The core workout is perfect and vital to overall strength and stability. Although abdominal exercises like crunches and crunches have their place, incorporating dumbbells into your exercise routine can add variety and intensity, helping you achieve great results again. In this blog, we will look at 10 dynamic ab exercises with dumbbells that target different parts of your core to help you develop more robust abs.
Table Of Contents
1. Can You Build Abs With Dumbbells?
2. What Exercises Burn Belly Fat With Dumbbells?
3. What Exercises Can You Do Once A Week To Build A Solid Core?
4. Expert Advice
5. The Final Say
6. FAQs
7. References
Can You Build Abs With Dumbbells?
Yes, you can build core strength with ab exercises with dumbbells. Here are some ab exercises with dumbbells you can incorporate into your workout routine:
Exercise | Instructions | Features |
Russian Twists | Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your feet off.
Holding the dumbbells with both hands, rotate your body left and right so that both sides of the dumbbells touch the floor. | The Russian twist is a great abdominal dumbbell exercise that targets the oblique muscles essential for rotational movement and overall core stability. Adding dumbbells to this exercise increases the resistance, making it more difficult and effective. |
Dumbbell Side Bend | Stand up, holding a dumbbell in one hand, keeping your shoulders straight and core tight.
Slowly roll to one side, lower the dumbbells to your knees, and return to the starting position.
Repeat on the other side to finish once. | Dumbbell side curls are a simple but effective abdominal dumbbell workout that works your core muscles, including your obliques and serratus anterior. |
Dumbbell Woodchopper | Hold a dumbbell with both hands above your shoulders.
Distribute the dumbbells diagonally across your body in a controlled manner, turning your feet and body.
To repeat on the other side, restart from the initial point. | The dumbbell woodcutter mimics the motion of chopping wood and works several muscle groups, including the obliques, rectus abdominis, and shoulders. |
Weighted Bicycle Crunches | Lie on your back, hold a dumbbell in each hand, with your knees bent and your feet off the floor.
As you bend your body to cycle, pull one knee into your chest and draw your elbow towards your knee.
Alternate sides with smooth, controlled movements. | Cycling is a belly workout with dumbbells that work the abdominal and oblique muscles. Adding weight to this movement increases resistance, making it harder and more effective for building core strength. |
Dumbbell V-Sit | Sit on the floor with straight legs and a dumbbell in each hand.
Press back gently, engage your core, and lift your legs and upper body off the floor to form a V shape.
Wait for a while, then lower in a controlled manner. | V-sit is an abdominal exercise with weights that works the entire core, including the upper and lower body. Adding dumbbells to this movement increases resistance and makes it more effective at building strength and definition. |
Plank Row | Start in a plank position, holding a dumbbell in each hand, wrist, and shoulder.
To keep your body strong and your hips stable, bring a dumbbell to your hips while keeping your form straight.
Lower the dumbbells and repeat on the other side. | Plank rows combine the stability benefits of the plank with the added challenge of competitive rowing, targeting the torso, shoulders, and back. |
Dumbbell Dead Bug | Lie on your back, hold a dumbbell in each hand, and lift your legs towards a chair.
Keeping your back on the floor, straighten one leg while raising the other arm above your head.
Repeat the same on the other side. | The dumbbell dead curl exercise is a variation of the traditional one that adds difficulty. |
Weighted Russian Twist | Sit on the floor with your knees bent, your feet off the floor, and a dumbbell in each hand.
With each rotation, twist your body from side to side and hit the dumbbell on the ground next to you. | Like the traditional Russian twist, the Russian twist is one of the best core exercises with dumbbells. It increases resistance to the oblique muscles and rotational strength.
|
Lying Leg Raise with Dumbbell | Lie on your back with a dumbbell firmly between your feet.
Keep your legs straight and bring them toward the ceiling until your hips are tall.
Slowly lower your legs to the floor without touching them, and repeat. | Lying your legs down is an excellent exercise for your abs, and adding a dumbbell between your feet increases resistance and makes them more challenging. |
Weighted Sit-Ups | Hold your feet in place or have someone hold them while you lie on your back with your knees bent and dumbbells against your chest.
When you sit down, tighten your muscles and bring your chest to your knees, then slowly lower back to the starting position. | Sit-ups are abdominal exercises that target the abdominal muscles, and adding weight can increase strength and help build power and definition. |
Also Read: 5 Best Home Exercise Workout Plans With Personalised Tips And Routines!
What Exercises Burn Belly Fat With Dumbbells?
Here are some ab exercises with dumbbells that help to burn belly fat:
1. Compound Movements
Exercises such as squats, lunges, deadlifts, and overhead presses are compound exercises that work for multiple muscle groups simultaneously, thus increasing calories and burning fat.
2. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
HIIT workouts involve alternating between short periods of high-intensity exercise and brief periods of rest or low-intensity exercise. This increases your heart rate and burns calories efficiently.
3. Full-Body Circuits
Create a full-body ab workout with dumbbells that combines strength training and cardio. Include exercises like dumbbell squats, push-ups, rows, lunges, and jumping jacks in your circuit to target multiple muscle groups while keeping your heart rate elevated for optimal calorie burn.
