Good dumbbell routine?

[enwar3]

For the next month and a half I'm only going to have dumbbells to work out with. This is also the first time I've worked out in a long time, and the first time I'm working out seriously.

So are there any good dumbbell routines out there? There are some adaptations of Starting Strength for dumbbells; are they any good?

SS with some dumbbell alternates: http://forums.somethingawful.c...erpage=40&pagenumber=1

 

[skace]

Only dumbbell exercise I can't figure out is the dumbbell deadlift. Which I assume is part of SS?

 

[enwar3]

You can't just hold the dumbbells down by your side/in front of you?

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: enwar3
You can't just hold the dumbbells down by your side/in front of you?

You can. The problem is with finding weights heavy enough to do it with. Also, the DBs are probably a little bit low on the ground for DL's. I'd probably stack them on something slightly elevated to make the pull more comfortable.

 

[brikis98]

I guess the first question to ask is why won't you have access to barbells? You can tweak SS to use dumbbells only, but I imagine the results won't be quite as good. It's certainly still better than doing nothing, and if you're a beginner, you'll still make some good gains, but the barbell alternative is still the preferred choice. Some issues I can see you having:

* I'm not sure the dumbbell version of the squat is quite as effective as the barbell version. I've never done it myself, so I could certainly be wrong, but I get the impression that holding the weights in your hands at your sides, instead of on your back, really reduces the involvement of your posterior chain, hips, hamstrings, etc. Can you even get comfortably below parallel? SS is based on squats and their ability to involve a HUGE percentage of the muscles in your body, so if dumbbells reduce it to just a quad centric workout, you're missing about 50% of what makes SS so effective.

* A dumbbell deadlift would end up pretty similar to a dumbbell squat, unless you do more of a Romanian deadlift.

* Finding heavy enough weights could be an issue as not many places have dumbbells over 100lbs. If you are a beginner, you'll do alright with less weight for most of the exercises, but even relative novices get to squatting and especially deadlifting that kind of weight pretty quickly.

* Grip may be a limiting factor, depending on the dumbbells. Holding a crappy, thin handled 100lbs dumbbell in each hand is much harder than holding a 200lbs barbell.

* Some of the barbell exercises start from a rack, but that's not really an option with dumbbells, so you'll need to work to get them into position. This will be an issue primarily with dumbbell bench press and especially dumbbell overhead press. Not a big deal initially, but as the weight goes up, it'll get tougher and tougher.

* Dumbbell exercises often make it harder to get used to the exercise for a beginner. Barbell exercises are hard enough to learn as it is. Having to additionally balance your arms separately may slow your initial gains. In some ways, this may make the training even more effective or functional, but starting out with barbells is typically a lot easier.

 

[spamsk8r]

For a dumbbell squat, I believe you're supposed to clean them onto your shoulders and do a squat, instead of holding them by your side. Although I don't know how well that would work with heavier weights.

 

[Deeko]

For some exercises, dumbbells are better than their barbell alternative - such as bench. SS even acknowledges this.

 

[enwar3]

Originally posted by: brikis98
I guess the first question to ask is why won't you have access to barbells? You can tweak SS to use dumbbells only, but I imagine the results won't be quite as good. It's certainly still better than doing nothing, and if you're a beginner, you'll still make some good gains, but the barbell alternative is still the preferred choice. Some issues I can see you having:

* I'm not sure the dumbbell version of the squat is quite as effective as the barbell version. I've never done it myself, so I could certainly be wrong, but I get the impression that holding the weights in your hands at your sides, instead of on your back, really reduces the involvement of your posterior chain, hips, hamstrings, etc. Can you even get comfortably below parallel? SS is based on squats and their ability to involve a HUGE percentage of the muscles in your body, so if dumbbells reduce it to just a quad centric workout, you're missing about 50% of what makes SS so effective.

* A dumbbell deadlift would end up pretty similar to a dumbbell squat, unless you do more of a Romanian deadlift.

* Finding heavy enough weights could be an issue as not many places have dumbbells over 100lbs. If you are a beginner, you'll do alright with less weight for most of the exercises, but even relative novices get to squatting and especially deadlifting that kind of weight pretty quickly.

* Grip may be a limiting factor, depending on the dumbbells. Holding a crappy, thin handled 100lbs dumbbell in each hand is much harder than holding a 200lbs barbell.

* Some of the barbell exercises start from a rack, but that's not really an option with dumbbells, so you'll need to work to get them into position. This will be an issue primarily with dumbbell bench press and especially dumbbell overhead press. Not a big deal initially, but as the weight goes up, it'll get tougher and tougher.

* Dumbbell exercises often make it harder to get used to the exercise for a beginner. Barbell exercises are hard enough to learn as it is. Having to additionally balance your arms separately may slow your initial gains. In some ways, this may make the training even more effective or functional, but starting out with barbells is typically a lot easier.

