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Use of Dumbells

J

jackal

Guest
Hi all , jackal here

I've been working out using only dumbellslifting heavy weights (well heavy for me anyway ) with low reps. Plus ive been eating lots of high-protein food.

I've been doingdumbell flat benchpress, dumbell overhead press and curls, doing 7 and 10 reps.

My weekly routine goes something like this:

Sunday:

Dumbell bench press- 6 sets 8 reps

Overhead dumbell shoulder press- 6 sets 8 reps

Monday:

Curls- 6 sets 8 reps

Tuesday:


Dumbell bench press- 6 sets 8 reps

Overhead dumbell shoulder press- 6 sets 8 reps


Wednesday: rest day

Thursday:


Dumbell bench press- 6 sets 8 reps

Overhead dumbell shoulder press- 6 sets 8 reps

Friday:

Curls- 6 sets 8 reps



Saturday: rest day

Now I'm a total novice in terms of correct approach to training routines and I have a feeling my routine may not be the best. i don't have access to a gym so have to resort to using dumbells at home
 
What weight dumbbells do you have? Are they adjustable in weight?

the biggest problem with your routine is that you're only training your pecs, shoulders, bis and tris. You need a program that targets ALL the major muscle groups, otherwise your gains will be limited

Give us a bit more detail on your goals, stats, history etc. Also important is what equipment do you have available?

I would begin a new program focusing one day on upper body and one on lower body. Stick to the compound exercises like bench, chins, millitary press, rows -- Squats, lunges etc.
 
the only equipment I have is a set of adjustable dumbells, I'm curling 16kg and benching 40kg.

My goal is to continue to increase upper body strength and bulk perhaps 10-15 kg more than my current weight of 77 kg i'm 5foot 11.


I only do the dumbell flat benchpress, shoulder press and curls is because these are good exercises to increase upper body. I'm not too worried about the lower body
 
how much weight can you load up onto your dumbells ? Sooner or later you will need more weight if you plan to stick to it. Or alternatively you will need to find some appropriate bodyweight exercises.
You may want to try a simple 2-way split, upper and lower body. So you could train something like this:
monday- upper
tuesday- lower
wednesday- rest
friday- upper
saturday- lower
sunday- rest

a few basic examples that you might want to consider

Upper body I would do something along the lines of
-Bench (or pushups/1 arm pushup progression)
-Chin ups (or 1 arm chin up progression - weighted chins)
-Dumbell press (handstand pushups)
-Dips (1 arm progression - weighted dips)
-Rows (or horizontal pull ups)

Lower body:
-Dumbbell squats (or pistols - 1 leg squats)
-Lunges (weighted)
-Hyperextesions (weighted)
-Sprints
 
jackal said:
I only do the dumbell flat benchpress, shoulder press and curls is because these are good exercises to increase upper body. I'm not too worried about the lower body
Click to expand...

forehead_slap.jpg
 
another one that doesn't want to work their legs!!!

You MUST work your legs, any routine you do must include leg work. Otherwise you are just wasting your time and effort, leg work is vital for the develop[ment of the upper body too.

Do some research on squats.

They hurt, but its good, real goooood.:)
 
Only pussies* don't train legs.

*amputees not classed as pussies.
 
Last edited:
The sooner people wake up and realise that curling and benching won't get you anywhere the better they'll be for it.

Over at bb.com forums this would be seen as a troll thread it's that uninformed.
 
He probably just doesn't know how important it is to train legs.

A lot of poeple make the same mistake when they first start.
 
Actually I will admit I was a pecs/bi/tri gym idiot until I started to do my research and train properly (then I actually got some real gains).
 
Squat, Deadlift and Bench.

Lat Extensions and Bi Curls may have their place but not until you've packed on some mass at least. IMO. :)
 
You can definately develop an awesome upper body without working legs.

As long as you're doing some big compounds like bench press, dips, Chins with BW+, heavy rows, overhead presses.

You will just look top heavy and wierd,
 
Some people dont have a choice. I know i have a screwed knee and find it hard to make consistant gains in legs cause sometimes ill lift in just the wrontg way and i wont be able to do shit for months at a time.

Its important to do the whole body but for those that cant... well lets just say i dont lose my respect for them :P
 
Can't or won't? If you can't due to injury that's well and good, but trust me there are lots of guys who can but wont, and when they do they piss fart around with leg extensions. :(
 
kindred said:
Some people dont have a choice. I know i have a screwed knee and find it hard to make consistant gains in legs cause sometimes ill lift in just the wrontg way and i wont be able to do shit for months at a time.

Its important to do the whole body but for those that cant... well lets just say i dont lose my respect for them :P
Click to expand...

Have you been able to start off light and work your way up ? I mean I'd like to see you even just doing bodyweight squats, getting used to moving your lower body then start with just say 10kg on the barbell and working with that.

To begin with don't worry about lifting heavy loads, just get conditioned to moving your lower body and lifting technique, then you will be in a position to start to move some heavier weight.

Above is basically how I started. I began with nothing but the bar, the first plates I put on we 2x5kg, not much at all.

If you can't squat then you can't, but if you can, just adding this one exercise will give you so much more.
 
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