Women's Health provides a list of effective exercises that can be done with free weights. These exercises include goblet squats, front-racked squats, reverse lunges, lateral lunges, step-ups, Romanian deadlifts, kickstand single-leg deadlifts, single-leg RDLs, hip thrusts, bent-over rows, renegade rows, floor presses, shoulder presses, hammer curls, lying overhead triceps extensions, lateral raises, half-kneeling wood chops, weighted sit-up overhead presses, lying dumbbell pullovers, and halos. These exercises target various muscle groups and can improve strength, stability, and mobility.
Arnold Schwarzenegger's tips for building muscle and burning fat, including focusing on compound movements, reducing portion sizes for fat loss, chasing the pump for muscle growth, and developing the mind/muscle connection, are now backed by science. Schwarzenegger's emphasis on heavy lifting and multi-joint exercises for muscle building, and the importance of being in a consistent caloric deficit for fat loss, are now widely accepted in the fitness industry. Additionally, research has shown that chasing the pump and developing the mind/muscle connection can have significant muscle-building effects.
Fitness expert Katie Kollath recommends dumbbell exercises for women to melt belly fat and improve body composition. Compound movements like dumbbell squats and Romanian deadlifts engage multiple muscle groups, leading to increased muscle mass, metabolism, and calorie burn. Plank dumbbell drags combine planks and upper body movements for greater fat loss and physical fitness. Dumbbell shoulder presses and rows activate core and upper body muscles. Prioritize proper form over weight and stop if experiencing pain or discomfort.