Dumpbells - more weight or more reps?

JMoore221979

Wasn't saying it didn't work or that the guy doesn't work hard. Shoot you would be an idiot to spend the money on that stuff and not bust your butt. My point was that you brought in a guy that was admittedly a user. Could have just used the program. Most people that are newbies would have looked the guy up and dismissed the info based on that, that's all I was saying.

again- education is key- yes I could have- but no body knows the program as it is- I suppose I could have said Rippletoe- he has endorsed it as well.- I personally tend to not really count gear as a plus or minus in the programming issues to be honest- the work is still there. It's just not a big factor to me- I don't agree- and would never use- but it's not a debilitating factor when it comes to program or personal assessment for me.

But anyone who dismisses a program because someone- somewhere along the who was on steroids was using it - also needs education, in the future for more newb oriented threads- perhaps a more natural source would have been better- I agree- saved the big names for other threads with other lifters- not a bad idea.

But I wouldn't suggest the program to any newb- too much TOO MUCH!!!! just in for sharing the wealth- that's all.

Totally agree. Good luck!

moosegt35

Typically. reps vs weight give different results. More weight less reps will help with building more bulky muscle. More reps with less weight will build leaner muscle

More false info. Muscle is muscle, no such thing as a way to build lean muscle vs bulky muscle. All muscle is lean, bulk is just more of it. Now there are different rep, weight, sets, etc programs geared toward adding strength or mass but no such thing as building lean muscle VS bulky muscle.

Zaftique

When I was in my 20s, I bought into the more reps low weight to look lean crap. I have those little 2 and 3 lbs dumbbells. They never did much for my body. My 4 and 5 years old "exercise" with them while I work out now.

*stares at 3lb weights that are burning agony at 6 reps*

Christ I'm weak. ^_^

JoRocka

When I was in my 20s, I bought into the more reps low weight to look lean crap. I have those little 2 and 3 lbs dumbbells. They never did much for my body. My 4 and 5 years old "exercise" with them while I work out now.

*stares at 3lb weights that are burning agony at 6 reps*

Christ I'm weak. ^_^

heavy is relative to all people.
If 3 lbs is a struggle for 6 reps- it's heavy.
Keep working- it will get better!

Zaftique

When I was in my 20s, I bought into the more reps low weight to look lean crap. I have those little 2 and 3 lbs dumbbells. They never did much for my body. My 4 and 5 years old "exercise" with them while I work out now.

*stares at 3lb weights that are burning agony at 6 reps*

Christ I'm weak. ^_^

heavy is relative to all people.
If 3 lbs is a struggle for 6 reps- it's heavy.
Keep working- it will get better!

Dib sez it best.

feralX

3lb DBs for 6 reps?

Don't beat yourself up, everybody starts weak relatively speaking. Put in the work and the progress will come.

skinnyinnotime

Nothing wrong with taking sets to 20 reps or above, as long as you're taking them to complete muscle failure. You're far better off mixing up your rep ranges rather than always sticking to 8-10 or whatever you're accustomed to. Legs respond particularly well to high reps I find. Take a leg press to failure at 40 reps, rest then add weight and go for 30. Repeat for 8 sets total until last set you're down to 8-12 reps. By the end you've moved a lot more total weight than sticking with lower reps and hit failure 8 times, that's not a cardio workout. Works great for biceps and triceps too. At the end of an arm workout do cable curls or pushdowns (or superset them if you're really masochistic) for 20 reps or so to failure, immediately reduce the weight on the stack and go to failure again. Continue until you're arms are about to explode. Maybe finish off with a static contracted hold for 30 seconds at the end if you enjoy the punishment. Good chance you won't be able to lift your shaker to your mouth for a while because of the pump.

Wow, sounds like pure torture!

loubidy

Personally I have a 6-10 reps rule. If I can do 10 reps with out thinking I'm going to die I go up a weight, as I get heavier I can only do 6 to start. If I can't manage even 6 reps then I stay at a lower weight a bit longer.

I do 3 - 5 circuits in a session.

DavPul

Interesting, I had always heard that 20 reps was the goal and at that point you would increase weight.

At 20 reps, it's practically a cardio exercise, not strength training.

LOL tell Tom Platz that

regularly threw in a 6 week 20 rep squat program- and his legs are arguably the best in the business- and he isn't even in the business any more

[/quote]


True about Platz, but he did that for hypertrophy, not strength. i won't say it's impossible to get stronger with 20 rep sets.....but it's impossible to get stronger with 20 rep sets. i mean, it would take me a month of sundays to increase 10 pounds at that rate.

ALNoog

I do some of each. One day I'll do higher weights and lower reps and some days I'll do lower weights with higher reps. I mix it with cardio as well. Other days I walk. Some I do step aerobics. Some I jog.....

Thewatcher_66

Something else I'd like to suggest to the OP. Try to do as few dumbbell exercises sitting down as possible. When you're doing strength workouts, your goal is to also work your core. Nothing irks me more when I see someone sitting on their butt while doing bicep curls. You're not working your core nor your abs very much and you're doing yourself a disservice. I try to do as many dumbbell exercises not only standing but in as many awkward (yet safe) positions as I can to get a full workout.