So..no barbells at gym

Farburnfred

To the OP:

For a beginner with limited options, use what you can. Doing something is better than doing nothing.

I lost 40 lbs using cardio and weights machines at a gym my work opened up on campus. I didn't really have a plan at that time, but I just went, talked to some people and the trainers there, and did _something_. I know it didn't get me strong like some of these guys, but I'm in MUCH better shape now that I was before.

Now, 8 months later (and having joined here!) I'm starting to add more weights to my routine. My gym - being a work one - is small and free. It is also very convenient. So I use it. But, we don't have barbells.

I decided to follow the Simple Beginners Routine (http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=147447933), modified for dumbbells. Youtube videos for the barbell versions are in this playlist: - you can search YouTube to find the dumbbell equivalents. [I've only just started - I'm on week 1 of cycle 1].

I'd say a program like this would at least get you started. If you start maxing out, then you'll have to look for other options. My gf has actually just scored me a free set of barbell weights I think from her cousin...

You, sir, I like your style. Well done and good advice.

Thank you

ilovedeadlifts

Most guys it is clearly visible at all times in the 11-12% range, it just isn't sharp unless flexed. No 6 pack until <10% is nonsense.
If you've got a full adonois belt and sharp serratus you're fairly close to 10-11% or less, measurements at that point suck anyway.

I meant a real 6 pack. not the half visible nonsense that skinny people like to call a 6 pack.

WendyTerry420

One of the ways dogs prove their dominance by seeing who can pee the highest. I think we need to bring a telephone pole into this thread and let some of you guys have a tinkle and be done with it already. :laugh:

:laugh:

WendyTerry420

yeah i'd switch gyms as well. but then again i've been a lifter since i was 18 so oly bars, squat racks and just the general set up of the weight room is one of the main things i look at before even joining a gym.

i have lifted in gyms in the past without a good setup (mainly cus they were free) and i found that there was just too much time wasted trying to work around the lack of equipment not to mention the fact you're more likely to get random people coming up to you and giving you bad unsolicited advice about women and weight lifting at those places

I can't wait for someone to give me bad advice about women and lifting.

:smokin:

my favorite that i got recently (after celebrating with a fellow lifter that i was finally deadlifting more than 1 weigh). a TRAINER came up to me and told me to be careful because f i continue to lift like that i will get bulky and gain weight weight. i was like yeah you're right. I've gained so much weight over the past few months that i've had to increase my pants size from a size 16 to a size 12 :laugh:

:laugh:

That's what I'm talking about! :drinker:

itgeekwoman

This is a great thread Fun watching the banter between the boys.

Having said that, I love the barbells.. Free weights are a very good workout. I don't think there's a day that I workout that I'm not doing something with them.

If you are starting out, you should be fine for the first year or so with dumb bells and kettle bells and machines, but after that you are going to want to step it up a bit. Have fun !

WendyTerry420

To the OP:

For a beginner with limited options, use what you can. Doing something is better than doing nothing.

I lost 40 lbs using cardio and weights machines at a gym my work opened up on campus. I didn't really have a plan at that time, but I just went, talked to some people and the trainers there, and did _something_. I know it didn't get me strong like some of these guys, but I'm in MUCH better shape now that I was before.

Now, 8 months later (and having joined here!) I'm starting to add more weights to my routine. My gym - being a work one - is small and free. It is also very convenient. So I use it. But, we don't have barbells.

I decided to follow the Simple Beginners Routine (http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=147447933), modified for dumbbells. Youtube videos for the barbell versions are in this playlist: - you can search YouTube to find the dumbbell equivalents. [I've only just started - I'm on week 1 of cycle 1].

I'd say a program like this would at least get you started. If you start maxing out, then you'll have to look for other options. My gf has actually just scored me a free set of barbell weights I think from her cousin...

You get a flower too! Third answer to OP's question! :flowerforyou:

DrMAvDPhD

This is a great thread Fun watching the banter between the boys.

Having said that, I love the barbells.. Free weights are a very good workout. I don't think there's a day that I workout that I'm not doing something with them.

If you are starting out, you should be fine for the first year or so with dumb bells and kettle bells and machines, but after that you are going to want to step it up a bit. Have fun !

I think it would be easy to outgrow dumbbells quicker than a year. I have been lifting for 3 months and I already am switching to barbells for lunges because my hands can't handle as much weight as my legs want.

Determinednoob

This is a great thread Fun watching the banter between the boys.

Having said that, I love the barbells.. Free weights are a very good workout. I don't think there's a day that I workout that I'm not doing something with them.

If you are starting out, you should be fine for the first year or so with dumb bells and kettle bells and machines, but after that you are going to want to step it up a bit. Have fun !

I think it would be easy to outgrow dumbbells quicker than a year. I have been lifting for 3 months and I already am switching to barbells for lunges because my hands can't handle as much weight as my legs want.

My old lady was squatting 95 in a month and deadlifting 115 her first time in the gym, so yeah, DBs would probably outgrow her grip strength pretty quick

Yogi_Carl

I'm going back a few years now when I was seriously body building. My hand grip holding 2 x 25K dumbells for squats was nowhere near enough to perform the number of squats I needed for quad strength.

On the other hand, even when I was pumping iron, one of the best workouts I have found for toning the thighs have been yoga poses where you have to hold a leg lunge. I don't think there are many weight lifters (me included back then) who could hold this kind of position without the muscles starting to shake.

There are many kinds of strength and the best practice is the one that matches the goal in mind whether it be muscle mass, muscle strength or isometric strength - strength is not just about who can lift the most weight.

