Just bought my first dumbell set

[freejumps]

I just purchased my first set of dumbbells, a 40lb adjustable set. I am very thin and have skinny arms. Can I get some tips on good reps, how I know what a good weight is for me, how long I should lift?

Example: I haven't lifted before. I am just focusing on curls. If I get tired after x minutes or I feel very weak, do I wait 10 minutes then go again, or what? Should I curl on highest weight I can everyday, or something a little lighter so I can go longer, things of that nature.

And I am going to start jogging as well to work on my cardio. Thank you guys for any help.

 

[brikis98]

What are your goals? Trying to build muscle? Get stronger? Training for a sport?

 

[freejumps]

What are your goals? Trying to build muscle? Get stronger? Training for a sport?

Good question, thanks. My goal right now is to just build arm mass. My forearms are same size as my biceps. ie. My arm is long and skinny, I want to build more mass on my upper arms. I don't need to be jacked in any sense, just to build some mass. Right now, if I flex, it just makes my bicep 'thinner' and taller.

 

[brikis98]

Good question, thanks. My goal right now is to just build arm mass. My forearms are same size as my biceps. ie. My arm is long and skinny, I want to build more mass on my upper arms. I don't need to be jacked in any sense, just to build some mass. Right now, if I flex, it just makes my bicep 'thinner' and taller.

And what about the rest of your body? IMO, a dude with big arms but scrawny elsewhere looks pretty dumb. Moreover, you'd see much more success - in terms of arm size and building size/strength everywhere else - working out your whole body rather than just the arms...

At any rate, to add mass, you need to eat a caloric surplus. See the fat loss sticky for a good guide. The focus of the sticky is cutting (caloric deficit), but the nutritional and exercise advice works just as well for bulking (just use a caloric surplus instead).

 

[freejumps]

I am very skinny all over. I understand what you mean about being disporoportion if my arms get big, but right now I just want to get my arms 'normal'.

I need tips on curling, how I know when to stop, to push more, etc.

 

[brikis98]

I am very skinny all over. I understand what you mean about being disporoportion if my arms get big, but right now I just want to get my arms 'normal'.

I need tips on curling, how I know when to stop, to push more, etc.

First, I have to try one more time: if you are skinny all over, the best bang for the buck is a full body strength training routine. The gold standard is the routine in Starting Strength. The book is also the best resource I've seen for teaching all the basic lifts (curls included). Stronglifts 5x5 is a similar routine and the website is a decent free resource. These routines take ~60 minutes per day, 3 days per week, and the results you get from them will be INCOMPARABLY better than playing with 40lb dumbbells at home.

Second, even if just getting big arms is your goal, isolation exercises (that work one muscle/joint at a time) like bicep curls are not the best choice. Compound upper body exercises (which work multiple joints and muscles at the same time) will build size and strength in your arms much faster. There are two major muscles in the upper part of the arm - the biceps and triceps. To work the biceps, do pulling exercises, such as pull-ups, chin-ups, rows, and inverted rows. To work the triceps, do pushing exercises, such as push-ups, dips, and bench press.

Third, whichever exercises you end up doing, beginners tend to do well with sticking to 3-5 sets of 3-5 reps per exercise at some set weight X. If you were able to complete all reps and sets for an exercise, use X+5 at the next workout. The initial value of X for the first few workouts should always be light so you can focus on technique. As the weight increases, so will your strength. If you eat a caloric surplus, you'll add muscle mass too.

Finally, there is nothing complicated about curls. You can do many different types (see here) and the key is to avoid swinging your body so your biceps are doing the actual work.

 

[Gonad the Barbarian]

Don't get hung up on just curls. You can also do do lat raises, cleans and presses, plus a whole lot of other dumbbell exercises that will likely benefit your physique more than just curls.

http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to/video/how-to-do-dumbbell-clean-and-press-195305/

 

[kalrith]

First, I have to try one more time: if you are skinny all over, the best bang for the buck is a full body strength training routine. The gold standard is the routine in Starting Strength. The book is also the best resource I've seen for teaching all the basic lifts (curls included). Stronglifts 5x5 is a similar routine and the website is a decent free resource. These routines take ~60 minutes per day, 3 days per week, and the results you get from them will be INCOMPARABLY better than playing with 40lb dumbbells at home.

