Could someone give me a quick OK on this lifting regime?

srujana_kanneganti
srujana_kanneganti Posts: 63 Member
in Fitness and Exercise

https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/dumbbell-only-home-or-gym-fullbody-workout.html

I only have adjustable dumbbells at home. This seems good, but I'm a bit of a noob.

Replies

  • feisty_bucket
    feisty_bucket Posts: 1,047 Member
    Sure, looks fine.
    One simple way to think of a lifting routine: a push and a pull along three axis of movement. Those being above the body, in front of the body, and below (legs). There are a zillion particular ways to exercise along those planes, but that's what they all come down to. If you've got those directions covered, you're good.

    Dumbbells are great. Only problem is, there's not a way to do an overhead pull movement with them. For that, you need some kind of pull-up bar.
    A common problem. You can install things in your doorframe, which may or may not destroy the woodwork. You could use a tree branch, or playground equipment, or building scaffolding, or any horizontal thing you can grab hold of and will support your weight.
  • srujana_kanneganti
    srujana_kanneganti Posts: 63 Member
    edited January 2016
    feisty_bucket wrote: »
    Sure, looks fine.
    One simple way to think of a lifting routine: a push and a pull along three axis of movement. Those being above the body, in front of the body, and below (legs). There are a zillion particular ways to exercise along those planes, but that's what they all come down to. If you've got those directions covered, you're good.

    Dumbbells are great. Only problem is, there's not a way to do an overhead pull movement with them. For that, you need some kind of pull-up bar.
    A common problem. You can install things in your doorframe, which may or may not destroy the woodwork. You could use a tree branch, or playground equipment, or building scaffolding, or any horizontal thing you can grab hold of and will support your weight.

    Thank you for that explanation! I really appreciate it....no one's ever explained lifting in that sort of context. Makes sense though.

    Hm...we do have a dusty bow flex machine (those home-gym workout machines with the rod-type adjustable weights) that has a pull down bar. I suppose I can utilize that? I never know how much weight to put on it though. Enough to complete 1 set? 3 sets of the regular 6-10 reps type idea?

    My roommate has one of those door frame things. I'm quite a weakling right now though...I can't can't even do 1 pull-up right now.

    Out of complete curiosity, what happens if one does not exercise the arms in this way?
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    It's OK. Just OK



    And it's so cute how they change the rep scheme for females. So cute
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    DavPul wrote: »
    It's OK. Just OK



    And it's so cute how they change the rep scheme for females. So cute

    I have that one in my list of programs and always mention that part because it's ridiculous.
  • srujana_kanneganti
    srujana_kanneganti Posts: 63 Member
    I also found that part kinda.....worth ignoring -.-
  • feisty_bucket
    feisty_bucket Posts: 1,047 Member
    srujana_kanneganti wrote: »
    Hm...we do have a dusty bow flex machine (those home-gym workout machines with the rod-type adjustable weights) that has a pull down bar. I suppose I can utilize that? I never know how much weight to put on it though. Enough to complete 1 set? 3 sets of the regular 6-10 reps type idea?

    Yeah, that'd work fine. Just adjust the machine so the angles & positioning seem right (take note of the settings once you've got it all dialed in, this is important as it'll be different for different-limb-sized people). Sit there and do the exercise with good form and tempo and all that. If you can do more than 12, it's too light. Less than 3-5 and it's probably too heavy. Then rest for a minute, and do another set. You'll probably be able to do fewer reps on the second and third sets, as you tire out. If you need to lessen the amount of weight to get a good rep range in on those sets, do it.
    My roommate has one of those door frame things. I'm quite a weakling right now though...I can't can't even do 1 pull-up right now.

    That's cool too, but trickier because you can't do a complete rep. If, for example, that's all you had - you could do what are called "cheat reps". That's where you would hop up to the top of the position and then lower yourself slowly. So you're getting muscle stimulation from the negative part of the movement (also called "doing negatives").
    Out of complete curiosity, what happens if one does not exercise the arms in this way?

    It's not just the arms - the pulldown is considered more of a back exercise:
    http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/LatissimusDorsi/CBFrontPulldown.html

    Anyways, the general idea is to strengthen your body overall in a balanced way.
  • CarlydogsMom
    CarlydogsMom Posts: 645 Member
    For your overhead pull, you can use that bar plus some resistance bands that you stretch and step into to give yourself some assistance in getting up. Try chin-ups (grip bar with fingers facing towards you) as well as pull-ups (grip bar with fingers facing away from your). Chin-ups are generally a little more manageable when you're just starting out. Negatives, as mentioned above (stand on something to get yourself at the top of the move, then slowly, slowly let yourself down, feet OFF box), also help. Yeah, I've been lifting for a little over a year, and still can't do one full chin-up on my own, but we're trying....and assistance and negative chins help.

