Is it possible to get a "complete" body workout using just dumbells?

[Arkitech]

I've found 2 or 3 sites with some dumbell routines but they're primarily just targeting the chest and arms. I've been trying to find a book or site that illustrates how to bodybuild using only dumbells. Is that possible or will I need to use some barbell lifting as well?

 

[Shockwave]

You'd have a bitch of a time balancing them on your feet for leg curls. But, on the flip side it'll definately promote auxillary muscle growth from trying to balance them.

 

[TubStain]

Depends on your definition of "complete" if you want to body build, you will need a barbell for many specific routines. E.g. Squats, bench press, shoulder shrugs. Sure you could improvise and use dumbells for those, but it wont have the same effect.

 

[Arkitech]

Originally posted by: TubStain
Depends on your definition of "complete" if you want to body build, you will need a barbell for many specific routines. E.g. Squats, bench press, shoulder shrugs. Sure you could improvise and use dumbells for those, but it wont have the same effect.

I've actually read that dumbell presses are more efficient for muscle development versus the typical bench press. I think it has something to do with more stabilizing muscles are need to balance the dumbells. I would imagine shrugs should be the same with either approach. I'd probably have to continue using barbells for squats but since I only do those twice a month thats too big of a problem.

 

[vi edit]

No, you can't. But it's better than not working out at all.

Best you can do is some lunges to work your glutes, quads and groin and some makeshift squats to work your hammies . You can also do some calf raises to work those as well.

But these don't work as well as using actually barbell based exercises or machines designed to work specific areas.

 

[Regs]

I say you can. But it will be 100x harder (time x stress on un needed areas= lot of pain). You think gladiators in the days of the Roman Empire had a Bowflex? No, but they were likely worn down by the age of 30.

You can do your abs, legs, cavs, whole upper body, butt, hind legs, etc.. It will just take a lot more work and stress than it would from a work out you would get from a gym.

 

Originally posted by: Arkitech
I've found 2 or 3 sites with some dumbell routines but they're primarily just targeting the chest and arms. I've been trying to find a book or site that illustrates how to bodybuild using only dumbells. Is that possible or will I need to use some barbell lifting as well?

Can you post me thoes links please?

 

[Rudee]

Sure you can. The biggest drawback is training legs, which typically require higher weight. What you can do is 1 legged squats and lunges for quads, and "good mornings" for hamstrings. Calves can be trained 1 leg at a time as well. As far as upper body goes, dumbells will be fine.

 

[Arkitech]

Originally posted by: Regs
I say you can. But it will be 100x harder (time x stress on un needed areas= lot of pain). You think gladiators in the days of the Roman Empire had a Bowflex? No, but they were likely worn down by the age of 30.

You can do your abs, legs, cavs, whole upper body, butt, hind legs, etc.. It will just take a lot more work and stress than it would from a work out you would get from a gym.

I prefer free weights over machines these days. I found out the hard way there's a big difference between the amount of weight you can lift using a machine as opposed to using free weights.

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: Rudee
Sure you can. The biggest drawback is training legs, which typically require higher weight. What you can do is 1 legged squats and lunges for quads, and "good mornings" for hamstrings. Calves can be trained 1 leg at a time as well. As far as upper body goes, dumbells will be fine.

What's a "good morning"? That's a new one to me.

I'm curious because I only have dumbells available for lifting and I'm always on the lookout for new types of exercises.

 

[Arkitech]

Originally posted by: SampSon

Originally posted by: Arkitech
I've found 2 or 3 sites with some dumbell routines but they're primarily just targeting the chest and arms. I've been trying to find a book or site that illustrates how to bodybuild using only dumbells. Is that possible or will I need to use some barbell lifting as well?

Can you post me thoes links please?

Here's what I found over the weekend. Its not a bad workout but I wish there were more examples of different exercises - Link

 

[SP33Demon]

Originally posted by: vi_edit

Originally posted by: Rudee
Sure you can. The biggest drawback is training legs, which typically require higher weight. What you can do is 1 legged squats and lunges for quads, and "good mornings" for hamstrings. Calves can be trained 1 leg at a time as well. As far as upper body goes, dumbells will be fine.

What's a "good morning"? That's a new one to me.

I'm curious because I only have dumbells available for lifting and I'm always on the lookout for new types of exercises.

