Using Dumbbells is a great way to build strength. Improved mobility and strength is a way to avoid falls.

March 14, 2024

Working with dumbbells can improve strength, energy, mobility and according to studies lower the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Plus, by helping you stay stable on your feet and strengthening your bones, it can help you avoid falls. 

Dumbbells are inexpensive to buy for a set of three and start with whichever one you can comfortably lift 12-15 times. Your last couple of reps should feel challenging without over exerting.

Best Five Dumbbell Exercises

Instructions

• Hold a dumbbell by one end at chest-height.

• Begin with your feet just wider than hip-distance apart. (Your toes can face forward or turn out slightly.)

• Keeping your chest tall and core tight, bend your hips and knees to sink into a squat so your upper legs are parallel with the floor (or as low as you can comfortably go with good form).

• Press through all four corners of your feet to return to standing.

If you want to make it easier, lower into a chair and to make it more difficult add a 3-second pause at the bottom of the motion.

Dumbbell Bench Press

The upper-body move strengthens your chest, shoulders and triceps and By doing the strength move with dumbbells, you load and work both sides of your body separately. That means you train all of the important stabilizing muscles in your chest, shoulders and arms — and can cut your chances of shoulder and elbow pain.

Instructions

• Lie on your back on a bench or other flat surface with a dumbbell in each hand. Hold the weights with straight arms above your chest. Plant your feet firmly on the floor and tighten your abs.

• Bend your shoulders and elbows to lower the weights until they’re in line with your chest (or as low as you can comfortably go with good form). Your forearms should be completely vertical at all times.

• Press the weights back up over your chest.

If you don’t have a workout bench or something similar, lie on the floor or your bed.

Dumbbell Deadlift

It will strengthen your glutes, hamstrings, core and lats. It’ll also help you learn proper form for everyday feats of strength. Picking up something from the floor may seem easy, but when you’re lifting a heavy box off the floor, using proper form is critical to side-stepping injury, especially in your lower back.

Instructions

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs, palms facing your body. Brace your core.

• Push your hips back and soften your knees to lower the weights toward the middle of your shins.

• Check your posture: Your spine should be straight and long, chest up and open, shoulders back.

• To stand up, push your feet into the floor and squeeze your glutes. Imagine you’re trying to push the floor away from you.

• Reverse the motion to lower the weights with control, and repeat.

Dumbbell Scaption

Our shoulders often lose strength and mobility as we age. This is a great exercise to change that and does so without aggravating sensitive joints.

Instructions

• Lower the weights back down with control.

• Start standing with a dumbbell in each hand, arms at your sides, palms facing in.

• Brace your core and lift the dumbbells in front of your body at about a 45-degree angle.

• Raise the weights until they’re slightly above shoulder height.

Don’t arch your lower back or use momentum but keep your core and glutes braced.

Dumbbell Row

Forward motions, like driving a car or typing on the computer can take a toll on your posture. Over time, this can cause lower back pain or a hunched upper back.

It also works your deep core muscles.

Instructions

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs. Push your hips back and hinge forward at least 45 degrees (and as much as 90 degrees), keeping your back flat. Start with your arms extended toward the ground, palms facing each other.

• Squeeze your shoulder blades down and together, then bend your elbows to pull the weights toward your lower abdomen.

• Pause, then lower the weights with control.

Important

If you are new to lifting weights aim for two or three workouts a week and not lasting much longer than 30 or 45 minutes. Four sets of 10 reps is advised to start with and rest between each set for 90 and 120 seconds but by all means rest for longer if you want to.

The weight you use will vary by exercise. After all, most people can squat more weight than they can lift with scaptions.

Wondering how heavy weights should be for seniors? Most older adults can start with 15-pound (approx 7kg) weights for lower-body exercises and 5- or 7.5-pound (approx 2.5kg) dumbbells for upper-body movements, but you should adjust based on your comfort and ability.

Most importantly, pick a weight you can comfortably control. If you finish a set and feel you could do another straight away, you can probably increase the weight a bit. If your form gets shaky toward the end of a set, your dumbbells are probably too heavy.

If your dumbbell exercises start to feel easy, that’s a sign you’re ready for a change in your routine so increase the weight you’re lifting or the number of sets and reps you’re doing.

Every training session should begin with a warmup and end with a cooldown. Although they’re easy to skip, these parts of your workout are just as important as all the dumbbell-lifting in the middle so warm up with stretches or run through the workout without dumbbells. Cool down afterwards with some static stretches which will help to gradually bring your heart rate back down and promote recovery.

If you experience any sharp pain, particularly around your joints, stop the exercise and consult your doctor.

Read our post on why Boxing is good for seniors and Stretching Exercises