    The app "Jefit" also has lots of different exercises in the dumbbell category. And agree that the basic framework for getting a balanced workout is to get in some basic compound exercises that do the following: 1) overhead pull, i.e. chin-up or pull-up; 2) overhead push/press, i.e. overhead dumbbell press; 3) horizontal pull, i.e. row; 4) horizontal push, i.e. benchpress; 4) legs in the forms of hamstring work and quad work, i.e. squats, deadlifts, etc.
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
    edited February 2016
    srujana_kanneganti wrote: »
    https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/dumbbell-only-home-or-gym-fullbody-workout.html

    I only have adjustable dumbbells at home. This seems good, but I'm a bit of a noob.

    If this is the best you have to work with, it's not bad. I don't know about the whole "women" reps thing. Some strength and conditioning coaches have postulated that women benefit from more volume but I don't know that it's proven or not; you'd be fine doing the same reps as the "male" reps.

    For the progression and first set to 12 reps: I don't know that is a great gauge. With DB's, the progression includes big jumps between DB's unless you have micro plates that you can attach to your DB's. Because of that, I would say if you can get 10-12 reps on your LAST set, then you should progress the weight and that kind of guarantees you're ready for the next intensity and being able to move it with some speed and not grind through the reps. Unless you have micro plates, then it's a different story.

    At a second glance I do with the author would've discussed tempo a little, at least for the higher 10-20 rep stuff. When you hit reps like that I tend to follow NASM's approach of using a 4/2/1 tempo where you have a fast and controlled concentric movement, hold the peak for 2-sec's, and a slow controlled eccentric for about 4-sec's.
  • tillerstouch
    tillerstouch Posts: 608 Member
    An important thing to look at for routines is does it hit every muscle group, which this does so I say go for it. It's defiantly just a beginners workout to start with but since you're a beginner that's fine.
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
    CarlydogsMom wrote: »
    ...The app "Jefit" also has lots of different exercises in the dumbbell category. And agree that the basic framework for getting a balanced workout is to get in some basic compound exercises that do the following: 1) overhead pull, i.e. chin-up or pull-up; 2) overhead push/press, i.e. overhead dumbbell press; 3) horizontal pull, i.e. row; 4) horizontal push, i.e. benchpress; 4) legs in the forms of hamstring work and quad work, i.e. squats, deadlifts, etc.

    Can I jump in with a question for y'all since it goes off your advice? I can't do overhead pulls at all (long story), but I do do Lat Pull-Ins with bands, coming from a high angle. I also do dumbbell pullovers for lats (and other parts).

    I do other mainly isolation lifts for other parts of the upper body, but this is how I get my lats trained. Does that cover the overhead pull for this disabled gal, you think? Or does the pull-up significantly work other muscles I might be forgetting? (I have to avoid working my upper traps, if you can imagine! That makes creativity a must. Yes, I've had physio for a decade, so I've asked my doc already ;) )

    And actually, OP, I'd add dumbbell pullovers to yours, just because they rock :grin: They do hit so much and with just dumbbells. Then the lat pull-ins work the lower part much better. Of course, the pull-ups probably do all that ;)

  • CarlydogsMom
    CarlydogsMom Posts: 645 Member
    cafeaulait7 wrote: »
    CarlydogsMom wrote: »
    ...The app "Jefit" also has lots of different exercises in the dumbbell category. And agree that the basic framework for getting a balanced workout is to get in some basic compound exercises that do the following: 1) overhead pull, i.e. chin-up or pull-up; 2) overhead push/press, i.e. overhead dumbbell press; 3) horizontal pull, i.e. row; 4) horizontal push, i.e. benchpress; 4) legs in the forms of hamstring work and quad work, i.e. squats, deadlifts, etc.

    Can I jump in with a question for y'all since it goes off your advice? I can't do overhead pulls at all (long story), but I do do Lat Pull-Ins with bands, coming from a high angle. I also do dumbbell pullovers for lats (and other parts).

    I do other mainly isolation lifts for other parts of the upper body, but this is how I get my lats trained. Does that cover the overhead pull for this disabled gal, you think? Or does the pull-up significantly work other muscles I might be forgetting? (I have to avoid working my upper traps, if you can imagine! That makes creativity a must. Yes, I've had physio for a decade, so I've asked my doc already ;) )

    And actually, OP, I'd add dumbbell pullovers to yours, just because they rock :grin: They do hit so much and with just dumbbells. Then the lat pull-ins work the lower part much better. Of course, the pull-ups probably do all that ;)

    Someone more experienced than me should answer that part of your question. There are generally work-arounds for many of these lifts, and if you do have a physical issue, your doctor of course should be engaged in discussions about what you can do.

    I impinged a shoulder muscle and can't do your basic overhead press. My trainer now has me doing about three other exercises instead; one is a press but my arms are in a different position and I use dumbbells instead of a bar, then I do some cable exercises for my shoulders. You should be able to find something that works! Good luck!

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