5 pound dumbbell workouts?

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  • jayb0ne
    jayb0ne Posts: 644 Member
    Such a strange concept, toning. Do people think they're shaping the muscles somehow? "I'm toning my arms" - yeah, and I'm toning my belly fat.

    Fat and muscle are just 2 types of tissue. You can increase or reduce the volume of either in your body but for neither can you change the shape it grows. That's decided by genetics folks.
  • alecta337
    alecta337 Posts: 622 Member
    Don't feel wimpy, I am using 2lbs weights. But this is because I am using them for physical therapy. I have an injured shoulder and I have to do a bunch of exercises with 2 lbs to strengthen all the muscles around my shoulders.

    I use my 2lbs at home and at PT I use 3 lbs (just got bumped up to 3 today).

    I know its kinda silly that I bought them, I could just as easily grabbed some canned goods and used those, but I want to have a controlled amount of weight because I am trying to not re-injure myself with too much weight.

    Good luck with your 5lbs, I am sure you'll go up to 10 soon =]
  • lvnascar
    lvnascar Posts: 3,538 Member
    What is so funny is the OP never (in any of her posts) said anything about toning! This was brought up by everyone else. :laugh: Starting out with 5lbs is fine, and when you feel you can advance go for it.
  • Shaneekwa
    Shaneekwa Posts: 130 Member
    bump
  • jjblogs
    jjblogs Posts: 327 Member
    lol....gads there are a lot of know it alls on this site.

    You have to start somewhere. 5 lbs is a great starting point. All power to ya. When it gets too light, move up. No one starts out lifting their freaking body weight.

    You've got the right idea. Start slow and low and work up when you're ready...:) No sense in hurting yourself, and having to put everything on hold.
  • woou
    woou Posts: 668 Member
    ha, i started out with 1lb, then 2 and now 5. outgrowing the 5, too. i'm not ashamed. :laugh:
  • hush7hush
    hush7hush Posts: 2,273 Member
    ...I miss when forums were meant to be helpful.
  • pjlaciste
    pjlaciste Posts: 4
    5lbs is perfect, just do your workouts with as much reps and sets as it takes to feel the burn!!!
    and honestly it depends on your goal, to get more lean less weight, to get a bit more muscular looking, more weight, less reps
  • Trinketona
    Trinketona Posts: 190
    Try the Brazilian Butt Lift workout. I started at 5 now I'm at 10 even though my arms shake sometimes cause its so painful. But its paying off.


    Good LUck
  • lina1131
    lina1131 Posts: 2,246 Member
    Thank you to all the kind and helpful posters!
  • Smuterella
    Smuterella Posts: 1,623 Member
    Crikey, some people, such negativity. I am just starting with weights myself and I started with 3lbs and moved onto 5lbs and I do find them heavy-ish at the moment, i can only do 10 reps on most of the P90 moves with them, I'm moving to 8lbs next week. Some people do find 5lbs heavy. Everyone has to start somewhere.
  • Smuterella
    Smuterella Posts: 1,623 Member
    And quit with the toning crap - it is just a word used to mean "building muscle" it doesn't cause any harm....surely.
  • lina1131
    lina1131 Posts: 2,246 Member
    And quit with the toning crap - it is just a word used to mean "building muscle" it doesn't cause any harm....surely.

    DO NOT USE THE WORD TONE IN THIS THREAD!!!!

    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
  • Smuterella
    Smuterella Posts: 1,623 Member
    tone, tone, tone, tone, tone, tone, tone! :-P
  • EmilyV80
    EmilyV80 Posts: 60 Member
    This thread made me laugh. My purse probably does weigh more than 5 lbs but then so does my two year old. And while I can pick him up, I wouldn't want to a single anterior raise holding him.

    I'm a big fan of the 30 DS. I couldn't do it with 5 lbs the first time I did it though. I'm finishing up my 3rd time through it and there are still some moves I can't do all of with 5 lbs. If you do decide to do 30 DS, keep up with your measurements. The scale never moves much for me while I'm doing it but I go see great "toning" results.
  • danapearl
    danapearl Posts: 8
    Lina, you know me well and you know that I do group Power lifting classes and work out with free weights and machines at the gym.

    *I* USE 5 POUND WEIGHTS WHEN I DO SHRED.

    5 pounds is just fine.
  • lina1131
    lina1131 Posts: 2,246 Member
    I am going to start the 30 DS on Monday or Tuesday of next week (waiting for my weights to come in). I can't wait.
  • spartacus69
    spartacus69 Posts: 235
    This'll kick your butt.

    http://my.menshealth.com/workout/The-Spartacus-Workout-2.0/workout-a

    I'll also recommend the Spartacus workout (could my forum name be coincidence? :) ,) though I think the original version was superior.
    http://www.starz.com/SiteCollectionImages/Spartacus2009/downloads/MH_Spartacus_Workout.pdf

    For someone who hasn't worked out with weights before, 5lb dumbbells may be sufficient to get you going with 30 Day Shred, Spartacus, Power 90, P90X, etc. You will build some strength, to a degree, and you may find yourself moving to heavier weights very soon, at least for some of the exercises. My wife started with 5s and 10s for some of her circuit-style 'toning' routines last year, and is now using 35 pounders for some of the work.

    That said, many people would not put these workouts in the "strength training" category. If you really want to build strength (which is not necessarily the same as body building!), then the advice you've been given to "lift heavy" may be more appropriate. Programs such as Starting Strength, New Rules of Lifting for Women, etc. will get you there more efficiently, because that's what they focus on. Maybe that's why the 'tone' of this thread got a little heated, as the original post did ask for advice about strength training.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    I'm all for heavy lifting and believe it's the best way to go....

    ... BUT I also finished Warrior Dash having previously only used 5# dumbbells (blue, not pink) and body weight exercises, completing obstacles that some of the guys in our group skipped because they were too challenging. My brother was all set to skip the Great Warrior Wall until he saw his little sister at the top.

    Think of the 5 pounders as a gateway drug. :wink: It's a good place to start if you're new to weights, and once you get to where you're happy with the progress you made, but aren't feeling any challenge from them anymore, you'll want to do more.

    But it's not going to help to hear someone say, "Wimpy wimpy wimpy! Waste of time! RAWR!!! Lift heavy!"
  • dargytaylor
    dargytaylor Posts: 840 Member
    bump....enjoying reading but I need to go.........i will read later!! :smile:

    PS....I currently use 5lb weights and i know that i need to move on up.......but that is just me
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