Dumpbells - more weight or more reps?

PurplePogoPunk
PurplePogoPunk Posts: 14 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I've been doing cardio (mostly running) 3-4 times a week and yoga once a week for a month or so and am ready to start adding in some strength training. I have an exercise ball which I'm using for crunches etc. and some old dumpbells.

Last week I started some arm exercises - lateral raises, overhead press, bicep curls, tricep kickbacks, bent over row, 8 reps of each with 1.5kg dumpbells but did not feel any soreness the next day as I expected. I waited a day and tried again with 3kg weights but still no soreness.

I know that you do not need to feel sore after every workout for it to be effective but I would have expected some pain as it was a new exercise. Should I keep at it with the 3kg dumpbells for a bit or up the weight or the number of reps?

Also am I ok to continue cardio on the day after strength training or should I take an official rest day. I really love running and don't want to cutback but there's not enough time in the week to do everything!

Any advise much appreciated :)
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Replies

  • JMoore221979
    JMoore221979 Posts: 266
    You are basically doing a circuit for full body it seems. You could go heavier or more reps up to you. Another is to break body parts down by day and pick 4-5 things for each body part. How many days do you workout?
  • JMoore221979
    JMoore221979 Posts: 266
    Oh and you can do cardio the same day if you like and the next. The only time I stay away from cardio is after I get done with legs or the day after a heavy leg day.
  • poedunk65
    poedunk65 Posts: 1,336 Member
    first off they are "dumbbells" not dumpbells. lol.

    Weight will give you bulk and reps will definition.
  • JMoore221979
    JMoore221979 Posts: 266
    Totally untrue....
  • May_Rose
    May_Rose Posts: 119 Member
    You should not necessarily be using the same weight for all those different exercises. The rule of thumb is that it should be difficult to do about 8 reps with the 10th-12th becoming very hard (but possible) to complete. Once you can more easily do 10 reps, it's time to up the weight. Best of luck!
  • PurplePogoPunk
    PurplePogoPunk Posts: 14 Member
    I currently workout 5 days a week but only for about 1/2 hour or so, working up to longer slowly as I still need to drop a lot of weight

    I guess I'm looking for definition rather that bulk so I'll try more reps I guess
  • FrauMama
    FrauMama Posts: 169 Member
    Up the weight for sure.
  • BeckiCharlotte13x
    BeckiCharlotte13x Posts: 259 Member
    I have certain days. Leg day, Bum Day, Arm and Shoulder day etc. Maybe that would work better for you?
  • JMoore221979
    JMoore221979 Posts: 266
    Bulk is mainly based on how you eat. Like the previous poster said keep it in the 8-10 range...even large guys use that rule. Power lifters are the ones you see doing reps under 5. With the short amount of time you have what I would do is setup workouts for each individual day and once you can finish that workout in say 30 minutes add to it and keep trying to get through the workout in said time.
  • ElliottTN
    ElliottTN Posts: 1,614 Member
    first off they are "dumbbells" not dumpbells. lol.

    Weight will give you bulk and reps will definition.

    ummm....no sir
  • mhankosk
    mhankosk Posts: 532 Member
    first off they are "dumbbells" not dumpbells. lol.

    Weight will give you bulk and reps will definition.

    Don't listen to this... its completely untrue. I have been lifting for 3 months now. I do 10-12 reps with different size weights for each exercise. But for example, I use 15 lbs for bicep exercises. I am not "bulky." if you want to be stronger, up the weight.
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    first off they are "dumbbells" not dumpbells. lol.

    Weight will give you bulk and reps will definition.

    ummm....no sir

    Well, the first part is true...

    ...but yeah, the second part, bogus (although I can remember when this was popularly said in the 80s)
  • katnkitn06
    katnkitn06 Posts: 1
    Interesting, I had always heard that 20 reps was the goal and at that point you would increase weight.
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    first off they are "dumbbells" not dumpbells. lol.

    Weight will give you bulk and reps will definition.

    Don't listen to this... its completely untrue. I have been lifting for 3 months now. I do 10-12 reps with different size weights for each exercise. But for example, I use 15 lbs for bicep exercises. I am not "bulky." if you want to be stronger, up the weight.

    I would say up the weight to where you fatigue at 6-8 reps.
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    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.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    Weight will give you bulk and reps will definition.

    workaholics-no.gif
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    Interesting, I had always heard that 20 reps was the goal and at that point you would increase weight.

    20 reps?

    ANGTFT
  • PurplePogoPunk
    PurplePogoPunk Posts: 14 Member
    Thanks for all the advice :)

    I'm going to research some new dumbbells, maybe get some adjustable ones so I can up the weight as I go. I'd read women should start around 1.5kg so thought I might be a freak for lifting a lot heavier!

