Dumbbells, like everything else, have their pros and cons. They are easy to use and easy to store. However, you can't really lift a whole lot of weight with them. Working with dumbbells requires the rest of your body to remain strong and centered while you exercise, which is a strengthening benefit in itself. On the negative side, the fact that the rest of your body is working while you exercise a muscle means that muscle isn't doing all the work it could.

A lot of exercises can be done with bands instead of dumbells and bands. As you read in Chapter 7, bands are an inexpensive alternative, and many people find them easier to use than dumbells. The following program is an all-over body routine with dumbbells and bands that focuses on one muscle — or muscle group — at a time. You'll need 5-, 8-, and or 10-pound dumbbells as well as bands, at least, to do this program effectively. Choose the weight size that suits your fitness level. You'll find more information on bands on pages 90–91. The specific exercises are listed first, with details of each exercise following:

• Lunges with weights

• Squats with weights

• Plies with weights

• Biceps curls

• Tricep kickbacks

• Flyes

• Chest presses

• Row

• Shoulder presses

• Front raises

• Bent over flyes

• Crunches

• Oblique crunches

• Leg raises

Lunges with Weights

Hold 5- to 10-pound dumbbells in each hand, with your feet hip distance apart, your abs contracted, and your shoulders relaxed. Your arms should be by your sides. Step forward about three feet with your right foot. Bend both knees into a lunge. Step back, bringing your feet together. Go to your left foot. Do this fifteen times on each side.

Squats with Weights

Stand with your feet hip distance apart, your shoulders away from your ears, your abs contracted, and your hands holding weights at your side. Bend your knees and come down until your thighs are parallel to the floor but your knees are not past your toes. Try to do this fifteen times.

Pliés with Weights

Start with your feet and legs spread out, toes turned out, butt tucked under, and your abs contracted (the second position in ballet). Hold the weights down between your legs. Now bend your knees without letting your butt sway out from under you. Come down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Then slowly straighten your knees. Repeat fifteen times.

Biceps Curls

Make sure your feet are parallel to each other and hip width apart, with a band under both feet, and your hands holding each end of the band. Keep your shoulders relaxed and your arms down by your sides. On an exhale, bend your elbows and bring your hands toward your shoulders. You should feel tension in the band as you get to the top of the move. Lower your arms slowly. Repeat twelve times. Rest for 30 seconds and do a second set.

Triceps Kickbacks

Make sure your feet are parallel and hip width apart, with a band under both feet, and your hands holding each end of the band. Bend your knees a little and tilt forward from your hips, keeping your elbows bent and your hands by your shoulders. Now straighten your arms out behind you, bringing your hands to your hips. Bring them back to the start position. Repeat twelve times. Rest for 30 seconds and do a second set.

Flyes

Lie on your back with a band under your upper back, an end in each hand. Keeping your arms in a long line, bring your hands up and over your head, squeezing your chest muscles together when you get to the top. Return to the start. Repeat twelve times. Rest for 30 seconds and do a second set.

Chest Presses

Lie on your back, with a dumbbell in each hand. Your elbows should be bent at the start. Then, straighten them so that your arms come off the floor, but be sure that you don't lock your elbows at the top of the move. Lower your arms back down. Do your reps following the drop-down set schedule on page 101.

Row

Stand with your feet hip distance apart, with your abs contracted and your shoulders down. Hold a 10-pound dumbbell in each hand. Keeping your knees slightly bent, bend forward from your hips, letting your arms down straight under your shoulders, and your palms facing each other. Keeping your shoulders away from your ears, contract your back muscles, and then bend your elbows as you squeeze your back muscles together. Return to the start. Do this fifteen times.

Shoulder Presses

Stand with your feet together on the middle of a band, the ends of the band in each hand. Keep your abs contracted and your shoulders down. Now, raise your arms over your head, bringing the band up with your hands. Do not let your shoulders hunch near your ears. Return to the start. Do this fifteen times on each side.

Front Raises

Stand with your right foot about two feet in front of your left, toes facing forward. The middle of a band should be under your right foot, and an end of the band should be in each hand. Your shoulders should be relaxed; your torso tilted slightly forward, and your back flat. Your arms are down. On an exhale, raise your arms in front of your body to shoulder height. You should feel tension in the band as you get to the top of the move. Lower your arms slowly. Repeat twelve times. Rest for 30 seconds and do a second set.

Bent Over Flyes

Make sure your feet are parallel and hip width apart, with a band under both feet and your hands holding each end of the band. Bend your knees a little and tilt forward from your hips, then bring your arms down so they hang down. Now raise your arms up to the side, pulling the band up. Return to the start. Repeat twelve times. Rest for 30 seconds and do a second set.

Crunches

Lie down with your back pressed gently into the floor, your elbows bent, your hands behind your head, your shoulders away from your ears, your abs contracted, and your head and shoulders lifted off the floor. On an exhale, come up about six inches so that your eyes look in a diagonal at the ceiling. Come back down when you inhale without letting your head and shoulders go down to the floor. Repeat up to twenty times.

Oblique Crunches

Lie down with your back pressed gently into the floor, your elbows bent, your shoulders away from your ears, your abs contracted, and your head and shoulders lifted off the floor, and your right hand behind your head. Your right knee is bent, and your right foot is on the floor. Your left ankle is on your right knee, and your left knee is out to the side. Keep your right hand behind your head with your elbow bent, and your left arm on the floor. On an exhale, come up about six inches, and twist to your left knee without squeezing your torso. Come back down when you inhale without letting your head and shoulders go down to the floor. Repeat up to twenty times.

Leg Raises

Lie with your back on the floor; arms by your sides; legs up in the air, straight; and abs gently contracted. Slowly lift your hips and legs off the floor (you'll only be able to go about an inch or two), then lower back down. Do this slowly, and don't move your legs back and forth. Try to move straight up and down. Repeat up to twenty times.