Workout 46 — Dumbbell Home Workout Journal

Workout 46: Chest & Biceps

Chest Exercises

1. Floor Press

1. Lie down on the floor (or flat bench) with a dumbbell in each hand resting perpendicular, on top of your thighs, palms facing one another.
2. Then, using your thighs to help raise the dumbbells up, lift the dumbbells one at a time so that you can hold them in front of you at shoulder-width.
3. Once at shoulder width, rotate your wrists forward so that the palms of your hands are facing away from you. The dumbbells should be just to the sides of your chest, with your upper arm and forearm creating a 90 degree angle. 
4. Use your chest to push the dumbbells up. Lock your arms at the top of the lift and squeeze your chest, hold for a second and then begin coming down slowly.

2. Incline Push Up

1. Stand facing a sturdy ottoman, bed, couch, bench, etc.
2. Position your hands on the edge of the furniture, slightly more than shoulder-width apart, ensuring that your elbows are not locked in place. Step your feet back until your back is straight and you are resting on the balls of your feet. This is your starting position.
3. Keeping your body straight through the entire exercise, lower yourself down toward the furniture slowly and with control until your chest touches the furniture. 
4. Push your body upward, away from the furniture until you reach the original position. Do this to failure for each set.

*Try different heights of furniture for variety and to utilize slightly different muscles each time.

3. In and Out Push Up

1. Place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and place your toes on the floor while face down.
2. Keep your body in a straight line from your shoulders to your feet and keep your abs and butt engaged.
3. Lower yourself by bending your elbows until your chest almost touches the floor.
4. Forcefully drive through the palms of your hands to push yourself back up off the ground landing in the starting position with your hands wider than shoulder width.
5. Lower yourself by bending your elbows until your chest almost touches the floor.
6. Forcefully drive through the palms of your hands to push yourslf back up off the ground landing with your hands in the starting positio.
7. Repeat steps 3 - 6.

4. Prayers

1. Stand upright with your knees slightly bent.
2. Place your hands together in a praying position in front of your chest. Your elbows should be pointing out to your sides and your fingers pointing ahead of you while pushing tightly against each other.
3. Slowly move your hands outward away from your body so that your arms fully extend while still positioned together and pushing tightly against each other.
4. To feel this movement to its highest extent, you want to be pushing your hands together as tightly as you possible. You can try putting a 5 or 10 pound weighted plate between your hands to increase the difficulty.
5. Bring your wrists back in toward your chest.

Bicep Exercises

1. Seated Dumbbell Curl 

1. Sit on a bench with a back support and place your feet shoulder-width apart. Take a deep breath before beginning. Sit up straight with a dumbbell in each hand at arm's length. Keep your elbows close to your torso and rotate the palms of your hands until they are facing inward.
2. Curl the weights while contracting your biceps so that your palms are facing backwards. Continue to raise the dumbbells until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder-level. Try to hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps. Make sure to keep your upper arms and elbows stationary through the movement; your forearms should be the only part moving during this exercise.
3. Slowly begin to lower the dumbbells back to the starting position. 

2. Dumbbell Hammer Curl 

1. Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms extended along your sides. Your elbows should be tucked in close to your torso and your palms should be facing your torso.
2. Keep your upper arm stationary as you contract your biceps and curl the dumbbells directly upward. Continue to raise the dumbbells until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbell is at shoulder-level. Focus on only moving your forearm.
3. After a brief pause, slowly begin to lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position.

3. Concentration Curl

1. Sit at the end of a bench and place one dumbbell in front of you between your legs. Keep your legs spread apart, your knees bent, your back straight, and your feet on the ground.
2. Use your right arm to pick up the dumbbell. Place the back of your arm against the inside of your same-sided thigh.
3. Begin with the the palm of your hand facing away from your thigh. Keep your arm extended and the dumbbell slightly above the ground. 
4. Make sure that your upper arm remains stationary as you contract your biceps and curl the dumbbell toward your opposite-sided pec. Continue the movement until the dumbbell is at shoulder-level. Remember, only the forearms should move.

4. Zottman Curl

1. Stand upright with a dumbbell in each of your hands at arm's length. Your elbows should be tucked in close to your torso. Make sure your palms are facing your body before beginning the movement.
2. Contract your biceps as you curl the dumbbells upward; only your forearms should be moving. As you curl up, rotate your wrists so that your palms are facing upward, like in an underhand grip. Continue this movement until the dumbbells are at your shoulder-level.
3. Try to hold the contracted position for a second while sweeping your biceps. Then, in the contracted position, rotate your wrists again until you your palms are facing down, like in an overhand grip.
4. With this overhand grip, slowly lower the dumbbells back down.
5. As the dumbbells approach your thighs, rotate your wrists to return to your original grip with your palms facing inward towards your body.