PS: I could always pee higher than my mates in the playground urinal and I was the shortest kid in my year :-)

TyFit08

I guess it all depends on your workout goals. Barbells have never been a major part of my routine, even when strength training was a major focus. I can do without them, but not without dumbbells. You can do many of the same exercises with dumbbells, so as long as a gym has that you are straight. I also don't see how you an outgrow DBs, maybe get bored, but there is always a way to make a move more challenging.

astrampe

PS: I could always pee higher than my mates in the playground urinal and I was the shortest kid in my year :-)

Brilliant...you win the match!!:flowerforyou: :laugh: And that without any grunting and chest slapping and calling your significant other (or mother) your "old lady....:huh:

waldo56

I'm not saying it can't be done, but someone ~6' at 200+ with low enough bf to truly have a 6 pack would be yoked to hell, and he isn't. Not that I am or that there is anything wrong with not being yoked, just sayin the math doesn't add up.

What?

For real, 6'1" 205 is NFL CB sized. Not some jacked dude like you seem to think. At my height 220+ lb at least.

The math adds up just fine.
http://i726.photobucket.com/albums/ww269/Waldo56/Self/Collage1001.jpg

You want to split hairs on BF% whatever, but I'm over 200 and bulking just fine with my little dumbbells and bodyweight TYVM, whilst sticking to low rep work. Can't be done without a barbell though.

Determinednoob

I'm not saying it can't be done, but someone ~6' at 200+ with low enough bf to truly have a 6 pack would be yoked to hell, and he isn't. Not that I am or that there is anything wrong with not being yoked, just sayin the math doesn't add up.

What?

For real, 6'1" 205 is NFL CB sized. Not some jacked dude like you seem to think. At my height 220+ lb at least.

The math adds up just fine.
http://i726.photobucket.com/albums/ww269/Waldo56/Self/Collage1001.jpg

You want to split hairs on BF% whatever, but I'm over 200 and bulking just fine with my little dumbbells and bodyweight TYVM, whilst sticking to low rep work. Can't be done without a barbell though.

Your link isn't working. Guess it needs a barbell too.

astrampe

Most guys it is clearly visible at all times in the 11-12% range, it just isn't sharp unless flexed. No 6 pack until <10% is nonsense.
If you've got a full adonois belt and sharp serratus you're fairly close to 10-11% or less, measurements at that point suck anyway.

I meant a real 6 pack. not the half visible nonsense that skinny people like to call a 6 pack.

You mean like the half visible nonsense in your profile pic? :bigsmile:

Determinednoob

Most guys it is clearly visible at all times in the 11-12% range, it just isn't sharp unless flexed. No 6 pack until <10% is nonsense.
If you've got a full adonois belt and sharp serratus you're fairly close to 10-11% or less, measurements at that point suck anyway.

I meant a real 6 pack. not the half visible nonsense that skinny people like to call a 6 pack.

You mean like the half visible nonsense in your profile pic? :bigsmile:

Why bag on a guy that hasn't made any claims about himself?

WendyTerry420

I'm not saying it can't be done, but someone ~6' at 200+ with low enough bf to truly have a 6 pack would be yoked to hell, and he isn't. Not that I am or that there is anything wrong with not being yoked, just sayin the math doesn't add up.

What?

For real, 6'1" 205 is NFL CB sized. Not some jacked dude like you seem to think. At my height 220+ lb at least.

The math adds up just fine.
http://i726.photobucket.com/albums/ww269/Waldo56/Self/Collage1001.jpg

You want to split hairs on BF% whatever, but I'm over 200 and bulking just fine with my little dumbbells and bodyweight TYVM, whilst sticking to low rep work. Can't be done without a barbell though.

Nice transformation, Waldo! You look great! :happy:

chivalryder

Determinednoo - How many pullups can you do?

If you can do a few, how many can you do one-armed?

I think those two skills will be a lot more applicable during the zombie apocalypse than anything you can do with a squat or deadlift (unless you're squatting because you're trying to cower in a little hole).

waldo56

I'm not saying it can't be done, but someone ~6' at 200+ with low enough bf to truly have a 6 pack would be yoked to hell, and he isn't. Not that I am or that there is anything wrong with not being yoked, just sayin the math doesn't add up.

What?

For real, 6'1" 205 is NFL CB sized. Not some jacked dude like you seem to think. At my height 220+ lb at least.

The math adds up just fine.
http://i726.photobucket.com/albums/ww269/Waldo56/Self/Collage1001.jpg

You want to split hairs on BF% whatever, but I'm over 200 and bulking just fine with my little dumbbells and bodyweight TYVM, whilst sticking to low rep work. Can't be done without a barbell though.

Nice transformation, Waldo! You look great! :happy:

Thanks.

waldo56

Determinednoo - How many pullups can you do?

If you can do a few, how many can you do one-armed?

I think those two skills will be a lot more applicable during the zombie apocalypse than anything you can do with a squat or deadlift (unless you're squatting because you're trying to cower in a little hole).

Squatting and deadlifting is useful.

But squatting doesn't have to be with a barbell. Pistol squats are very effective, the old school 20 squats done rest-pause and lots of milk works great with pistols, as your cardio system isn't quite as limiting. It still thrashes your legs and causes your leg muscles to get a bigger. As a side effect you end up with neat abilities such as holding the yoga tree pose while on your tip toes for a long time, since your balance muscles get strengthened along with your prime movers.

One armed pulls are a different sort of animal. I can pull 25+ bw chins (don't test much) and work them +55 lb normally and am nowhere near strong enough to even begin one arm chin training. When ice cream makers start getting easy, then it is time to turn your attention to the one arm chin. The one arm chin is on a whole 'nother level, near the physical limit for humans.

Yogi_Carl

God - there seems to be a lot of hate on this thread. If this is what pumping iron has lowered itself to these days, I'm glad I'm out.