Dumbell training, serious question about how much weight

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MrsCarpenter719
MrsCarpenter719 Posts: 31 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Ok serious weight lifting question: I have been using 2 ten lb weights for just under a year now. I still would like to slim down my arms but i want a nice muscle where you can see the lines and everything. but I dont want my arms to look fat..should I increase to 15 lbs or stay at 10 lbs. i still have a little fat on my arms and i weight lift for about 20-30 mins 5 days a week. if u go to my pictures you can see how my arms look now. just really confused on what to do..thanks! :)

Not quite sure on what each exercise i do is called but I do curls, over the head arm extentions, bend at the hip backwards elbow extentions, squats with rowing arms with weights, and lunges with my weights
20 reps 3 times each

Replies

  • RebeccaHite
    RebeccaHite Posts: 187 Member
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    Ok serious weight lifting question: I have been using 2 ten lb weights for just under a year now. I still would like to slim down my arms but i want a nice muscle where you can see the lines and everything. but I dont want my arms to look fat..should I increase to 15 lbs or stay at 10 lbs. i still have a little fat on my arms and i weight lift for about 20-30 mins 5 days a week. if u go to my pictures you can see how my arms look now. just really confused on what to do..thanks! :)

    Not quite sure on what each exercise i do is called but I do curls, over the head arm extentions, bend at the hip backwards elbow extentions, squats with rowing arms with weights, and lunges with my weights
    20 reps 3 times each
  • RebeccaHite
    RebeccaHite Posts: 187 Member
    Options
    Ok serious weight lifting question: I have been using 2 ten lb weights for just under a year now. I still would like to slim down my arms but i want a nice muscle where you can see the lines and everything. but I dont want my arms to look fat..should I increase to 15 lbs or stay at 10 lbs. i still have a little fat on my arms and i weight lift for about 20-30 mins 5 days a week. if u go to my pictures you can see how my arms look now. just really confused on what to do..thanks! :)

    Not quite sure on what each exercise i do is called but I do curls, over the head arm extentions, bend at the hip backwards elbow extentions, squats with rowing arms with weights, and lunges with my weights
    20 reps 3 times each
    up the weight
  • micheleb15
    micheleb15 Posts: 1,418 Member
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    To see muscles you have to lower your body fat through a calorie deficit. Also, yes, up the weight.
  • JamieM8168
    JamieM8168 Posts: 248 Member
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    I'd say up it too. Even if you just go up to 12.5 lbs next. I went from 3 to 25lb dumbbells this year and am getting nice definition
  • frood
    frood Posts: 295 Member
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    Not quite sure on what each exercise i do is called but I do curls, over the head arm extentions, bend at the hip backwards elbow extentions, squats with rowing arms with weights, and lunges with my weights
    20 reps 3 times each
    More weight, lower reps. If you can do 20 reps at 10lb, you can easily upgrade to 15lb or 20lb dumbbells and work up to 5 reps in each set.

    (Also, I think the names of your exercises listed after curls are one arm overhead press and tricep kickback.)
  • _liftnlove
    _liftnlove Posts: 194
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    I'm assuming you workout at home?

    You need a wider variety of dumbbells, and if you can afford it or get the space, a nice barbell with some plates would be fantastic.

    You definitely need to increase the weight. Your body is used to that 10 lbs, and you're not going to see any more gains from that...you'll just maintain what you have. You can probably use a LOT more weight than you think on certain exercises where you're using larger muscle groups, like chest, back and legs. If you're just doing isolation work on smaller groups like bis and tris, you won't be able to handle as much weight. If you want to see growth (hypertrophy), go heavier, and decrease your reps to 8-15.

    Idk what kind of workout your doing exactly, but a total-body type of circuit workout with relatively light weights won't get you very far, although it's definitely better than nothing! You need to increase the volume, increase the load--FORCE your body to change. It won't happen unless you push for it. :)

    Best wishes girl.
  • MrsCarpenter719
    MrsCarpenter719 Posts: 31 Member
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    first of all THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for all the advice!! I will look up and see how much heavier weights cost and go buy them hopefully within the next week or so and I am already eating at a calorie deficit and I do run also havent much latley its been raining and cant take my daughter with me when it rains (She always goes with me I have no one to watch her) and Yes i work out at home early in the morning then after my daughter goes to bed. Im so happy to see so many replies and so much advice thank you guys again! :) xoxox
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    Or you can save some money and look up some body weight movements
    You are your own gym
    nerdfitness
  • fishgutzy
    fishgutzy Posts: 2,807 Member
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    Ok serious weight lifting question: I have been using 2 ten lb weights for just under a year now. I still would like to slim down my arms but i want a nice muscle where you can see the lines and everything. but I dont want my arms to look fat..should I increase to 15 lbs or stay at 10 lbs. i still have a little fat on my arms and i weight lift for about 20-30 mins 5 days a week. if u go to my pictures you can see how my arms look now. just really confused on what to do..thanks! :)

    Not quite sure on what each exercise i do is called but I do curls, over the head arm extentions, bend at the hip backwards elbow extentions, squats with rowing arms with weights, and lunges with my weights
    20 reps 3 times each
    up the weight

    What he said ^^^^^^^

    Up the weight, lower reps.
    I don't have huge biceps but want to improve tone and strength. I target 5 to 8 reps depending on the type of curl I am doing. If I get to 10 it is time to up the weight.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    10 Lbs for a year? To truly get the benefits of resistance training, you need to be progressively challenging yourself. If you're doing body weight exercises, it means doing more reps to some extent...and then starting to add physical weight...if you're doing weights, whether dumbbells or barbells, you have to progressively increase the weight for your body to have a training response...otherwise, you're essentially just going through the motions and your body has no reason to adapt (i.e. change composition)
  • missADS1981
    missADS1981 Posts: 364 Member
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    The bulkiness women see in their arms is not from heavier weights, but usually from the layer of fat that sits over the muscle. I would up the weight, lower the reps and at the same time keep focusing on lower your BF%

    I do 15lb curls 10 reps for 3 sets. alternating arms with hammer curls.
    If i do a barbell curl its with 30lbs and if i do a cable curl with both arms its at 30lbs

    Low weight for alot of reps doesn't build the muscle, it builds the endurance. go heavier and less reps. JMO

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