Dumbbells and Kettlebells-Great Additions to Any Workout Routine

Online, February 13, 2012 (Newswire.com) - Dumbbell exercises for men and women are a great way to build up both muscle and physical endurance, especially when coupled with other types of workout equipment such as a Swiss exercise ball. Dumbbells can be used in a number of ways from dead lifts and curls to lifting them while performing squats. They are also an incredible way to put your ab muscles to work when doing chest presses on a large exercise ball. Whether performing shoulder presses or tricep extensions to deal with those pesky and difficult places to tone, dumbbells are an excellent addition to any exercise routine.

Dumbbell back workouts are easy enough for anyone to do and when performed properly can give your back an incredibly well-toned look. The additional weight of the dumbbells creates much more resistance when doing routines such as a bent over lateral raise. Your back muscles will be forced to compensate for the additional weight at the end of your arms. When lying down on your stomach on an elevated surface, dumbbells can be used to strengthen your upper back by the motion of pulling your arms up and holding them out to your sides as if flying. Dumbbells can also be used for performing various types of dead lifts which work specific muscle groups along the spine to tone them each individually. As with all types of exercises (but especially back exercises), pay attention to your posture as performing these exercises improperly can injure your back.

Kettlebells are spherical metal balls with a looped handle. Their unique, unbalanced design means that you will have to work that much harder to keep the kettlebells under control. Kettlebell ab workouts will strengthen the muscles in your core through a number of different exercises including crunch pushes, knee raises, and pullovers. Each of these exercises is designed to target a specific muscle group, and the additional weight and unstable nature of the kettlebells provides an interesting counterbalance that your core muscles will have to work to keep under control. Sidebends and windmills are two other ways in which kettlebells can be used to focus on your obliques. Kettlebells are a wonderful addition to any major abdominal workout.

Many more physical fitness articles including information on exercises and exercise routines can be found on the blogs at http://blog.workouthealthy.com/.