No Barbells in our little gym

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Mithridites
Mithridites Posts: 595 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I've been following JAMIE EASON'S LIVEFIT TRAINER since July and I do all I can in our condo gym.
No sense spending money on a gym membership until I actually can't do without a serious weight room.
We have a good selection of dumbells and a few basic machines.

No barbells of any kind. No squat rack. Those of you who have been theere, I'd love to hear your workaround ideas. Thanks.

Replies

  • H_Ock12
    H_Ock12 Posts: 1,152 Member
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    Are there specific exercises you're looking for a workaround for? I'm not familiar with her program. Back squats can sometimes be substituted for goblet squats or Dumbbell Bulgarian squats. Deadlifts and single leg deadlifts can be done with dumbbells.
  • Mithridites
    Mithridites Posts: 595 Member
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    MotherOfSharpei wrote: »
    Are there specific exercises you're looking for a workaround for? I'm not familiar with her program. Back squats can sometimes be substituted for goblet squats or Dumbbell Bulgarian squats. Deadlifts and single leg deadlifts can be done with dumbbells.

    Today's specific exercise is "smith machine overhead shoulder press."
    I'm pretty sure it won't matter if I just do "dumbell shoulder press" instead...
  • cs2thecox
    cs2thecox Posts: 533 Member
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    Mithridites wrote: »
    MotherOfSharpei wrote: »
    Are there specific exercises you're looking for a workaround for? I'm not familiar with her program. Back squats can sometimes be substituted for goblet squats or Dumbbell Bulgarian squats. Deadlifts and single leg deadlifts can be done with dumbbells.

    Today's specific exercise is "smith machine overhead shoulder press."
    I'm pretty sure it won't matter if I just do "dumbell shoulder press" instead...

    No, and I'd think that standing dumbbell shoulder press is probably better for you anyway.

    Smith machines take stability out of the question, and also force a totally linear movement which isn't always the path that a barbell would naturally take. In most situations, they're best avoided! (Although hotel gyms in particular like to install them for safety... harrumph...)
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,712 Member
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    I'm not familiar with the program you're doing, but you're right that you are probably better off doing dumb bell shoulder press instead of using the smith machine.

    I have those machines and bars available at my gym, but I purposely try to use dumb bells instead because it's more of a challenge for me to keep the weights even when lifting. I have quite a bit of imbalance, so using dumb bells has really helped me with that.
  • pondee629
    pondee629 Posts: 2,469 Member
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    "We have a good selection of dumbells and a few basic machines." How heavy do the dumbbells go? If you go to 50#'s you've got a 100# squat right there.

    Dumbbell squat to shoulder press.
    Walking lunges with a dumbbell in one, or both hands.
    Dumbbell curls
    Dumbbell dead lift
    Got a bench, dumbbell bench press, both hands together, one hand at a time alternating. No bench, use the floor.
    Dumbbell rows.

    In fact, ANY, exercise you can do with a Barbell you can do with Dumbbells sometimes better as you can alternate arms and get your core more involved.

    As asked above, what exercise with a Barbell are you looking to do but can't because you're limited to Dumbbells? The only limit I see is the total weight available. Want to mimic a Barbell, hold a Dumbbell of equal weight in each hand and do the exercise with both hands at the same time. Alternate hands/arms and you get your core more involved counteracting the imbalance.
  • Mithridites
    Mithridites Posts: 595 Member
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    Here's a few I'm imagining I can substitute dumbells quite easily:
    - stiff-legged barbell deadlift
    - one leg barbell squat
    - barbell lunge
    - bent over barbell row

    But these, will be harder to substitute:
    - wide grip barbell bench press
    - cable crossover
  • pondee629
    pondee629 Posts: 2,469 Member
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    "But these, will be harder to substitute:
    - wide grip barbell bench press"

    Hold the dumbbells further apart in each hand and keep them apart?
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
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    Here's a good thread with some links to alternate lifts/exercises using DBs instead of BBs.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/902569/barbell-routines-when-you-only-have-dumbbells/p1
  • Mithridites
    Mithridites Posts: 595 Member
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    pondee629 wrote: »
    "But these, will be harder to substitute:
    - wide grip barbell bench press"

    Hold the dumbbells further apart in each hand and keep them apart?
    :o
    ... now that just makes too much sense! :D
  • Mithridites
    Mithridites Posts: 595 Member
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    TR0berts wrote: »
    Here's a good thread with some links to alternate lifts/exercises using DBs instead of BBs.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/902569/barbell-routines-when-you-only-have-dumbbells/p1

    Looks promising! Thanks :smile:
  • jseams1234
    jseams1234 Posts: 1,217 Member
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    Mithridites wrote: »
    Here's a few I'm imagining I can substitute dumbells quite easily:
    - stiff-legged barbell deadlift
    - one leg barbell squat
    - barbell lunge
    - bent over barbell row

    But these, will be harder to substitute:
    - wide grip barbell bench press
    - cable crossover

    That is basically a "normal" bench press. Narrow grip BP targets your triceps in particular. If you are doing flat DB bench presses they will target the same muscles as a typical "wide grip BB flat bench". There is no need to do them contorted in some strange way to get wider. ;)

    For cable crossovers just do DB Flyes.

  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    jemhh wrote: »
    I would switch to a dumbbell program. Here are three good options:

    * Fierce 5 (note that there are several variations from beginner to advanced, 3-5 day, plus a dumbbell program) - http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=162916931&p=1266578971&viewfull=1#post1266578971
    * Frankoman’s Dumbbell Only Split - https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/frankoman-dumbbell-only-split.html
    * Full body dumbbell routine (note: women and men can use the same rep range, if you want to go low do it, if you want to go high do it. I promise that neither will make you gain or lose a Y chromosome.) - https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/dumbbell-only-home-or-gym-fullbody-workout.html

    Yeah, I would find a program that works with the equipment you have, not try to modify a program that doesn't.
  • Mithridites
    Mithridites Posts: 595 Member
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    Thanks to everyone who contributed their insight. I appreciate it!
  • FatWithFatness
    FatWithFatness Posts: 315 Member
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    You can do every barbell movement with dumbbells, barbells just let you move more weight, essentially.
  • ottermotorcycle
    ottermotorcycle Posts: 654 Member
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    I'm in the same spot and just want to add - it can get difficult, fast, to do squats and deadlifts with dumbbells if your grip strength isn't great, so train that or get straps or whatever when the time comes, I'm still figuring out my solution to that...

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