How to increase Resistance on Weights

Dumbbells and barbells are a great way to build strength and muscle mass. Initially a pair of light dumbbells is sufficient for a good workout, however over time as your strength increases, the same weight might not be able to provide sufficient tension for your muscles to feel the burn. For those who are wondering how to increase the resistance on the dumbbells without buying another set of weights, this article hopes to clear up your doubts.

Additional Weights Plates

If your weights sets are adjustable you are fortunate to have the option of purchasing additional weights plates to increase the resistance of the weights plates. There are many weights plates out there so you can be rest assured that you will be able to find the right one. However, there are a few things to take note when deciding which weigh plates to buy.

Firstly, check the compatibility of the weights plates with you dumbbell or barbell bar. Not all weights plates are compatible with every dumbbell/barbell bar as the diameter of the inner ring is different. The most common diameter for weights plates is 2.8cm(+/-1cm), the chance of you purchasing the right weight plate is high but it is best to check with your seller and measure the diameter of the bar and inner ring yourself to ensure that the plate will fit in the bar. Note that it is normal for the inner ring of the weights plate to be slightly larger than the diameter of the bar.

Secondly, check the thickness of the weight plate as well as the length of the bar. Most adjustable dumbbell and barbell sets comes with bars that are just long enough or slghtly longer for all the weights plates. Hence it is not likely that you will be able to fit an additional 4 or more weights plates on the bar. However, you can replace the existing weights plates with heavier ones since the set usually comes with very light plates such as 0.5 to 1kg ones. Buying too many additional weights plates or buying plates that are too thick won’t be useful. Also, note that you should buy in even numbers to ensure equal resistance on both sides.

Resistance bands and weights combination

It may seem unusual but combining weights and resistance bands is an effective and cost-saving way to increase the resistance of the dumbbells. Tie one end of the resistance bands to one the handle of the dumbbell bar and the other end of the bands to the other handle. For barbell bars, try to keep the 2 ends as far from each other as possible on the bar. The dumbbell or barbell then serves as the handle for the resistance bands.

If you have a resistance bands set that comes with ankle strap, you can attach the bands easily to the bar handles. You can also try attaching multiple bands for more resistance. To use your new equipment, step on the resistance bands and pull on the dumbbell bar as you would normally use them, the resistance can be increased up to 2 times depending on the bands you use. In addition, resistance bands are much cheaper than dumbbells so you can save money by using this technique.

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Read More

• Benefits of Weight Training With Dumbbells
• Safety Tips When Training With Weights & Gym Equipment
• Dumbbells VS Barbells
• Safety Tips For Dumbbell and Barbell Training
• Light Weight Dumbbells VS Heavy Weight Dumbbells
• Review of Resistance Bands and Accessories
• Most Effective Gym Equipment For Muscle Gain
• Introduction to Barbell Workout
• How To Lift Heavier Weights
• 6 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Go to Gym

Posted by admin in Dumbbell Tips, Strength Training