Dumbbell math

paprad

SInce I am using dumbbells, I have to figure out how to do the 90% and 80% days - my gym has dumbbells from 1kg to 10kg. So I can't fine tune a 90% weight - and if I go to 80% for Medium, then the Light day becomes ridiculously light. I don't have magnetic weights (as was mentioned earlier) - so I thought I'd look for half kilo wristweights - would that be a good option? the other option is that I split the Medium day workouts by doing the first workset at 100% and the second one at 80%, so on an average I get a 90% workout on Medium Days - would that be okay?

jasonheyd

I usually just go for whatever weight is above "ridiculously light". That meant that, for a cycle or two, my Heavy and Medium days were at the same weight for a few exercises. I'm sure that wasn't ideal, but there wasn't much else to be done.

I'm not sure the straps would be the same... You're going to lose the benefit of grip mechanics, and it's almost certainly going to change the balance points, motion arms, etc. for some exercises.

I'm sure somewhere in BB.com forums there's a better answer, but I never did see All Pro respond beyond saying, "Make sure you have adjustable dumbbells..." -- which I don't.

Maybe someone else has a better pointer, sorry!

paprad

I think you are right - AllPro does say to go for the lighter weight, when in doubt. And you are also right, that before I know it, the medium=heavy and the light=medium punchline will sneak up and make things tough. I just had a bout of feeling terribly clever, trying to average percentages.

I think I will stick to my original plan of rounding things off at the lower level and enjoy the "lightness of being" for as long as it lasts, which won't be long, hahaha

jasonheyd

Yeah, makes sense... I really only ran into that to a major degree with the warm-up sets, since that tended to drop me into using dumbbells instead of a barbell. For the Medium/Light days (90% and 80%), I usually ended up just under 45 lbs, so I could either use 2x20 lb. dumbbells, or just go with the empty bar.

cmeiron

I'm in the same boat and have used several approaches: use the next closest heavier weight; use wrist weights (many are adjustable); use magnetic microweights (that's new for me, so great though!); use combo of some/all of the above.

My current DLs, for example, require - on top of the 35 lb dumbbells - wrist weights, some micros, and I tied a 3-kb barbie dumbbell on them too. It's so fugly, but it's the correct weight, lol.

God, I need a bar and plates :P

jasonheyd

I knew I'd seen this somewhere...

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=4195843&p=418778121&viewfull=1#post418778121

Originally Posted by throbby View Post
hi started this routine this week

do i have to change from heavy meduim light

as i dont have enough weight plates to do this with

eg squat 40kg (2x20kg)
after 5th week if i buy a few plates 10% OF 40kg = 8KG
they dont sell 8kg can i buy 2 x 5kgs

i only have

2x 10kgs
2x 20kgs

and some dumbells
starter kit up 15kg

4 x 2.5kgs
4 x 1.25kgs
2x handels

was thinking of buying more
2x20kg



to add to squat bar and bench bar
eg bench 20kgs up to 40kgs

and then put the 2 10kgs on squat bar to make 60kg

i have two bars going as it pain in the *kitten* to change weights for each exercise

im doing the barbells curls with dumblells concentration curls with 10kg

i need a curly bar and more plates

what should i buy when it to 5th week

seems silly for me to just add 4kg for my increase
ill end up with 100s of 1.25 kg plates

what is the best amd most practical way to do this
as in plates i should purchase

they are $3 a kg in australia

When in doubt go lighter. In other words round down even if that means that the medium and the lite work out use the same work set weight. You'll get stronger soon enough and need to buy some more plates. Oh and check out your local dump. Believe it or not people throw out metal weight plates all the time. I've got over 1000 pounds of standard metal weight plates but I only bought about 250 pounds!
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paprad

Thanks!