Your thoughts on this compound dumbbell routine.

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Hey everyone.

I'm away from home for a whole month and decided to make good use of this time to start doing some resistance training. I am cramped for both space and time and all I have is a pair of adjustable dumbbells. In order to maximize the time I have I decided to give compound exercises a shot so how does this sound for a workout to perform 3 times a week. Mind you I am an absolute neophyte in lifting, I've always been into cardio and endurance and have never gotten into lifting, my goal is to burn a bit of fat, and start building some strength before I actually get back home and join a gym to start lifting properly.

3 sets 10-12 reps of Squat into Press
3 sets 10-12 reps of push-up into row
Planks 3 sets holding as long as I can

Anything you would add?

Thanks for the input!

Replies

  • Wegowego
    Wegowego Posts: 16 Member
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    Oh yes, I forgot to add deadlifts into front raises.
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
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    So basically squat thrusters, renegade rows and planks? That's not a complete program. Since you have limited weights you might want to start with a bodyweight routine and incorporate some dumbbell work on top then move to weights when you get back home.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,209 Member
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    Newbies should focus on single-movement exercises or your form may suffer. Plus all your exercises except the plank involve unequal muscle groups. For example, your squatting muscles are much stronger than your overhead pressing muscles, so your legs will be underworked. Exercises like that are fine for general conditioning, but it's difficult to make a workout that's balanced. I would follow a proven program instead of trying to reinvent the wheel. :+1:
  • mclean1873
    mclean1873 Posts: 1 Member
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    Think you would need some pull-ups in that routine aswell (if you have access to a pull-up bar) great compound movement for your lats & biceps

    Habe to agree with the point above regarding the squat to push exercise... unlikely your quads & glutes would feel much benefit from a weight that you could comfortably push overhead

    Basic squats, deadlifts, bench press, rows & overhead press seperate exercises (pull-ups also if you can) would be a good starting routine IMO, see how it goes from there
  • sjp_511
    sjp_511 Posts: 476 Member
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    Try this: https://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/comments/zc0uy/a_beginner_dumbbell_program_the_dumbbell_stopgap/

    Yes I know it's a from Reddit....I found it from this link: https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/strength-training-101-where-do-i-start/ which I found from a Google search of 'Beginner Dumbbell Workout"
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,728 Member
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    So basically squat thrusters, renegade rows and planks? That's not a complete program. Since you have limited weights you might want to start with a bodyweight routine and incorporate some dumbbell work on top then move to weights when you get back home.

    All great supplementary exercises, but yeah, not a complete program.

    Also, for the squat thrusters, no reason to not throw cleans in there.
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
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    So basically squat thrusters, renegade rows and planks? That's not a complete program. Since you have limited weights you might want to start with a bodyweight routine and incorporate some dumbbell work on top then move to weights when you get back home.

    All great supplementary exercises, but yeah, not a complete program.

    Also, for the squat thrusters, no reason to not throw cleans in there.

    I would definitely put in cleans before squat thrusters in any program. DB cleans and DB snatches are good exercises.
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,728 Member
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    mclean1873 wrote: »
    Think you would need some pull-ups in that routine aswell (if you have access to a pull-up bar) great compound movement for your lats & biceps

    Habe to agree with the point above regarding the squat to push exercise... unlikely your quads & glutes would feel much benefit from a weight that you could comfortably push overhead

    Basic squats, deadlifts, bench press, rows & overhead press seperate exercises (pull-ups also if you can) would be a good starting routine IMO, see how it goes from there
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    Newbies should focus on single-movement exercises or your form may suffer. Plus all your exercises except the plank involve unequal muscle groups. For example, your squatting muscles are much stronger than your overhead pressing muscles, so your legs will be underworked. Exercises like that are fine for general conditioning, but it's difficult to make a workout that's balanced. I would follow a proven program instead of trying to reinvent the wheel. :+1:

    Have to disagree.

    For a Dumbell/KBell Complex, the weight you can comfortably clean/Front Squat/Press is going to be sufficiently close for GPP.