But I only have one dumbbell!
How often have you been in a position where you only had enough dumbbells for one per person… or looked at a dumbbell and asked “Why do I need two”?
If you have never used one dumbbell, it will certainly make you think creatively. The best place to begin is to use standard moves that you regularly use and then apply the single dumbbell concept. You may find that the same exercises are more challenging or functional with only one dumbbell. Exercises like Rock n Roll (suspended move with the body flipping from a prone to supine position and back again) which can be performed with two dumbbells, noodles or aqua belt, are much more challenging with one dumbbell.
Most everyday movements are unbalanced e.g. carrying a bag, shopping for a child, getting in and out of a car, bathtub or bed, and even reaching for something up high and tip-toeing on one leg to extend further.
Moving a buoyant object in the one hand challenges core stability and is effective in making sure that each side of the body is worked equally.
The Dumbbell
Dumbbells come in all shapes and sizes, and not all exercises are appropriate for each one. The length of the “bar” between the 2 circular foam sections will determine the type of grip and exercise that can be performed. Short “bars” will limit most exercises to a ‘Hand to Hand’ pass or a ‘Foam Grip’. Dumbbells that allow both hands to fit in the centre allow for a wider range of grip options whereas dumbbells that have a much longer “bar” are best used with double-hand grips – a single-hand grip on these dumbbells has the potential to cause injury due to the increased force that needs to be generated to move the extended dumbbell through the water.
How to handle a single dumbbell
Double Grip
Dumbbells can be held with both hands in the centre or on the “bar” in either the vertical position or the horizontal position. To hold the dumbbell in either position, the “bar” needs to be long enough for both hands to fit side by side comfortably.
Foam Grip
Where both hands grip the foam parts of the dumbbell, means that the dumbbell can only be held in a horizontal position. If the foam sections are large, it could be an issue for participants with arthritis, wrist problems or RSI as the fingers would need to be spread wider to maintain control.
Hand to Hand Pass
This is where the dumbbell is passed from one hand to the other and the exercises can be performed with the dumbbell in either the vertical or horizontal position. This allows the fingers and the muscles in the forearms to release, which is very important when using the dumbbell throughout the class. It does require more coordination, as the legs are usually moving as well and sometimes in the opposite direction.
For this grip to have a smooth transition from one hand to the other, both arms must be moving through the same plane. If arms are alternating eg: forwards and backwards with a kick to the front, it is hard to pass the dumbbell from one hand to the other. The other alternative is to have a transitional move that allows both hands to grip the dumbbell so that the dumbbell is passed over to the opposite hand easily.
Leg Grip
Another position that the dumbbell can be held is between the thighs (1/2 way up) or under the knee between the calf and hamstrings. This is effective for incorporating core stabilisers more actively and focusing on upper body exercises that are “dumbbell free”.
Teaching Tips
Good verbal and non verbal communication is vital when incorporating single dumbbell exercises in your classes. This is especially important when performing right and left moves and doing a hand-to-hand pass. If leg patterns are also Right or Left, further instruction is required, so the participants are not confused.
Music
Anything goes. Upbeat tracks are great for faster cardiovascular moves and shallow water exercises. Strong slow beats are best used for suspended or deep water moves.
| Single Dumbbell Positions | Legs | Arms |
| Just One Step
No Dumbbells |
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| Swanee/ After You’ve Gone / Joseph, Joseph
Double Hand Grip |
1. Small quick Cossack kick
2. Double Cossack kick and single, single, double kick 3. Jogging 4. Straight leg kick in front 5. Straight leg kick behind |
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| In The Mood
Double Hand Grip Hand to Hand Pass |
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| Rum And Coca Cola
Hand to Hand Pass |
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| Be-Bop-A-Lu-La
Suspended – Dumbbell under knee |
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| Shoop Shoop Song
Suspended – Dumbbell between thighs |
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| Big Girls Don’t Cry
Hand to Hand Pass |
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| Boogie Shoes
Foam Grip Double Hand Grip Hand to Hand Pass |
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| Jive Talking
Double Hand Grip Hand to Hand Pass |
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| The Best
Hand to Hand Pass Double Hand Grip |
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| She’s Got To Be Loved
Double Hand Grip |
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| Be My Baby
Single Hand Grip Hand to Hand Pass Double Hand Grip |
3. Side to side kick |
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| Car Wash
Hand to Hand Pass Double Hand Grip Single Hand Grip |
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| Venus
Double Hand Grip |
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| Love In The First Degree
Hand to Hand Pass |
2. Propulsive knee scissors 3. Feet wide apart |
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| Vogue
Hand to Hand Pass |
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