Barbell vs Dumbbell doing standing leg work.

[lesliew]

For Cathe or the Educated Crowd:

I was wondering if keeping two 15 or 20 pound dumbbells at my side during squats and lunges would be just as effective as a heavy barbell on my shoulders. I can't place a 40 pound barbell on my shoulders because of my lower back problem.

Thanks!

 

[kathryn]

You can definitely use dumbbells instead of a barbell, but you might want to try either holding them in front of your shoulders (bring them up with a hammer curl, and then go a bit higher, bracing your arms against your body) or holding them against your hips (works well with plie squats), at least for some exercises, to reduce the pull on your shoulder joint.

 

[lesliew]

Thanks for the reply Kathryn! I'm always learning something from you!