4. Core-Strengthening Exercises
Although it is impossible to reduce belly fat, strengthening your muscles can help improve overall muscle definition and physique, leading to a beautiful tummy. Core exercises like corset variations and dumbbells incorporate side bends into your routine to strengthen your core and increase stability.
5. Functional Training
Do exercises that follow daily movements, engage your core, and strengthen muscles. Exercises like farmer's walks, wood chopping, and kettlebell swings can help increase overall strength, endurance, and calorie burn while targeting the core.
6. Cardiovascular Exercise
Even if you're not using dumbbells, incorporating cardio activities like running, cycling, swimming, or jumping rope into your routine can help you burn calories and fat, including the stomach area. Cardio is used together with weight training to increase strength and calorie burning.
Also Read: Unlock The Best Exercises For Weight Loss At Home With Workout And Yoga Routine
What Exercises Can You Do Once A Week To Build A Solid Core?
Most of you struggle to take out enough time but still want to indulge in ab exercises with dumbbells to increase your core strength and get abs. Do this 20-minute ab workout with dumbbells to build a solid core:
Day 1: Core Strength | Russian Twists: 3 sets, 12-15 reps per side |
Plank: 3 sets, 30-60 seconds hold | |
Bicycle Crunches: 3 sets, 12-15 reps per side | |
Leg Raises: 3 sets, 10-12 reps | |
Dumbbell Side Bends: 3 sets, 12-15 reps per side | |
Day 2: HIIT Circuit Do each exercise for 40 seconds, followed by 15-20 seconds of rest. Repeat the circuit 3 times. | Mountain Climbers |
Plank Jacks | |
Russian Twists | |
Flutter Kicks | |
Bicycle Crunches | |
Day 3: Core Endurance | Hollow Body Hold: 3 sets, 30-45 seconds hold |
Side Plank (each side): 3 sets, 30-45 seconds hold | |
Superman: 3 sets, 12-15 reps | |
V-Sit Hold: 3 sets, 20-30 seconds hold | |
Russian Twist with Medicine Ball: 3 sets, 12-15 reps per side | |
Day 4: Rest or Active Recovery | Take a day off or engage in light activities such as walking, yoga, or stretching to aid recovery. |
Day 5: Functional Core | Dumbbell Woodchoppers: 3 sets, 12-15 reps per side |
Plank with Shoulder Taps: 3 sets, 12-15 taps per side | |
Lying Leg Raises: 3 sets, 10-12 reps | |
Russian Twist with Resistance Band: 3 sets, 12-15 reps per side | |
Bird Dog: 3 sets, 12-15 reps per side | |
Day 6: Dynamic Core Perform each exercise for 45 seconds, followed by 15 seconds of rest. Repeat the circuit 3 times. | High Plank Knee to Elbow |
Reverse Crunches | |
Bicycle Crunches | |
Toe Touches | |
Plank with Alternating Arm and Leg Lifts | |
Day 7: Active Recovery or Rest | Engage in light activities or take a complete rest day to allow your muscles to recover and repair. |
Also Read: Best Workout Routine For Cutting Fat With 3 Body Splits And 12-Week Cut Plan!
Expert Advice
As an expert, I recommend incorporating abs training with dumbbells into your health program to achieve a healthy diet and support all health goals. Dumbbell exercises can increase resistance and help strengthen and tone the abdominal muscles. These exercises, regular cardiovascular exercise and a healthy diet rich in protein, grains, fruits, and vegetables can help you burn calories, build muscle, and trim belly fat. Keep yourself hydrated, and don't ignore the signs your body could be trying to give. Consistency is key, so add ab workout using dumbbells to your routine to see improvements over time. Combined with a healthy lifestyle, these exercises help improve physical strength, body, and overall health.
Akshata Gandevikar
The Final Say
Incorporating dumbbells into your ab exercises can take your core workout to the next level by adding resistance and intensity to the routine. By incorporating these 10 dynamic dumbbell ab exercises into your workout routine, you can effectively target all core areas to build strength, stability, and strength for a more sculpted midsection. Remember to start with a heavier weight and focus on proper form to achieve results while minimizing the risk of injury.
FAQs
1. What are some ab workouts with weights?
Here are some ab exercises with weights that you can incorporate into your daily workout:
- Plank row
- Dumbbell swing
- High knees
- Russian twist
- Leg raises
- Barbell roll
2. What are some core exercises using dumbbells to burn belly fat?
Here are some belly workouts with dumbbells you can indulge in to strengthen your core:
- High knees
- Dead bug
- Mountain climbers
- Squat
- Reverse crunch
- Bicycle crunch
3. What are some ab workouts that you can do using dumbbells at home?
Ab training with weights that can be done at home are:
- Weighted sit-up
- Dumbbell swing
- Dumbbell crunch
- Dumbbell Russian Twist
- Renegade row
- Dumbbell side bend
References
- https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/best-ab-exercises-using-weights-23879209
- https://burnlab.co/blogs/news/dumbbell-ab-workout
- https://www.setforset.com/blogs/news/dumbbell-ab-exercises
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