Top 7 Dumbbell Exercises for Men Over 50

You can beat muscle loss with strengthening exercises. Dumbbell exercises are accessible, doable, and highly effective. Let's get pumping!

RELATED: Best Exercise Routines for Men Over 50

Muscle Strengthening Dumbbell Exercises for Men over 50

1. Bench Press

Bench presses hit your upper body muscles, engaging your shoulders, arms, and pecs. And depending on how you position your dumbbells, you may activate your forearms and triceps too.

A common misconception is that strength training is all about being able to lift the heaviest weights. Workouts are personal and will differ for everyone. Begin with weights that are right for you, not what you saw your gym buddy lift.

The ideal weight would be heavy enough to challenge your muscles but not so heavy that you cannot keep them steady.

What You'll Need:

• dumbbells
• flat bench

How To:

1. Grab your weights and on the edge of your flat bench.
2. Resting your dumbbells on your thighs, lie down comfortably on the center of the bench.
3. Hold your dumbbells by your shoulders, inhale, and lift them straight up and slowly.
4. As you lift the dumbbells, keep them a little past the width of your shoulders.
5. Exhale! Keep your pace slow and steady as you bring the dumbbells down by your shoulders.
6. Repeat!

Do three sets of 5 reps for beginners. If this feels easy, increase it to three sets of 7 reps each.

2. Deadlift

Let's target your lower back muscles, glutes, and hamstrings with a dumbbell deadlift.

I highly recommend deadlifts to everyone I know (especially older adults) because you can apply this in daily life. If you've heard the phrase, lift with your legs, not your back, you may have a clue about how deadlifts work.

Deadlift dumbbell exercises not only make you stronger, but they could also help you with daily chores.

What You'll Need:

• dumbbells

How To:

1. Hold your dumbbells on your sides.
2. Look forward, keep your shoulders square, feet shoulder-width apart, and bend your knees slightly.
3. Lower your knees and hips and stop when your dumbbells are adjacent to your shins. Make sure your shoulders do not exceed your knees to avoid using your back muscles.
4. Inhale! Engage your glutes, lean on the balls and heels of your feet, and keep your back straight as you stand back up.
5. Exhale as you come back down, knees and hips bent.
6. Repeat!

Do three sets of 5-7 reps for beginners. If this feels easy, increase it to three sets of 10 reps each.

3. Bent-Over Row

A single-arm row is a great exercise to strengthen your back muscles.

Many muscle groups meet at your back, so strengthening this will give power up your movements. A strong back will support your posture, motion and may help alleviate back pain.

What You'll Need:

• dumbbells
• flat bench

How To:

1. Stand in front of your flat bench. Rest your left knee on the edge of the bench and your right hand on the opposite end.
2. Hold the dumbbell in your right hand and extend your arm. Brace your abs, keep your back straight and shoulders square.
3. Exhale! Using your back and shoulder muscles, pull up the dumbbell to your side.
4. Inhale! Lower the dumbbell, still making sure that your torso stays still.
5. After completing three sets on with your right arm, switch over to the left arm.

Do three sets of 5 reps each.

RELATED: 5 Battle Rope Exercises Great For Cardio Workout

4. Lunges

Don't forget about leg day!

Lunges target the quadriceps, a group of 4 muscles on the thigh, wrapping around your kneecaps to your hips. These are important for keeping you stable while you stand and for activities like walking and running.

Strong muscles may also prevent injuries. Because of how frequently we use them in our daily activities, it's essential to keep them strong through strength and resistance exercises.

What You'll Need:

• • dumbbells
  • a large space

How To:

1. Stand up straight with your toes pointing forward. Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Keep your back straight, core engaged, and torso rigid as you work on your lunges.
2. Inhale! Step forward with your right leg, creating a 90° angle. Make sure that your knee does not exceed your toes.
3. Exhale! Stand back up to the starting position.
4. Inhale! Step forward with your left leg, forming a 90° angle. Make sure that your knee does not go past your toes.
5. Repeat.

Do three sets of 8-10 reps each.

5. Side Lateral Raises

Strengthen your shoulder muscles with side lateral raises.

This routine could be challenging enough without dumbbells, so begin with a lighter load. When it starts to feel tough, many use their traps to lift their arms. It may cause injury, and you won't be able to hit your deltoids. To prevent this, keep your shoulders and torso still.

Beginners or older adults can do this sitting down. Grab a flat bench or a comfortable chair if you're working out at home.

What You'll Need:

• dumbbells
• optional: flat bench or chair

How To:

1. Stand up straight. Pull your shoulders back and lower them. Engage your core and keep your torso still.
2. Grab a dumbbell on each hand with your palms facing your thighs. Bend your elbows slightly.
3. Inhale! Raise your arms, leading with your elbows, and stop when your arms are parallel to the floor. Hold this pose for a second. Keep your shoulders down and your torso still.
4. Exhale! Lower your arms at a pace two to three times slower than when you raised them.
5. When your arms are by your sides, pause for a second before lifting them again.
6. Repeat.

Do three sets of 10-12 reps each.

6. Squats (Dumbbell Exercises for Senior Men)

Squats are a great exercise for older adults. It is a function form of exercise that you use in everyday life and may keep you independent.

Squats activate your glutes and quads and may also engage your calves and hamstrings.

What You'll Need:

• dumbbells

How To:

1. Stand up straight with your feet hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell with each hand and bring them up to your shoulders. Keep your feet flat on the floor.
2. Inhale! Lower your knees and make sure your shoulders do not exceed your knees. You can do this in front of a mirror so you can check if you're executing the proper form. Stick your butt out slightly. But keep your back straight as your lower yourself, engaging your core, and keep your shoulders square.
3. Stop when your thighs are parallel to the ground or when you've gone as low as you can. It's difficult to achieve a 90° angle when you're bouncing back from an injury or a sedentary lifestyle. Focus instead on proper form over going as low as you can.
4. Exhale! Straighten your legs and keep your chest lifted and your torso still. Bolt your feet flat on the floor, pushing against your heel to stand back up.
5. Repeat.

Do three sets of 5-10 reps each.

7. Curls (Dumbbell Exercises for Senior Men)

We don't realize how often we use our arms until they begin to feel weak. Because of how frequently we use them throughout the day, it's important to keep them injury-free and strong. Strengthening your biceps with curls may help you achieve these.

What You'll Need:

• dumbbells

How To:

1. Stand up straight and position your feet hip-width apart.
2. Lower your arms and hold a dumbbell in each hand. Face your palms forward.
3. Inhale! Moving only your elbows, lift the dumbbells. Engage your core, keep your shoulders relaxed, and keep your upper arm and torso still.
4. Exhale! Lower your forearms again, keeping your elbows glued to your sides.
5. Repeat!

Do three sets of eight to 10 reps each.

Check out this video to learn about how eating the right food can help improve your workout gains:

Muscle imbalance, sarcopenia, and weight gain are only some of the things that training may help you with. More and more research shows that exercise could build mental strength and endurance in addition to physical capacity.

For inner and outer strength, try out these dumbbell exercises.

Are you pumping iron at home, or have you subscribed to a gym membership already? Let us know how you’re staying fit in the comments section below.

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