
Bent-Over Row
How to Do Bent-Over Row
- Lean forward and bend both knees, remembering to keep a flat back.
- Extend your arms so they are straight. Lift the dumbbells straight up to chest level, squeezing your shoulder blades together as you do. Be sure to keep your elbows in and pointed upward. Don’t arch your back.
- Slowly lower the weights back to the starting position to complete one rep. Do two sets of 15 reps.
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