People pay more and more attention to fitness, and various fitness equipment emerges one after another, but what are their differences and how to choose, many “fitness fans” make it difficult. In this issue of “Life Times” reporter invited Liu Xin, a researcher at the Shanghai Institute of Sports Science, to introduce the characteristics of dumbbells, kettlebells and barbells.
Dumbbells are suitable for fitness beginners. Dumbbells are an adjunct to fitness exercises that are small and lightweight. Light dumbbells generally weigh 2, 4, 6, 8 kg, heavy dumbbells are generally 10, 15, 30 kg, etc., can be practiced with one or both hands, and can be done at home. Dumbbell training is suitable for people with weak muscle strength, such as women, the elderly, people without training foundation, people with poor physique, etc., through multiple groups, multiple repetitive movements to enhance muscle endurance, can also be for local muscle training, to achieve the purpose of shaping. There are many movements in dumbbell training, and different movements also have different training effects. For example, through the dumbbell curl can exercise the biceps, when the person is sitting or standing, grabbing the dumbbells with both hands or one hand, with the elbow joint as the fulcrum, palm facing up, the biceps muscles are forced, the dumbbells are raised close to the upper arm, stop slightly, repeat 15~25 times as a group, do 1~2 sets each time, 2~3 times a week. In addition, dumbbells can also be combined with other exercises, such as holding a 0.5~1kg dumbbell in each hand when walking, and natural swinging arms, which can improve cardiopulmonary function while exercising upper limb muscle endurance.
Kettlebells are suitable for young people. The kettlebell is generally made of cast iron, the weight varies from 10~50 kg, can be practiced in the gym or at home, mainly used to improve muscle explosiveness, and the physical fitness and sports skills of the exerciser are more demanding, suitable for young people who love sports. The most classic training action of the kettlebell is “kettlebell swing”: grasp the kettlebell handle with both hands, spread the legs apart, squat slightly, lean the upper body forward from the hips, keep the back straight, so that the kettlebell is between the legs, rely on the explosive force of the hip to form an impulse, swing the kettlebell like a swing from the bottom up from the crotch, and then the legs stand upright with the swing of the kettlebell; Each training session is a group of 10 consecutive swings, each time 1~2 sets, no more than 3 times a week; This maneuver is best performed under the guidance of an instructor to avoid injury.
Barbells are suitable for people with a certain fitness foundation. The barbell is a very classic strength training equipment, consisting of a barbell rod, a barbell piece, and a clamp used to hold the barbell piece, the overall weight is large, and more muscles need to be mobilized during practice. The barbell has three classic training moves: squats, bench presses, and deadlifts. Squat is to carry a barbell on your shoulder, then squat, stand up, mainly train the hip and leg muscles; Bench press is to push the bar up after lying flat, mainly to train the chest, shoulder and upper arm muscles; The deadlift is the upper body leaning forward 90 degrees, and the hands rely on the strength of the lower back to pull up the barbell, mainly training the lower back muscles. Barbell training can not only develop muscle strength, but also develop muscle tissue and enhance muscular endurance, but it also has limitations – strong professionalism, you must go to the gym to exercise under the guidance of professionals, it is not recommended to practice on your own at home; The requirements for exercisers are also higher, suitable for people with a certain fitness foundation.
Dumbbells, kettlebells, and barbells can increase muscle strength, develop muscle tissue, enhance muscle endurance, and enhance muscle explosiveness through appropriate training methods. Liu Xin suggested that before choosing fitness equipment, we must first clarify the purpose of fitness, and then practice in a targeted manner. In addition, no matter what kind of equipment, it is best to have a coach on the side of the first training to avoid injuries due to non-standard movements.
Post time: Jul-24-2023