Full body free weight training –

Have you gotten used to working out at home? So why not spice up the sessions and buy some dumbbells or free weights to intensify the movements? They aren’t usually that expensive, but they make a huge difference.

You just need to be aware of how you perform the exercises with the weights. “Many people have the habit of holding their breath in the false intention of increasing strength. Whether it’s to lift something heavier at home, walk faster through the streets or increase the load of training. What few people know is that the effect is exactly the opposite: it increases the risk of injury, as the diaphragm is overloaded”, explains Altino Andrade, a physical education professional at the Just Fit Academia Network.

According to the specialist, when working with weights, the rule of breathing is to release the air on the stimulus and inhale when releasing the weight, since it is during exhalation that the abdominal muscles contract. “In this case, if breathing is not done correctly, in addition to giving the feeling of tiredness faster, the exercise may not even be used”.

Learned? So check out ideas for workouts with weights:

Free weight training for upper body

1 – Dumbbell front raise

– (Karolina Grabowska/Pexels)

Start standing, with your feet parallel and shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, arms in front of your body and holding dumbbells, and abs contracted. Raise your arms forward to shoulder height. Do 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

2 – Lateral raise with dumbbells

– (Karolina Grabowska/Pexels)

Stand with your feet parallel and shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, arms at your sides and holding the dumbbells, and abs contracted. Open your arms, laterally raising the dumbbells to shoulder height. Do 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

3 – Biceps

– (Pavel Danilyuk/Pexels)

Still standing, feet parallel and shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, arms in front of the body and holding the dumbbells and abdomen contracted. Bend your elbows and raise the dumbbells towards your shoulders. Do 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

4 – Pulley

– (Andrea Piacquadio/Pexels)

Lying on a bench, let your legs form a 90 degree angle, and take one of the dumbbells behind your head, with your grip on the ends of the accessory. Do the classic move, extending and flexing your arms, bringing the weights behind your neck. Concentrate on keeping your back straight. Do 3 sets of 12 repetitions.

Training with free weights for lower limbs

1 – Four supports

– (Klaus Nielsen/Pexels)

On all fours, with your abdomen contracted, your back in line and shin pads on your legs, extend your left leg back and up and back. Repeat with the right. You can perform the movement with the shin guard as you evolve. Do 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

2 – Progress

– (Monster/Pexels)

Place your legs (with shin guards) shoulder-width apart. Step forward with your right foot while bending your knees to a 90° angle. Return to the starting position and repeat with your left leg. Do 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

3 – Sumo squats

– (Ketut Subiyanto/Pexels)

Standing, abs contracted, legs wide apart and knees semi-flexed. Keep your knees and feet pointed out. Hold a weight in both hands with your arms extended in front of your body. Project the hips back a little. Squat, slowly lowering your torso until your knees form a 90-degree angle to your thighs, then come back down without fully extending them. Don’t let your knees go beyond your toes. Do 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

4 – Lateral displacement

– (SHVETS production/Pexels)

Place a mini band below your knees and get into a squat position with your feet waist-width apart. Step your right foot to the side, then bring your left foot closer, without letting the band slacken. Repeat to the other side. Do 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

Abdominal free weight training

1 – Plank and dumbbell lift

– (cottonbro/Pexels)

Standing, put on a pair of shin guards and hold 2 dumbbells over your shoulders. Squat down, lean your torso forward and place the dumbbells on the floor. Extend your right leg behind you, then your left. Place your hands on the dumbbells in a plank position. Return to the starting position, but maintain the squat at 90°. Stand up straight and extend your arms. Repeat 15 times.

2 – Abdominal knife

– (Eduardo Svezia/)

Lying down, stretch your legs (with shin guards) and arms. Raise your torso and legs as much as you can, bringing your hands towards your feet. Return without touching the ground. Repeat for 1 minute.