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    what do you do with your dumbells?

    Posts: 19 Member
    edited February 23 in Health and Weight Loss
    how do you workout with your dumbells.? what is working for you? how often do you increase your weights? How many reps do you perform?
    I do compounds movements of twenty reps! i'm searching for better ideas to to target all body parts. I hate floor workouts!

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    Replies

    • Posts: 2,720 Member
      I read books to them so they can become smartbells.
    • Posts: 692 Member
      mine are dust collectors
    • Posts: 11
      Depends on what your goal is. I do a program based on Wendler 5/3/1 which involves three extremely heavy, low rep sets followed by five sets of ten. This is on chest and shoulders, and my accessory lifts include lateral and forward raises, tricep skullcrushers and kickbacks, incline wide and narrow db press as well as all flyes.
    • Posts: 1,978 Member
      I pick them up, and then I put them down.

      =) I HAD to.

      I do a ton with dumbbells.

      Legs: Goblet squats, weighted lunges, calves, stair runs, squat jumps
      Arms: Incline press, overhead press, bench press, bicep curls, incline bicep curls, triceps extensions, lateral rows, chest flyes, ect

      There is more, but I'm not caffeinated enough yet to remember.

      I also use an olympic bar, but I could get by with just dumbbells if I needed too.

      Edit: I realized I answered nothing.

      I don't follow a specific program, currently just targeting weak areas. My arm/chest/back days are: 4x12. When I can get to 15, I up the weight. I mostly use the oly bar for legs, so I'll be curious what others say there.
    • Posts: 467 Member
      http://getfitandlivebetter.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Spartacus_Workout_2.0.pdf

      http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/spartacus-workout-the-triple-set-scorcher.html

      I do either of these, or a combination of these. I mostly train for triathlons, so it's important for me to not lose flexibility. These work out well. The general rule for lifting for building mass and power as I've always read is that if you can do 3 sets of 12, you need more weight.

      You might also check out ExRx.net - it has a ton of resources.
    • Posts: 4,064 Member
      I read books to them so they can become smartbells.

      ^ Winner!
    • Posts: 12,294 Member
      Depends on what your goal is. I do a program based on Wendler 5/3/1 which involves three extremely heavy, low rep sets followed by five sets of ten. This is on chest and shoulders, and my accessory lifts include lateral and forward raises, tricep skullcrushers and kickbacks, incline wide and narrow db press as well as all flyes.

      That is more of a barbell routine, and is an intermediate program, I am assuming the OP is a beginner.
    • Posts: 2,320 Member
      You could get some ideas from Youtube.
    • Posts: 125 Member
      I use them as door stops.

      When I DO get back to using them, I'll do curls, bench presses, butterflys, and tricep extensions.

      I really want to get a lifting cage and do the 5x5 heavy routine. But I am afraid I'll do that about as much as I am using the dumbells.
    • Posts: 205 Member
      I use them with my Leslie Sansons Walking and Biggest Losers DVDs. Also, use them for toning my Arms and shoulders -Bicep and tricep curls and Chest press.
    • Posts: 17,299 Member
      mine are dust collectors

      Pretty much this ^^

      I have ChaLEAN Extreme and think it's a good program for dumbbells, but I just don't like lifting weights so I didn't finish it.
    • Posts: 1,585 Member
      I do the all pros beginner routine on bodybuilding.com. I like it to get me started.
    • Posts: 16,356 Member
      paper weights
      door stops
      rolling triceps extensions
      heavy pants
      back flys
      push ups (increase range of motion)
      prancercise

      (one of these is a lie)
    • Posts: 340 Member
      favorite move with dumbell is the renegade row
    • Posts: 1,519 Member
      front squats and bicep curls...

