Beginner Dumbbell Routine, advice please

Soul_To_Squeeze
Soul_To_Squeeze Posts: 29 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi

I’m thinking of following the M&S Full Body Dumbbell Routine which I found in the “what lifting program is best for you?” section on here. Sorry I’m not sure how to link it to this post. I have some questions and was wondering if anyone has tried it? I’d like to start somewhere but I’m unsure.

I want to improve strength, I’m also trying to drop 2kg to try to get rid of lower belly fat. I’m 5”7 (171cm) 67kg (147lbs) Female

I have up to 20kg in dumbbells. I have a lot of questions about it and wonder if anyone with knowledge could point me the right direction?

I have questions at the ready but didn’t want to put out too long a post to start with.


Thanks

Replies

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    What questions...I haven't tried that program specifically, but I've lifted weights for years and have run a pretty wide variety of programs. I'm by know means an expert, but generally knowledgeable enough. All of the programs listed in that thread are pretty good for off the shelf.
  • Soul_To_Squeeze
    Soul_To_Squeeze Posts: 29 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    What questions...I haven't tried that program specifically, but I've lifted weights for years and have run a pretty wide variety of programs. I'm by know means an expert, but generally knowledgeable enough. All of the programs listed in that thread are pretty good for off the shelf.



    Thanks for the reply.

    Here are the questions I have, sorry there’s a lot. I may be over thinking it but would like to get the most out of it if I start it next week.

    Is it important to hit protein goal each day? I currently get about 100g protein through food a day. Is this sufficient or would a protein powder be beneficial?

    When following this can I do other strength and core exercise along side or should I just do these? (I have some follow along strength and core videos which I enjoy but there’s no program or structure to them.) I see it says do not add other exercises? But why?

    If I do cardio does it matter if I do it same day or is it important to do it on separate days and if so why? I like to do some cardio to allow me to eat a bit more and try to improve cardio fitness level. At the moment I do some cardio pretty much daily.

    How much does it matter if I can’t do a particular exercise in the plan? Can I substitute it with another? I don’t have a bench for the dumbbell bench press for example

    How much does it matter if i don’t always reach macros goals? And why? Sometimes I go over or under protein carbs and fats a little.

    How much would be good start weight for this? Yesterday I did a 30 min strength workout with 5kg on each and they felt heavy but I don’t feel anything from it today. Was it heavy enough?

    Thank you


  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    You should follow the plan as written. I'm guessing that you want to do more because you haven't progressed to a level that is particularly challenging yet. Keep increasing the weight per the plan.

    I don't have issues with cardio the same day as strength, as long as they are separate workouts. If your focus is strength, do it first. If it's new, do separate days until acclimated.

    The plan should give you alternate exercises. Just make sure you are working the same muscles. You can still chest press dumbbells from the floor, you don't need a bench. If you have other exercises you don't know alternates for, maybe we can help.

    Macros are a guide, usually protein goal is a minimum, so going a little over is nbd. If you're going over all macros, you will also be going over calories.

    You don't have to be sore to know you had a good workout. Just stick with it and keep progressing.
  • Soul_To_Squeeze
    Soul_To_Squeeze Posts: 29 Member
    DancingMoosie wrote: »
    You should follow the plan as written. I'm guessing that you want to do more because you haven't progressed to a level that is particularly challenging yet. Keep increasing the weight per the plan.

    I don't have issues with cardio the same day as strength, as long as they are separate workouts. If your focus is strength, do it first. If it's new, do separate days until acclimated.

    The plan should give you alternate exercises. Just make sure you are working the same muscles. You can still chest press dumbbells from the floor, you don't need a bench. If you have other exercises you don't know alternates for, maybe we can help.

    Macros are a guide, usually protein goal is a minimum, so going a little over is nbd. If you're going over all macros, you will also be going over calories.

    You don't have to be sore to know you had a good workout. Just stick with it and keep progressing.



    Yes that but also lockdown. Trying to keep active indoors and not sure if doing 30 mins of that plan will keep me active and busy enough on those three days. But since you say cardio could be done same day I could add my exercise bike on after or a walk maybe. When you say separate do you mean different parts of the day or is it fine to be done right afterwards?

