Recommend a dumbbell routine?

blueboxgeek

So I only really use the weight machines in my gym and I want to move more to free weights. It's only a small gym and the barbells are always in use and totally get hogged!!

I don't have the confidence to go and stand right besides some hulking guy and ask for a turn lol.

So I figured I could at least get started with some dumbbell workouts. There are always loads of dumbbells free and I can move over to a space and use them there (there is usually a couple of benches free too, just not enough barbells!),

Can anyone recommend a good starter routine?

FrnkLft

Well it gets a little tricky because they aren't exactly the same. If you're serious about lifting weights to get stronger and get sexy, you need to make sure that you're lifting heavy weight that challenges you.

Barbells are ultimately the best suited towards this end, just because of the way they are used, but I get that you're easing into that side of the gym, and since you're just beginning, I think the dumbbells might suit you well.

Make sure your routine has the following lifts with heavy weight: bench press, squats, overhead press, and deadlift. These are staple lifts of any real lifting routine. They are "compound" lifts, which means they incorporate multiple muscle groups. You will literally be hitting every muscle in your body in a safe, efficient way. (Stay away from all the flashy bs routines out there, keep it simple and marketing free)

The only truely tricky one to do with heavy weight and dumbbells is the squat. I supposed you could hold it out in front of you, but (and this is just an example, whatever weight challenges you is a good weight even if it's less) a girl friend of mine just started lifting and she squats about 80lbs.

With a barbell it's easy for her to put the weight on her back and squat in a rack, but you're not going to put a dumbbell on your back, and lifting it in front of your chest might be too hard right now if you don't have the arm strength (and you might strain something). Of course you could also just hold it in your hands and let your arms hang down between your knees, this is a good solution actually, but it might take a little doing.

Solid, staple programs for lifting are Starting Strength (book), Stronglifts 5x5 (free, google it), and while I find the workout routine to be overly complicated, New Rules of Lifting for Women (book) is a great book to learn about how weight lifting helps you achieve your physique goals, and why lifting heavy is THE way to go for women just as it is for men.

Ultimately you will get used to the movements, the dumbbells will get too light or cumbersome, and you will eventually move over into the barbells. In my experiance, the "big bulky guys" are actually pretty cool, and most (with the exception maybe of the dumbass teenagers, and they are just dumbasses regardless) will think it's great that you're lifting in the free weight area.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

Goblet Squats

Lunges

Push ups (or dumbbell bench)

Dumbbell Rows

Shoulder press

arikag

First of all, I LOVE your username and profile pic Love me some 10th Doctor!!

On a weight lifting note, I think it kind of depends on what muscles you'd like to work out. Here are some exercises I do each week, as an idea:

alternating bicep curls
bicep curls with shoulder press
tricep kickbacks
chest flys
alt. leg lunges with dumbells in each hand
goblet squats

Those are all pretty easy to google or go onto bodybuilding.com and look up- there will be video demonstrations! Hope that helps! I'd start with a weight that is comfortable and move up from there. I choose to do 3 sets of each exercise, and 10-12 reps in each sets. So if it's getting too easy and I feel like I could do more like 15 reps, then I know it's time to increase my weight on said exercise.

Best of luck!

FrnkLft

First of all, I LOVE your username and profile pic Love me some 10th Doctor!!

On a weight lifting note, I think it kind of depends on what muscles you'd like to work out. Here are some exercises I do each week, as an idea:

alternating bicep curls
bicep curls with shoulder press
tricep kickbacks
chest flys
alt. leg lunges with dumbells in each hand
goblet squats

Those are all pretty easy to google or go onto bodybuilding.com and look up- there will be video demonstrations! Hope that helps! I'd start with a weight that is comfortable and move up from there. I choose to do 3 sets of each exercise, and 10-12 reps in each sets. So if it's getting too easy and I feel like I could do more like 15 reps, then I know it's time to increase my weight on said exercise.

Best of luck!

There's a big flaw in that approach, and it's choosing "what kind of muscles you want to work out". You should be looking for a routine that will benefit your entire body. You do this to avoid injury due to inbalances, and to make your whole body stronger. You're not a bodybuilder, and you're not taking steroids...

Your whole routine, with the exception of the squats, are isolation movements. It has more in common with a bodybuilder's routine than with anything that makes sense for a regular person to do. You need to use isolation movements as "assistance work" to the big lifts I mentioned, which are more efficient, safer at higher weight, and build real, functional strength. The best bodies out there use the compound movements as their basis, and the rest to balance out weaknesses (and you're a newbie, so work on the basics first). This is true for any age, and any gender. The only reason to avoid a specific movement is if you have a medical reason not to.

It's the difference between a routine that just makes you feel good and *feel* like you're working out, and a routine that makes you feel good, actually makes you stronger, and builds the muscle you're looking for so you can be toned and healthy.

For example, I have added plenty of weight over time to my big lifts, but all my assistance lifts are at about the same weight as when I started. I don't care, I know I have gotten stronger and more toned, I'm just using my assistance lifts as extra work to balance things out.

Cherimoose

Here are some exercises I do each week, as an idea:

alternating bicep curls
bicep curls with shoulder press
tricep kickbacks
chest flys
alt. leg lunges with dumbells in each hand
goblet squats

Your whole routine, with the exception of the squats, are isolation movements.

And the lunges. And the shoulder press w/ bicep curl. The latter one is an excellent exercise, since it's a movement people might do outside the gym.. which means it's "functional".

The kickbacks gotta go, though. :-)

FrnkLft

Here are some exercises I do each week, as an idea:

alternating bicep curls
bicep curls with shoulder press
tricep kickbacks
chest flys
alt. leg lunges with dumbells in each hand
goblet squats

Your whole routine, with the exception of the squats, are isolation movements.

And the lunges. And the shoulder press w/ bicep curl. The latter one is an excellent exercise, since it's a movement people might do outside the gym.. which means it's "functional".

The kickbacks gotta go, though. :-)

Bah, yeah the shoulder press is a compound movement, especially when mixed with curls... but why not just do shoulder presses and do curls?

As for lunges... I get that they are by definition a compound exercise, but unless you're doing them weighted, it's a stretch... hah, no pun intended.

Cherimoose

Bah, yeah the shoulder press is a compound movement, especially when mixed with curls... but why not just do shoulder presses and do curls?

Mostly to save time, since they're both relatively small muscle groups. Also, combining them can make it a bit more functional.. so that's a plus.
The downside is most people are a bit stronger on one vs. the other.

blueboxgeek

Thanks everyone for the info, think I have much to learn, I don't even know most of these lol. But I shall Google them and hopefully get it on tomorrow at the gym!

FrnkLft

Lol, these are just the main lifts that are considered the best for building your body. Because if you do them all, you will pretty much hit everything, and they include a full range of motion and can be done for high weight with time.

They are also the lifts that are used in powerlifting competitions, or are part of the movements that are used in Olympic competition.

Bench Press
Squat
Deadlift
Overhead Press (a.k.a. "The Press")

These are also common:

Barbell Row or Pendlay Row (significant but minor changes in the way the movement is executed)
Power Cleans
Push Press (use your legs to help gain momentum)

I figure you could find variations with dumbbells for all of them.