      I'm not exactly sure I understand the question though...
    • Posts: 7,122 Member
      Put dumbells on floor shoulder width apart. Place hands on dumbells and assume plank position. Do a push-up. At top of push-up lift right dumbell to your armpit while maintaining plank. Return dumbell to floor. Do a push-up. At top of push-up lift left dumbell to your armpit while maintaining plank. Do a push-up. Repeat until cannot do push-up.

      Yay for back and chest in the same move.
    • Posts: 2,561 Member
      I haven't touched a dumbbell since I started 5x5, and I don't miss them.

      5 lb dumbbells, HA!
    • Posts: 7,122 Member
      I haven't touched a dumbbell since I started 5x5, and I don't miss them.

      5 lb dumbbells, HA!

      You know, they do make them bigger.
    • Posts: 16,356 Member
      show previous quotes

      You know, they do make them bigger.

      And they are useful for a variety of great accessory muscle work that can help improve your big lifts.
    • Posts: 26,368 Member
      I think it depends a lot on how heavy they are.. I use my adjustable dumbbells a lot (typically 15 lbs for shoulders, rest is between 20 and 45 lbs). My 5 lbs dumbbells are collecting dust.
    • Posts: 12,950 Member
      how do you workout with your dumbells.?

      I pick them up and put them down. Generally across different planes of movement depending on my goals.

      You'll want to do a little research on that, and form.
    • Posts: 2,561 Member
      show previous quotes

      You know, they do make them bigger.

      I'm aware. Mine that are no longer being used are 5 lbs....before I discovered heavy lifting.
    • Posts: 2,524 Member
      I read books to them so they can become smartbells.

      Last time I heard that playing music to them helps, too...
    • Posts: 597 Member
      Anchor my boats and children
    • Posts: 2,524 Member
      I love my bowflex and use them for my current weight training...they can be dialed up to 52.5 pounds each...
    • Posts: 357 Member
      I use them with my Leslie Sansons Walking and Biggest Losers DVDs. Also, use them for toning my Arms and shoulders -Bicep and tricep curls and Chest press.


      Try not to drop them on my toes :) OK and I use them like this quote for Walking Away the Pounds DVD's that I use... mainly I target my upper arms (the ugly wings)
    • Posts: 7,122 Member
      show previous quotes

      I'm aware. Mine that are no longer being used are 5 lbs....before I discovered heavy lifting.

      Well okay, but how does this help the OP with regards to dumbell training. Never understood the elitism of barbell training ive noticed here on MFP. There are some exercises best performed with a barbell and some best performed with dumbells. Hard to do lateral side raises for your delts with a barbell and even the buffest of bodybuildets can lift plenty heavy with dumbells doing those.

      Dumbells allow additional axis of rotation and degrees of freedom that can add functional strength you just wont get from a barbell. Barbells in turn allow you to stack heavier weight on compound moves like squats or deadlifts that you cannot practically get on a set of dumbells. You can be proud of your barbell training but there is no reason to sneer at dumbells.
    • Posts: 37,259 Member
      I’m all about the kettle bells but I do use db’s for renegade rows and hammer curls.
    • Posts: 2,524 Member
      show previous quotes

      Well okay, but how does this help the OP with regards to dumbell training. Never understood the elitism of barbell training ive noticed here on MFP. There are some exercises best performed with a barbell and some best performed with dumbells. Hard to do lateral side raises for your delts with a barbell and even the buffest of bodybuildets can lift plenty heavy with dumbells doing those.

      Dumbells allow additional axis of rotation and degrees of freedom that can add functional strength you just wont get from a barbell. Barbells in turn allow you to stack heavier weight on compound moves like squats or deadlifts that you cannot practically get on a set of dumbells. You can be proud of your barbell training but there is no reason to sneer at dumbells.

      Oh boy boy...let's not start another debate on no-winner arguments...
    • Posts: 2,524 Member
      To answer OP's question, ChaLean Extreme is an awesome program for beginners with dumbbells. Check it out if you have chance...I love it and still do after like 3 rounds...but of course the number on my dumbbells has gone up.
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