Good Mornings

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: SP33Demon

Originally posted by: vi_edit
Good Mornings

Yeh, but how do you do that with dumbells?

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: Rudee
Sure you can. The biggest drawback is training legs, which typically require higher weight. What you can do is 1 legged squats and lunges for quads, and "good mornings" for hamstrings. Calves can be trained 1 leg at a time as well. As far as upper body goes, dumbells will be fine.

I pretty much agree. Barbells are nice to have, but one can develop solid muscle without them.

In regards to good morning without a barbell, you simply hold heavy dumbells instead!

 

[SP33Demon]

Originally posted by: Rudee
Sure you can. The biggest drawback is training legs, which typically require higher weight. What you can do is 1 legged squats and lunges for quads, and "good mornings" for hamstrings. Calves can be trained 1 leg at a time as well. As far as upper body goes, dumbells will be fine.

Listen to this man, he's correct. It will be extremely hard to do legs b/c you need such a higher weight to work them out on.

If you want my honest opinion, I think you can do it, but it's highly inefficient AND dangerous. Inefficient in that, training each leg one at a time is going to double your workout time and use up more energy. Dangerous in that, you have a higher chance of dropping the weight when doing legs. For instance, when squatting, you most likely will have to be holding insane amounts in each hand. Deadlifting may not be as bad, since you don't need as much weight (maybe up to 400lbs). I legpress 900+ pounds on the sled, I don't know how you would simulate that though?

All in all, you will have to buy a set of dumbbells from 125lbs in 10lb increments up to 200lb, and even that may not be enough for squats. If you are changing out plates on the dumbbell, either you will have to put 45lb plates on it which are usually pretty big, or use 25's and extend them out which would be clumsy.

My advice would be to buy an Olympic squat rack, and a barbell plates for deadlift, romanian deadlift (hammy's), and squat. Your workout will be more efficient and alot more safe than dumbbells for legs (Upperbody, you can do everything with dumbbells).

 

[Arkitech]

I've been looking on Amazon for a book on strictly dumbell training but unfortunately I can't find one. I guess once I get ripped I'll have to write my own.

 

[Arkitech]

Originally posted by: SP33Demon

Originally posted by: Rudee
Sure you can. The biggest drawback is training legs, which typically require higher weight. What you can do is 1 legged squats and lunges for quads, and "good mornings" for hamstrings. Calves can be trained 1 leg at a time as well. As far as upper body goes, dumbells will be fine.

Listen to this man, he's correct. It will be extremely hard to do legs b/c you need such a higher weight to work them out on.

If you want my honest opinion, I think you can do it, but it's highly inefficient AND dangerous. Inefficient in that, training each leg one at a time is going to double your workout time and use up more energy. Dangerous in that, you have a higher chance of dropping the weight when doing legs. For instance, when squatting, you most likely will have to be holding insane amounts in each hand. Deadlifting may not be as bad, since you don't need as much weight (maybe up to 400lbs). I legpress 900+ pounds on the sled, I don't know how you would simulate that though?

All in all, you will have to buy a set of dumbbells from 125lbs in 10lb increments up to 200lb, and even that may not be enough for squats. If you are changing out plates on the dumbbell, either you will have to put 45lb plates on it which are usually pretty big, or use 25's and extend them out which would be clumsy.

My advice would be to buy an Olympic squat rack, and a barbell plates for deadlift, romanian deadlift (hammy's), and squat. Your workout will be more efficient and alot more safe than dumbbells for legs (Upperbody, you can do everything with dumbbells).

I'll probably just stick to the gym for doing leg training. I've been trying to do more working out at home hence the dumbells. I find that I'm more likely to get my lifting done if I do it at home rather than fighting through snow and ice to get to the gym.

 

[StageLeft]

For $300 you can get a solid cage, and another $130 get an olympic bar with combined weight of 300 lbs. I did just that for my home gym, as well as a $150ish (can't remember anymore) bench, and a dumbell rack with 5-50 in 5 lb increments, then a pair of 70s. I still want a pair of 60s and of 80s, but these things ain't cheap! PIC

 

[jjones]

Yes, you can get a complete, all-around workout, but actual body building which is different than a workout will be limited mostly to upper body. For just maintaining weight and muscle toning, a dumbells workout is fine.

