Any athlete, regardless of his goals, understands that dumbbell squats are a quality way to increase the productivity of any exercise. Everyone knows that in order for the effectiveness of training not to fall, it is important to constantly increase the load, and additional weight is the first assistant in this. This is understood by both men seeking to gain weight, and ladies who want to lose weight, and at the same time pump up the ass, abs, arms and legs.
Why do you need to squat with weights?
Squats with dumbbells on the shoulders are aimed, first of all, at pumping the muscles of the legs and buttocks. They allow you to engage many major muscle groups, stabilizing muscles, and also strengthen joints and ligaments. It is necessary to devote to training the legs 1-2 times a week, in this case, the body will quickly become prominent and muscular. The figure will look proportional and beautiful. At the same time, you can alternate the days when exercises for the quadriceps or hamstrings are performed.
For girls, squats with dumbbells for the buttocks are the best method to make the butt seductively round, firm and slim.
Heavy exercise has been shown to trigger testosterone production, which is directly involved in muscle growth and endurance performance.
The advantages and disadvantages of such squats
Below we will look at the dumbbell squat technique and program for men and women, and now let's talk about their pros and cons. Let's start with the benefits:
- Dumbbells allow you to control balance in complex squats, since weight, in a sense, acts as a fulcrum;
- With the help of such shells, you can regulate the direction of the load, because they are easy to maneuver: raise them over your head, hold them in lowered hands, place them in front of your chest or bring them back behind your back. If you take any other projectile, for example, a kettlebell or a barbell, similar actions will be much more difficult for you;
- Squatting with dumbbells in hands for girls contributes to a deeper performance of squats, while the projectile helps to keep the spine straight;
- This is a great way to diversify your workout. Moreover, many athletes on a psychological level believe that exercises with dumbbells are easier than with a barbell, which means they treat the lesson as lightweight. If a person constantly works with extreme loads, he definitely needs "fasting days";
- Another plus is the ability to exercise at home. It is enough just to learn how to squat properly with dumbbells for the buttocks, biceps, quadriceps and calf muscles, as well as buy a couple of sets of shells.
Next, let's briefly go over the cons:
- If you have sore knees, squats with dumbbells, you are prohibited, otherwise you can aggravate the condition of the joints and ligaments. Therefore, if you feel pain in your knees after exercise, be careful;
- If you plan to squat often and a lot with this type of projectile (and with any other weighting agent), you will have to purchase special knee wraps;
- There are many contraindications.
Contraindications
Let's find out when it is better to forget about such squats:
- For any inflammation, including colds;
- With exacerbation of chronic sores;
- If you have sore knees (ligaments, joints, tendons);
- With serious problems with the spine, when any power load is contraindicated;
- In the chronic course of any disease, before starting training, you should consult with your doctor.
Features of their application
Before talking about the types of squats with dumbbells, as well as the correct technique, here are the general nuances:
- If your goal is to load the internal muscles of the thigh, put your feet wider than shoulder-width apart and turn the socks outward more than 45 degrees;
- If you are trying to pump up your buttocks, squat as deep as possible;
- If you want to pay attention to the outside of the thigh, place your feet parallel and close to each other;
- In order for the biceps of the thigh to work, you should tilt the body forward in the squat and take the pelvis back;
- With any squatting, the back is kept straight without rounding the spine;
- In all exercises, care should be taken to keep the heels on the floor. The exception is the upper lifting point - here you can raise yourself on your toes to engage your calf muscles.
Which muscles are being stressed?
Let's find out which muscles work in dumbbell squats, by the way, it depends on the position in which the projectile is held. The tilt of the body, the setting of the feet, the turn of the socks, the depth of the squat are also important. So what kind of muscles do you work out with dumbbell squats?
- Inner thigh;
- External thigh muscles;
- Large and middle gluteal muscles;
- Quadriceps;
- Biceps;
- Calf muscles;
- Musculature of the back and abs.
Sounds good, doesn't it?
