Dumbbell Exercises

The stiff-leg dumbbell deadlift (SLDL) is a powerful exercise that is often confused with the Romanian Deadlift (RDL). While both are hip-hinge movements that target the posterior chain, the key difference lies in the degree of knee bend.

The SLDL is performed with much straighter, “stiffer” legs, which places a greater emphasis on the hamstrings and lower back, making it an excellent exercise for building strength and flexibility in these areas.

Pro Tip for Forward Lunge Execution

• Focus on the Hinge, Not the Bend: The movement is all about pushing your hips back, not bending your torso forward.
• Keep a Slight Bend in Your Knees: While it’s called a “stiff-leg” deadlift, you should never lock your knees out.
• Maintain a Straight Back: This is the most crucial tip for a safe and effective SLDL. Keep your chest up, shoulders pulled back and down, and your back straight and neutral throughout the lift.
• Control the Movement: Perform the exercise slowly and with full control, especially on the way down.
• Dumbbells Close to Your Body: Keep the dumbbells as close to your legs as possible as you lower and raise them.
• Feel the Stretch: The goal of the SLDL is to feel a deep stretch in your hamstrings. The moment you feel that stretch, that’s your signal to stop the downward movement and begin the upward, concentric phase.
• Squeeze at the Top: As you return to the standing position, powerfully contract your glutes and hamstrings to fully extend your hips. 

The squat with dumbbell raises is a compound move that combines a lower-body squat with an upper-body shoulder exercise, targeting multiple muscle groups for a full-body workout.

Pro Tip for Squats with Dumbbell Front Raises

• Avoid momentum: Don’t swing the dumbbells — keep the raise strict and controlled
• Progression: Start with light dumbbells (5–15 lbs) and increase only when form is solid.
• Focus on Stability: Keep your feet flat on the ground, distribute your weight evenly, and avoid letting your knees cave inward during the squat.
• Maintain Proper Form: Don’t round your shoulders, keep your chest lifted
• Don’t Sacrifice Squat Depth for a perfect raise
• Consider tempo variations: slow descent, pause at bottom

The dumbbell thruster is a dynamic, full-body exercise that combines a front squat with an overhead press. It is a highly efficient movement that builds strength, power, and cardiovascular endurance all at once. Because it engages so many muscles in a single, fluid motion, it’s often a staple in high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and metabolic conditioning workouts.

Pro Tip for Dumbbell Thrusters Execution

• Choose the Right Weight: Start with a light to moderate weight to master the form.
• Maintain a Proper Front-Rack Position: Hold the dumbbells with your palms facing each other, resting on top of your shoulders. Keep your elbows high and forward, pointing in front of you.
• Squat Depth is Key: Aim for a full, deep squat where your hips go below your knees.
• Explode Out of the Squat: The transition from the squat to the press should be a single, explosive movement. Drive through your heels and use the power from your glutes and hamstrings to propel your hips forward and your body upward.
• Lock Out at the Top: At the top of the movement, fully extend your arms and lock out your elbows. The dumbbells should be directly overhead, with your biceps near your ears.
• Breathe Properly: Exhale forcefully as you drive up from the bottom of the squat and press the dumbbells overhead.
• Keep Your Core Tight: Your core and back will be working hard to keep your torso stable throughout the entire movement. Brace your abdominal muscles and maintain a straight back, especially during the squat portion, to prevent injury.
• Move with Rhythm: Once you’ve mastered the form, focus on a smooth, continuous rhythm. The thruster is meant to be a fluid movement, not a two-part exercise. The goal is to avoid pausing between the squat and the press.

The cambered bar curl, commonly known as an EZ-bar curl, is a highly popular and effective isolation exercise for the biceps. The unique, wavy shape of the bar is designed to place the wrists in a more neutral, semi-supinated position, which can reduce strain on the wrists and elbows compared to a traditional straight barbell.

Pro Tip for Cambered Bar Curls

• Choose the Right Grip: The EZ-bar has a few different grip options. The wider, outermost grips are often used for a more general biceps focus, while the narrower grips can put more emphasis on the long head of the bicep. Choose the grip that feels most comfortable.
• Keep Your Elbows Pinned: This is the most crucial tip for isolating the biceps. Your elbows should remain stationary and tucked into your sides throughout the entire exercise. Avoid swinging your elbows forward or backward.
• Controlled and Deliberate Movement: Avoid using momentum to swing the weight up. The eccentric (lowering) phase is just as important for muscle growth, so lower the weight with control.
• Full Range of Motion: Extend your arms fully at the bottom of the movement to get a full stretch in the biceps, and then curl the weight all the way up to get a full contraction at the top.
• Avoid Arching Your Back: When the weight gets heavy, it’s a common tendency to arch your back to help with the lift. If you find yourself arching, the weight is too heavy.
• Don’t Let Your Wrists Bend: Even with the EZ-bar, it’s important to keep your wrists straight and in line with your forearms.