am I calculating this right?

Geekyfatgirl

I use the pump up app for some of my work outs. One of the exercises is a dumbell overhead press, 3 sets 15 reps at 20lbs. Does that mean 20lbs each dumbell or 20lbs total so 2 weights at 10lbs each? I did 2 20lbs weights and I was lucky to hit 8 without losing for lol. Did I do that right or wrong? Or rather did I misunderstand what they wanted?

DopeItUp

Whenever I see DB weights referenced, they are usually per DB. So 20lbs would mean that each DB weighs 20lbs. That is definitely the most common but that doesn't mean anything in this scenario. If you can't do the 20lb DBs then try the 15s.

SueInAz

I've always seen dumbell weights be per dumbbell, too.

I don't know that particular app... Is this a progressive thing or do they just arbitrarily give you a weight they expect you to fling around? That seems a litlte too generic to me. 20 pound dumbbells are very heavy for me to do more than a couple of reps (and I'm no weakling by far) but would be really light for my training partner who's male and has been lifting longer than me. As far as that workout, I'd think you need to do the exercises at the weight you can do them not necessarily what they are telling you to do.

Geekyfatgirl

The weight they supply me with I'm assuming is to reach my goal of losing body fat per my weight and height. They started light with 10 but I set it to 15 because that gave me more of a challenge, the second time around they increase the weight slightly to 17.5 however I can't find dumbells at that weight and the next one up was 20. I could only do 8 and not the 15. But at least I know I calculated it right then