Differences in technique for women and men
For women, wide squats with dumbbells for the buttocks are especially effective. Also, this zone is perfectly worked out by such an exercise as wide squats with dumbbells in front of you in your hands. For men, to increase the relief of the legs, it is recommended to perform classic squats with different legs.
There are no special differences in the technique of performing squats with dumbbells for girls and men, the difference lies only in the goal that they pursue. The former most often strive to lose weight, and increase muscle volume instead of fat. And the latter want to pump up the relief, and the more the better.
Based on this, girls are advised to increase the repetition rate, amplitude and number of approaches, without seeking to conquer a lot of weight. Guys, on the other hand, should gain weight regularly and work slowly. This is the difference between cardio and strength training.
Exercise variations
So what types of dumbbell squats are there?
- Plie or sumo - with a wide stance of the legs and turning the socks outward. In the squat, the knees are pulled apart. The projectile is held in lowered hands in front of you;
- Bulgarian lunges - one leg is laid back and placed on the gymnastic bench with the toe down. Dumbbells are held in lowered hands;
- Squats with dumbbells on the shoulders - analogous to squats with a barbell;
- Deep squats with dumbbells in front of you in your hands is a popular exercise in which, most often, the shell is held in front of the chest;
- Squats on one leg with dumbbells or - squats "pistol". Requires a strong sense of balance and strong knees. The shells are held in the hands, by analogy with the Bulgarian attacks. By the way, weight helps control balance;
- Squats with dumbbells over the crown;
- Lunges - straight or scissors. Dumbbells must be held in lowered hands;
Execution technique
Let's look at how to do dumbbell squats at home correctly - let's find out the general principles that apply to all types of exercises with this type of weight bearing:
- Dumbbells are not a barbell, so do not try to hang extreme weights on the axles;
- Never hunch over during the task - this can injure your back;
- For high productivity, you need to sit down as deep as possible, even below the parallel of the thigh to the floor;
- Heels stay on the ground;
- The golden rule is that the knee does not protrude beyond the toe and is always turned in the same direction as the foot;
- You need to sit down twice as slowly as to rise;
- Inhale is always done on the descent, exhale on the ascent - so breathe correctly;
- It is advisable not to straighten the knees at the top point and not linger in it for a long time;
- Always start your workout with a warm-up, end with a simple stretching complex.
Common beginner mistakes
So, we figured out how to properly squat with dumbbells for men and women, it remains only to make out the places in which beginners most often make mistakes. If you learn to avoid them, you can forget about safety concerns:
- The sore spot for absolutely all novice athletes is the back. She should always remain straight, even in squats that require a torso bend;
- The next moment is the separation of the heels, and, accordingly, the transfer of weight to the toes. It's so easy to get a serious ankle injury;
- Many athletes do not breathe correctly, as a result, they quickly fizzle out or constantly leave their heart rate zone;
There are other mistakes, but this trio is the most popular. Remember it first!
Approximate training program
In conclusion, we present a simple program that can be adopted by any athlete who trains at home or in the gym. The complex is aimed at building muscle relief. If your goal is to lose weight, reduce the weight and increase your amplitude.
The program is based on the classic dumbbell squat for men and women:
- The program is designed for 1 workout per week, the weight of the dumbbell is at least 10 kg;
- The other two training days should be devoted to arms and shoulders, as well as biceps and abs;
- Rest between sets - no more than 2 minutes;
- Rest between exercises - no more than 4 minutes;
- The program first indicates the number of approaches, then repetitions:
- Warm-up;
- Classic squats with shells in hand (narrow leg stance) - 4/10;
- Lunges on both legs - 3/10;
- Plie - 3/10;
- Advanced athletes - add Bulgarian lunges - 2/10;
- Cool down and breathing exercises.
This complex will allow you to quickly and effectively pump all leg muscles, but it is suitable only for athletes with excellent health. If you have problems with the musculoskeletal system or knee joints, it is better not to exercise at home. Buy a subscription to the gym, there are many simulators that allow you to pull weights without overloading problem areas of the body. Successful workouts and a perfect body for you!