Are you saying that SS and Stronglifts require a full gym? I'm getting back into lifting soon and would like to use one of these routines, but all I have are a bench and several pairs of dumbbells at home. I'd like to somehow adapt these routines to work for my setup, but if that's not possible, then I'll just make my own routine like I've done in the past. If it is possible, then which of the above routines would be easier to adapt to dumbbells?

 

[brikis98]

Are you saying that SS and Stronglifts require a full gym? I'm getting back into lifting soon and would like to use one of these routines, but all I have are a bench and several pairs of dumbbells at home. I'd like to somehow adapt these routines to work for my setup, but if that's not possible, then I'll just make my own routine like I've done in the past. If it is possible, then which of the above routines would be easier to adapt to dumbbells?

SS and SL5x5 optimally need the following equipment:

* Power rack or squat rack
* Barbell
* Weights
* Bench

Both of the routines are designed around barbells and although all of the exercises have a dumbbell version that could be substituted, DB's have a lot of drawbacks:

1. Limited weight. Just about every single male of average size will be squatting and especially deadlifting WELL over 200lbs soon after starting SS or SL 5x5. This is an easy weight to load up on a barbell, but few gyms have DB's that go over 100lbs.

2. Heavy DB's are inherently tougher to work with. Even before you cross the need for weights over 200lbs, DB's will make life tough. Getting them into the starting position for OH press and bench press can be a challenge and your grip will become a limiting factor very quickly on DB squats, deadlifts and power cleans. These are certainly challenges that can be overcome - and you might benefit in the long term from doing so - but it'll be a frustrating road and likely slow down your gains.

3. The DB equivalent of the exercises in SS and SL 5x5 are often not quite as good. For example, the technique for DB squats is vastly different than barbell squats and does not work the same (or as many) muscles. Doing power cleans with two DB's is more about balance/coordination (and pain tolerance in your wrists) than strength/power. Bench press and OH press with DB's are actually somewhat superior exercises (due to the extra balancing required), but they are tough for beginners and again, heavy loading becomes a serious issue.

In short, get some damn barbells. Either go to a gym or get yourself the equipment you need from craigslist or similar.

 

[kalrith]

Thanks for the response. I'll keep my eye on craigslist for some barbells and a rack.

 

[iluvdeal]

Great idea. I've built myself quite a nice home gym for really cheap by monitoring Craigslist. A good olympic weight set, rack, and bench will last you forever. For someone first starting out, getting that equipment and doing Starting Strength is an excellent plan.

I recommend you read through the story in this first post, it's from Bill Starr who supports using full body strength training routines like that in Starting Strength: http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/w...ng/bill-starr-getting-bigger-arms-647791.html

 

[freejumps]

Guys, I understand that need to push me for working out all over. Right now, I don't have the room or money to get all of that stuff. I am interested in learning how to gain some mass solely on my arms using dumbbells right now.

Some of you may say the 40lbs isn't enough, but 20lb each arms is extremely hard for me to do, so I am assuming I can gain a little mass based on this fact?

 

[Howard]

You probably won't gain any mass. Also, if your arms are as you describe, you will be aesthetically better off working your whole body.

 

[brikis98]

Some of you may say the 40lbs isn't enough, but 20lb each arms is extremely hard for me to do, so I am assuming I can gain a little mass based on this fact?

It'll be hard for the first few weeks and then it'll be easy, indicating you've gotten a little stronger. The size increase will be minimal, perhaps not readily noticeable. And then you'll need to move on to real exercise.

 

[Gonad the Barbarian]

Look, stick with the dumbbells at first and vary your lifts. Get a chin-up bar and throw in some push-ups too. Wear a backpack with some text books or other heavy stuff to add weight when you work up to it. Buy a cheap 1-inch barbell with maybe 100 pounds for presses, cleans, lunges and such. And drink protein shakes. You don't have to have a whole gym to go from scrawny to not scrawny. You will need better equipment and routine to get beyond that though.

But please listen to everyone telling you not to concentrate solely on your arms. Having your arms get bigger with the rest of you is much easier than just trying to make your arms bigger. Plus you'll look better overall.