 

[kenshorin]

Originally posted by: jjones
Yes, you can get a complete, all-around workout, but actual body building which is different than a workout will be limited mostly to upper body. For just maintaining weight and muscle toning, a dumbells workout is fine.

Bingo. You can't lift as much weight with dumbells as you can with barbells, so bulking with dumbells won't work really. But you can achieve a lot of benefits with a dumbell workout, such as tone and definition and weight maintenance. Obviously, a dumbells only workout is better than no workout at all!

 

[SP33Demon]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
For $300 you can get a solid cage, and another $130 get an olympic bar with combined weight of 300 lbs. I did just that for my home gym, as well as a $150ish (can't remember anymore) bench, and a dumbell rack with 5-50 in 5 lb increments, then a pair of 70s. I still want a pair of 60s and of 80s, but these things ain't cheap! PIC

Hey Skoorb, nice rack Where did you get it? I'm looking to get one for squats and deadlifts... I wanted to get the cage from here but they don't have the knobs on the end of the 2 bars that act as a spot. I usually put these 2 bars all the way at the bottom, and put the barbell bar on it, and it allows me to add 45 plates to each side while the barbell bar's off the ground. It's a PITA adding 45 plates to a barbell bar resting on the ground that already has 45 plates on them.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: SP33Demon

Originally posted by: Skoorb
For $300 you can get a solid cage, and another $130 get an olympic bar with combined weight of 300 lbs. I did just that for my home gym, as well as a $150ish (can't remember anymore) bench, and a dumbell rack with 5-50 in 5 lb increments, then a pair of 70s. I still want a pair of 60s and of 80s, but these things ain't cheap! PIC

Hey Skoorb, nice rack Where did you get it? I'm looking to get one for squats and deadlifts... I wanted to get the cage from here but they don't have the knobs on the end of the 2 bars that act as a spot. I usually put these 2 bars all the way at the bottom, and put the barbell bar on it, and it allows me to add 45 plates to each side while the barbell bar's off the ground. It's a PITA adding 45 plates to a barbell bar resting on the ground that already has 45 plates on them.

It's a bodysolid brand that I got from play-it-again sports. I bought it new (they sell a lot of new stuff too). I was torn between this $300 rack and the next level up for $400. I was concerned that the $300 would not be sturdy enough. It is VERY sturdy. It can supposedly handle up to 1000 lbs or something, but it's really well built, and unlike the 400 one it allows for many more differences in height. I use it to spot me on bench press, so I need very fine control over how high the spot bars go (I have them heighted so that if I fail on bench press I can pull the bar back towards my head and let it rest over my neck, with enough room so that I can squeeze out. Works well!). Those mats were $33/each used (great condition though), and new are about $60. I bought everything else new, because I like new stuff

 

[SP33Demon]

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: SP33Demon

Originally posted by: Skoorb
For $300 you can get a solid cage, and another $130 get an olympic bar with combined weight of 300 lbs. I did just that for my home gym, as well as a $150ish (can't remember anymore) bench, and a dumbell rack with 5-50 in 5 lb increments, then a pair of 70s. I still want a pair of 60s and of 80s, but these things ain't cheap! PIC

Hey Skoorb, nice rack Where did you get it? I'm looking to get one for squats and deadlifts... I wanted to get the cage from here but they don't have the knobs on the end of the 2 bars that act as a spot. I usually put these 2 bars all the way at the bottom, and put the barbell bar on it, and it allows me to add 45 plates to each side while the barbell bar's off the ground. It's a PITA adding 45 plates to a barbell bar resting on the ground that already has 45 plates on them.

It's a bodysolid brand that I got from play-it-again sports. I bought it new (they sell a lot of new stuff too). I was torn between this $300 rack and the next level up for $400. I was concerned that the $300 would not be sturdy enough. It is VERY sturdy. It can supposedly handle up to 1000 lbs or something, but it's really well built, and unlike the 400 one it allows for many more differences in height. I use it to spot me on bench press, so I need very fine control over how high the spot bars go (I have them heighted so that if I fail on bench press I can pull the bar back towards my head and let it rest over my neck, with enough room so that I can squeeze out. Works well!). Those mats were $33/each used (great condition though), and new are about $60. I bought everything else new, because I like new stuff

Sweet setup... does bodysolid sell that online I wonder? Also, great idea for the bench spot... I may have to get a setup like that and cancel my gym membership!