Transitioning between bar and dumbbells
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justcat206
Posts: 716 Member
Was hoping someone might have some experience or advice for me. I'm currently in a position where I can only get to the gym one day a week - the rest of my week I'm left to lift with dumbbells at home. I'm a little stumped as to how to build a routine around my access to the weights. I can lift significantly more weight on a bar/rack than I can with dumbbells at home - is there a program (existing or that you created) that uses both? Can I do one day of heavy lifts and then two-three days of lower weight/higher volume and still make progress? If so, what kind of progress should I be looking for (what goals to set)? Not sure if this is a totally coherent question - but have any of you successfully made the transition back and forth? Thanks!
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There are a few programs out there that are written around splitting your time between maximum strength (usually 2 sessions per week) and the same of power/endurance). Westside is a good example of this sort of program.
Splitting the routine has specific benefits for athletes but is useful for anybody.
In your case, I'd do a full body heavy workout when you have access to the gym - focusing on the large compound movements that you cant go heavy enough with at home eg squats, deadlifts, bench press. This might be really taxing in the beginning if you're not used to doing a number of big lifts on one day but you will adjust pretty quickly. Work in the 3-5 rep range for 4-5 sets for good strength gains.
On the other days you can focus more on developing power/speed and/or muscular endurance. The lifts you do and the rep ranges will depend on your overall goals and the equipment you have access to, but a number of people follow this sort of program with body weight exercises and can still make solid progress.
Have a look at the 'Westside for skinny *kitten*' program for a place to start.0 -
good advice above
I occasionally do training at home. Just have a weight vest, 16kg KB and some resistance bands. I can easiliy do a full body workout in the higher rep ranges with just these things. Many exercises done unilaterally are a good choice e.g. if I was squatting with a barbell I might need 150kg. If I do Bulgarian split squats, I can make it very challenging with 20kg.
DB plus bands go great. Things like floor pressing with band around your back and held in hands means minimal weight required to make it tough. Also, db rows, stand on band and band goes over top of DB. Progressively gets harder as you get closer to your body.0 -
Bumping this for new ideas. thx chris.0
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When I train at home, I do DB full body circuits. I combo upper body + lower body. My DB's range from 3lbs - 25 lbs.
For instance this morning I did: (Complete each set of two before moving onto the next set of two.)
DB goblet squat + one arm free standing DB row (2 X 12-15)
DB reverse lunge + band lat pull downs (2 X 10-12)
DB step-ups + DB plank rows (2 X 10)
DB calf raise + DB W-bicep curls (2 X 15-20)
lying ankle banded hip marches + lying banded leg abductions (2 X 20 ea side)
medicine ball situps + stability ball jackknifes (2 X 25)
Then I did run / walk intervals outside for 30 mins.
An easy way also is to combine an upper-body pull + lower-body leg / upper-body push + lower-body hip circuits + abs.
Do each exercise all the way through, rest for 2-3 minutes and repeat. Do 3-4 circuits.
EX:
one arm DB uppercut -- 8-12 reps
DB walking lunge -- 8-12 reps
DB rows - 8-12 reps
one leg DB romanian deadlifts - 8-12 reps
straight leg lifts (or other ab) - 15 reps
I love working out at home and hardly even go to the gym anymore at all.0
