Light-Weight Dumbbell Exercises for Burning Calories, Building Muscle

Can't lift heavy weights? Apparently it's not an issue, folks. It's being reported that you can use a five-pound dumbbell to shed calories and build muscle just like the guy next to you benching 250lbs. Okay, maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, but it is true that you can still burn calories by using small weights. How so? Glad you asked...

You did ask, right?

Men's Heath reports, "Light weights allow you to perform movements with greater speed and explosive power," according to the publication's Fitness Director BJ Gaddor. Furthermore, a light-weight dumbbell "stimulates your fast-twitch muscle fibers, challenges your cardiovascular system, and elevates your heart rate."

To get yourself in shape with just a five-pound dumbbell, practice the below move: the Dumbbell Discus.

Seriously, don't let go of that dumbbell, folks. 

Be sure to perform the Dumbbell Discus for 20 seconds with 10 seconds of rest immediately afterward. For the best results, perform the exercise for four minutes straight, alternating sides each time.

Check out a couple more dumbbell exercises below via Men's Health's Instagram account:

 It's Day 2 of #CircuitWeek at Men's Health! This strength circuit from @bjgaddour uses heavier loads for a moderate amount of time-under-tension to build muscle. The tempo of the exercises is slower and more controlled than you’d use for a power circuit. It’s kind of the sweet spot between powerlifting and bodybuilding training for building size and strength with the added benefits of metabolic conditioning. Alternate between 30 seconds of work and 30 seconds of rest for each move in the following 5-exercise circuit: 1- Dumbbell Front Squats 2- Band Pushups 3- Dumbbell Alternating Reverse Lunges 4- Dumbbell Pushup-Position Rows 5- Dumbbell Hip Hinge to Row That’s 1 cycle that takes 5 minutes to complete. Do up to 6 total cycles for a 30-minute workout. #Circuit #MetCon #Workouts #Fitness #FatLoss #Strength #MHFit #TheBetterManProject #MensHealth #

A video posted by Men's Health (@menshealthmag) on Jul 21, 2015 at 5:51am PDT

It's Day 3 of #CircuitWeek! This endurance circuit from @bjgaddour uses lighter loads for longer work periods and shorter rest periods to put as much metabolic stress on your muscles as possible. It also uses more unilateral movements to help build stability and symmetry between sides. You’ll get the best of both strength-building and cardio-conditioning worlds with this routine. Alternate between 45 seconds of work and 15 seconds of rest for each move in the following 10-exercise circuit: 1/2- Dumbbell 1-Arm Bulgarian Split Squats L/R 3/4- Dumbbell 1-Arm Crab Presses L/R 5/6- Dumbbell 1-Arm Kneeling Row L/R 7/8- Dumbbell 1-Arm Side Plank Lateral Raise L/R 9/10- Dumbbell 1-Arm Split Kneeling Curl to Press L/R. That’s 1 cycle that takes 10 minutes to complete. Do up to 3 total cycles for a 30-minute workout. #Circuit #Fitness #WorkoutWednesday #FatLoss #Endurance #MHFit #TheBetterManProject # A video posted by Men's Health (@menshealthmag) on Jul 22, 2015 at 5:10am PDT