    I’ve got a trail of an exercise video platform that links to my Watch. Ive been doing a mixture of those randomly. I could stop doing the strength videos with the weights if I do this plan but I’d like to keep up with the core exercises (these are 10 minutes and I usually do a couple, no more than 3 at a time.) unless I shouldn’t?

    As for other substitutes for exercises there would be a couple I’m wondering about?

    A wide grip pull up. I have nothing to pull up on. I’ve looked at pull up bars but haven’t got a solid enough door frame to put one on unfortunately.

    Dumbbell step up, I’ve only got stair steps which might be a bit dangerous going back with weights as they are staggered steps, in the demonstration he’s stepping up on a high single step

    The protein goal I’ve got is what MFP sets according to my goal. If protein goal is minimum, should I aim to increase that? Do you know if it matters if I’m under carbs and fat goal sometimes?

    That’s good to know because I don’t want to be sore. But I wasn’t sure if it would be doing anything as I’ve read stuff about micro tears and feeling sore after and that being why you alternate the days etc to let muscles repair.

    Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. Sorry it’s a long and a lot of questions.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    I do cardio as a separate workout at a different time of day. You can try what works for you and see how you feel.

    For alternative to pullups, try wide rows or bent over rows.

    You could try a kitchen step for step ups or try reverse lunges or step onto a sturdy chair, maybe.

    Since I don't know what your macro and calorie goals are, it is difficult to answer specifically. They are a guideline, not an absolute. So if one is over, it makes sense the others will be under. Close is ok.
  • Katerr1kk
    Katerr1kk Posts: 81 Member
    The M&S dumbbell programmes are excellent. I've seen incredible results from them. I've done them all at various points.

    They are very adaptable depending on the equipment you have available. I just skipped pull ups and have a step stool for step ups.
  • SnifterPug
    SnifterPug Posts: 746 Member
    You could use your staircase to do rear or front foot elevated split squats instead of the step ups.
  • FitAgainBy55
    FitAgainBy55 Posts: 179 Member
    There is nothing wrong with supplementing an existing strength training routine with additional exercises. There isn't a magic mixture here, if you want to strength train for longer than 30 minutes, then supplement that routine with additional exercises you like. The most important thing, however, is that you have picked the correct number of reps/weight combination to induce fatigue. If you are doing 10 reps of an exercise and the last rep is very comfortable for you then you should increase the reps or the weight.

    I disagree a little bit with the "you don't have to be sore" notion. If you aren't currently in a trained state (you are starting strength training for the first time) you should be sore. If you are already trained and you are just adding a new move then you may or may not be sore, it just depends.

    As others have said, doing strength and cardio the same day is ok, it just depends on what kind of schedule you want to keep. I personally like to workout 6 or 7 days a week, so I just alternate between full body strength and cardio days because it's simpler that way for me. When I was racing Marathons I used to combine them because I had no choice to get in the volume per week. When I did combine, I would do a shorter run after my strength training and at a slower pace than capable.
  • Soul_To_Squeeze
    Soul_To_Squeeze Posts: 29 Member
    @DancingMoosie

    Thanks for the alternative exercise suggestions, very helpful.

    Macros are P 87g C 218 F 58g
    Calorie goal is 1740. You say about if I’m over one I’ll be under another, I’d never thought about it and unsure why it works out that way but I’ve not gone over protein today and see that fats and carbs are met. I’ll keep an eye on that and just go with those macros goals for now.


    @FitAgainBy55

    Thanks for the reply, I’m pleased to read other people’s views/opinions. I will keep the core exercises, they are only 10 mins here and there and see how I feel day to day for additional weight ones.

    The only other strength training I’ve been doing is body weight, some loop bands and some light dumbbells workouts I’ve never felt anything from. Presumably because the weight wasn’t heavy enough. But it’s got me used to some of the exercises. So I’d be new to strength training probably.

    Thanks for other replies, I think I’ll give it a go.

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