Here's my setup

Oct 9, 1999
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Recently acquired a bench press bar. Also have 80-100lbs of weight plus two 50lb dumbbells.

Besides bench pressing and curling what else can I do to shape up a little.

Keep in mind I already have a pretty athletic body(wakeboarding/wakeskating/other sports). I'm 1% over my body fat as of 2 months ago. 5'11"/175lbs.

Just wanting to sharpen up my chest/biceps/triceps.

I can take pics of equipment if needed. Thanks!
 

presidentender

Golden Member
Jan 23, 2008
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You'll want some lighter dumbbells than that; unless you're very strong, curling 50 lb dumbbells productively probably won't happen. You can curl the barbell; if it's an Olympic bar (28mm diameter grips, 50mm diameter ends) it weighs 20 kilos (44 lbs) on its own. You can do triceps extensions with the plates; if you're feeling brave, you could do unilateral triceps extensions by taking one dumbbell in both hands. You can also do pec flyes, which amount to benching the dumbbells, or overhead press with either the dumbbells or the bar.

Given your comment about wanting to "sharpen up," I assume this is about appearance and not physical health. In that case, you can ignore your legs, but you should certainly work on more than just your chest, bis, and tris; a good back is more important that a good chest, even though you might have a harder time looking at it, and shoulders are important too. Do rows with one of the dumbbells at a time for your lats, and shrugs for your traps. Do lateral raises with some lighter weight (like, 10 lbs to start with) for your delts. If you can, do pull-ups. You should also do deadlifts; perhaps 90 lbs (including the bar) to start with.
 

Jinru

Senior member
Feb 6, 2006
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buy some more weights for the barbell. Compound lifting is the key. Bench, Squat, Deadlift, Power Clean, Barbell Row, and Military press are all done using the barbell. Develop a nice foundation to build on by working on these exercises to build up strength and proper form.

Rippetoe is a 3days a week, 45min-1hr a day workout routine for beginners.
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=998224
 
Mar 22, 2002
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First of all, like others have mentioned, you need to get more barbell weights and smaller dumbbells (depending on your strength). Jinru has some good suggestions about the compound lifts and such, but you're gonna want to get a squat rack for doing your squats if that's what you really want; but yeah, definitely work on your bench, power clean, row, press, DL (this may incorporate buying too many barbell weights). Other than that, I would say that you still might want to go to the gym to get your leg workouts in. I mean, having the tools there may be good, but your setup will actually be the limiting factor in getting a truly good workout.
 

skace

Lifer
Jan 23, 2001
14,488
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Replace the dumbbells with plated ones and there really isn't anything you CAN'T do. I assume you have a bench with that barbell.