    And at least I learnt to spell dumbbells right now lol
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    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
    I'd read women should start around 1.5kg so thought I might be a freak for lifting a lot heavier!

    women should start at a weight they can lift but not easily.
    same with men.

    3 pounds of weights isn't much- I mean- a gallon of milk weighs more- so does a child- like significantly more- we'd be in real trouble of if women lifting more than 5 lbs were freaks of nature.

    The human body is an amazing thing- the top female squatters are hitting in the 500-600 lbs range. trust me- you can handle 5 lbs!!!
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
    Thanks for all the advice :)

    I'm going to research some new dumbbells, maybe get some adjustable ones so I can up the weight as I go. I'd read women should start around 1.5kg so thought I might be a freak for lifting a lot heavier!

    There is no such thing as "where women should start". Women should train like men. Any exercise that is good for a man, is good for a woman. Lift heavy. Add weight. Add more weight. Enjoy results. Add more weight. Look like a sexy beast. Add more weight. Don't worry, you still won't grow a penis.
  • ElliottTN
    ElliottTN Posts: 1,614 Member
    first off they are "dumbbells" not dumpbells. lol.

    Weight will give you bulk and reps will definition.

    ummm....no sir

    Well, the first part is true...

    ...but yeah, the second part, bogus (although I can remember when this was popularly said in the 80s)

    I guess you could consider it true as opposed to not lifting any weight at all but past that:

    Lower reps higher weight : Geared towards strength training, not specifically size.
    Higher reps lower weight: Hypertrophy training = geared towards mass building not specifically strength.

    Of course with caloric needs assumed.
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    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

    20 reps per set? How many sets? I was just picturing myself doing 20 reps of bicep curls or something. The weight for me would have to be so low, it may as well be a conditioning class.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    20 rep squat breathing program

    squat 1 x 20
    over head pull(extension) 1 x 20 (for stretch- not for weight- so keeping it around 25/30 lbs)
    OHP 3 x 12
    BB row 3 x 15
    Bench 3 x 12 (or 10 can't remember I have to mod mine)
    SL DL 1 x 15

    I'm on my final week- I'm at 170 lbs for 20 reps- I failed the attempt Monday- I made it to 15 or 16 I honestly cannot remember. I'll repeat that lift today.
  • qtiekiki
    qtiekiki Posts: 1,490 Member
    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.
  • JMoore221979
    JMoore221979 Posts: 266
    And the guy brings in a guy on steroids when someone is clearly a beginner. Come on man!
  • Thewatcher_66
    Thewatcher_66 Posts: 1,643 Member
    I don't think you should focus so much on "soreness." You may want to focus on intensity and how much effort you're putting into it. I had very little definition last year and I started out with very light weights and was getting nowhere. Each time, I'd bump it up higher until I found the level I was looking for plus I did a whole bunch of reps. I mean a whole bunch without much rest in between sets. Every two weeks or so I'd bump it up a few pounds once I felt that the old set of weights was not challenging enough. To piggyback on what a few other posters wrote, if you lift the same amount of weights for a long period of time, it will do next to nothing for you. Like anything else in life, you always want to challenge yourself in order to get stronger.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    And the guy brings in a guy on steroids when someone is clearly a beginner. Come on man!

    knowledge is power.

    there are clearly some educated people on here-chiming in- no reason why not to mention it to further the cause for education- I never said it to the OP- merely directing the comment specifically at a 20 rep comment.

    it's a well known program- with proven success.

    and gear isn't a quick fix- the man still probably works harder than you and I ever will in our life times.
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    20 rep squat breathing program

    squat 1 x 20
    over head pull(extension) 1 x 20 (for stretch- not for weight- so keeping it around 25/30 lbs)
    OHP 3 x 12
    BB row 3 x 15
    Bench 3 x 12 (or 10 can't remember I have to mod mine)
    SL DL 1 x 15

    I'm on my final week- I'm at 170 lbs for 20 reps- I failed the attempt Monday- I made it to 15 or 16 I honestly cannot remember. I'll repeat that lift today.

    Well, I retract my previous statement, then. I assume that for you, even though it's 20 reps, it's still "lifting heavy." Do you only do this workout in a bulk period or can anyone work out like this?

    I'm just wondering what the benefit is to low reps, high weight, if other programs such as the one you mention also have proven results.

    I could just google it, I suppose, but I'm curious what you have to say on it.
  • feralX
    feralX Posts: 334 Member
    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.
  • May_Rose
    May_Rose Posts: 119 Member
    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.

    ^ Love this! I'm going to try it... al least once ;). I rarely do sets over 15 and pyramid down from there. Should be interesting!

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