Well to answer some of those points, I am a beginner and I'm only doing this for the weeks until I get back to college. The place I work has a fitness room and I can't find a place that'll sell me two months membership at a decent price.

I did notice that dumbbells might not be heavy enough, but I figure since I'm just starting out I should be ok? I could tape dumbbells to a stick =D

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: spamsk8r
For a dumbbell squat, I believe you're supposed to clean them onto your shoulders and do a squat, instead of holding them by your side. Although I don't know how well that would work with heavier weights.

The only dumbbell squat I'm aware of is with the dumbbells at the sides, like this and this. I think squatting with dumbbells on your shoulders would be more of a front squat motion and only work well for lighter weights.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: brikis98

Originally posted by: spamsk8r
For a dumbbell squat, I believe you're supposed to clean them onto your shoulders and do a squat, instead of holding them by your side. Although I don't know how well that would work with heavier weights.

The only dumbbell squat I'm aware of is with the dumbbells at the sides, like this and this. I think squatting with dumbbells on your shoulders would be more of a front squat motion and only work well for lighter weights.

It seems like a mix of a squat/DL. That's why I have always thought BBs were best for squats and DLs separately.

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: Deeko
For some exercises, dumbbells are better than their barbell alternative - such as bench. SS even acknowledges this.

Scuse me folks, but what does SS refer to?

Agreed that dumbbells can be better than barbells. I had wrist problems, some elbow and shoulder problems that were alleviated when I started using mostly dumbbells instead of barbells. In fact I currently bench with dumbbells exclusively except for decline presses. I do most of my curls with dumbbells. I don't use a straight barbell for curls, ever.

You can't go as heavy with dumbbells as you can with barbells, but you can get a good workout and you're less apt to injure yourself.

Shoulders (anterior, posterior, lateral) are all best concentrated on with dumbbells. And, of course, there's flys.

I also use dumbbells for triceps extensions and pullovers.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

SS = Starting Strength, by Mark Rippetoe.

 

[skace]

I do a dumbbell squat with the weights balanced on my shoulders (supporting them with your hands placed on top of the weight to make sure it doesn't move). A guy that works at the place where I buy my weights actually suggested putting a towel over my shoulders as the weight increases, which I've done and it helps. The weights dig into the towel creating a solid platform and also don't dig into your shoulders as bad. However, I don't have 90lb dumbbells either so that would be another story.

I think db squats are great though. Squats are an exercise where a lot of people can improve just doing them with body weight, so yea, you can get a lot of out of dumbbells.

And yea, DB deadlifts might sound easy, but I've tried them several times now and never get the intended results. However, the exercise I actually wanted to figure out was the straight legged db deadlift. Still isn't part of my routine at all unfortunately.

"* Some of the barbell exercises start from a rack, but that's not really an option with dumbbells, so you'll need to work to get them into position. This will be an issue primarily with dumbbell bench press and especially dumbbell overhead press. Not a big deal initially, but as the weight goes up, it'll get tougher and tougher."

Can be seen as a good thing, forces you to build all muscles equally so that you can get the weight into position to use it as well as perform the exercise. However with leg exercises I can see this being a bit of a problem. But again, you can get a lot of out a light weight squat, increase number, increase reps, increase sets, etc.

 

[thespeakerbox]

you do a barbell program with barbells. All of the techniques and form are based on the idea of a barbell. Youre asking for trouble, and being stupid if you try to modify the same thing on DB. Youre better off just finding a DB program. Save yourself the injury, please.

 

[Deeko]

Originally posted by: thespeakerbox
you do a barbell program with barbells. All of the techniques and form are based on the idea of a barbell. Youre asking for trouble, and being stupid if you try to modify the same thing on DB. Youre better off just finding a DB program. Save yourself the injury, please.

Well, no shit the form for a dumbbell exercise is different than the form for a barbell exercise, that's common sense - but that doesn't mean you can't do similar programming.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: thespeakerbox
you do a barbell program with barbells. All of the techniques and form are based on the idea of a barbell. Youre asking for trouble, and being stupid if you try to modify the same thing on DB. Youre better off just finding a DB program. Save yourself the injury, please.

Seriously? What the hell? Don't just troll around. That's three threads now that have had totally and pointlessly antagonistic posts from you. Grow up.

 

[kalrith]

I do dumbbell squats with one dumbbell held in both hands in front of me in between my legs. It's quite effective although it doesn't provide as much weight as I'd like to do.

 

[GenHoth]

Originally posted by: Muse

You can't go as heavy with dumbbells as you can with barbells, but you can get a good workout and you're less apt to injure yourself.

:laugh: injuries don't come from your equipment, they come from improper use!

 

[Deeko]

Clearly - but it's a lot easier to drop a dumbbell doing bench than it is a barbell. Yes, I know, you should have a spotter. But in general, yea, it's easier to escape injury in dumbbell cases than barbell.