Workout 57 — Dumbbell Home Workout Journal

Workout 57: Chest & Biceps

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.
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.
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.
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.

Lie on your back with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing away from you.
Lift your hips off of the floor, engaging your glutes and hamstrings to form a “bridge.”
Push the dumbbells upward. Squeeze your pectoral muscles at the top of the movement.
Lower the dumbbells back toward the ground, but maintain your glute bridge for the entire set.

Position yourself on an exercise ball so that your mid-back is supported by the ball and your legs and thighs make a 90 degree angle to the floor. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and place it atop your thighs. The palms of your hands will be facing each other.
Then, using your thighs to help push the dumbbells up, lift the dumbbells one at a time so that you can hold them at shoulder-width.
Once you have the dumbbells raised to shoulder-width, rotate your wrists forward so that the palms of your hands are facing away from you. This will be your starting position.
Be sure to keep full control of the dumbbells at all times. Then, breathe out and push the dumbbells up with your chest.
Lock your arms at the top, hold for a second, and then start slowly lowering the weight. Note: Ideally, lowering the weights should take about twice as long as raising them.
Repeat the movement for the prescribed number of repetitions.
When you are done, place the dumbbells back on your thighs and then on the floor. This is the safest manner to release the dumbbells.

Stand upright with your knees slightly bent.
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.
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.
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.
Bring your wrists back in toward your chest.

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.
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.
Slowly begin to lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.

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.
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.
After a brief pause, slowly begin to lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position.

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.
Use your right arm to pick up the dumbbell. Place the back of your arm against the inside of your same-sided thigh.
Begin with the the palm of your hand facing away from your thigh. Keep your arm extended and the dumbbell slightly above the ground.
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.

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.
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.
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.
With this overhand grip, slowly lower the dumbbells back down.
As the dumbbells approach your thighs, rotate your wrists to return to your original grip with your palms facing inward towards your body.