memoirs of a geek weightlifting experiment

[Alphathree33]

So I've been working out for about a month now, having NEVER worked out in my life before (I'm 20).

I always read about these complicated exercise routines, but could never really understand them.

I have a very simple routine that I DO understand:

- 3x10 lifts on each arm of my 40 lb dumbell
- 3x10 crunches/sit ups/whatever you call them
- 3x10 push ups

I don't really work my legs, but then again my legs aren't super-scrawny compared to my upper body. I can't really think of a good way to work my legs without machinery (I do this in my room, which is the only good way to keep me motivated).

QUESTIONS for experts:

- While most of my arm gets more musclar, my wrists are still their scrawny old selves. I realize people don't build muscle around their wrists, but there must be a way to do SOMETHING?
- Is there a good way to work out your legs without machinery? (strength training; I don't want to go running around the block)
- Will working my arms in the way I am eventually result in a bigger upper body (say shoulders, chest, etc) or do I need to do something differently? My shoulders hurt the next morning, so I know I'm exercising something in that area...

thanks.

 

[Alphathree33]

Also, when will the babes be knocking at my door? (Don't tell my girlfriend )

 

[minus1972]

you'll be getting better help, but for a start:

1) work different groups on different days.
2) do more than one exercise for each group.
3) cardio helps to define muscle, so you should start working that in as well.

good luck.

 

[TheNinja]

To work out legs, do squats. Just use your body weight first, then start putting household items on your shoulders or something. Start with your 40lb dumbbell and eventually you'll move up to the refridgerator or your dad's car. Also, you aren't going to get big at all doing your little routine. You need more reps, more weight and different exercises. And if you are curling a 40lb dumbbell 30 times you must not be that scrawny, which leads me to believe you would not be totally embarrassed at a gym. So go join a gym.

Oh, and if you want to do minmal exercises make sure you do:

pull ups (back/biceps)
pushup (chest/triceps/shoulder(a little))
situps (abs/core)
squats (all leg muscles)

Those are your most basic and useful exercises without going to a gym

 

[Yossarian]

for wrists, sit down, grab a dumbbell in one hand and rest your forearm along your thigh with the hand hanging over your knee. curl your wrist from that position. you can also turn your arm over to work the forearm muscles on the opposite side.

for legs, you have the option of knee bends or lunges. hold your dumbbells or whatever weights you have, then with your back straight bend your knees until the tops of your thighs are just about parallel with the floor. for lunges, again hold the weights and step forward 4' or so with one foot until your front thigh is again parallel with the floor. step back and repeat w/the other leg.

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: Staley8
To work out legs, do squats. Just use your body weight first, then start putting household items on your shoulders or something. Start with your 40lb dumbbell and eventually you'll move up to the refridgerator or your dad's car. Also, you aren't going to get big at all doing your little routine. You need more reps, more weight and different exercises. And if you are curling a 40lb dumbbell 30 times you must not be that scrawny, which leads me to believe you would not be totally embarrassed at a gym. So go join a gym.

Oh, and if you want to do minmal exercises make sure you do:

pull ups (back/biceps)
pushup (chest/triceps/shoulder(a little))
situps (abs/core)
squats (all leg muscles)

Those are your most basic and useful exercises without going to a gym

He didn't say curling...

 

[Alphathree33]

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: Staley8
To work out legs, do squats. Just use your body weight first, then start putting household items on your shoulders or something. Start with your 40lb dumbbell and eventually you'll move up to the refridgerator or your dad's car. Also, you aren't going to get big at all doing your little routine. You need more reps, more weight and different exercises. And if you are curling a 40lb dumbbell 30 times you must not be that scrawny, which leads me to believe you would not be totally embarrassed at a gym. So go join a gym.

Oh, and if you want to do minmal exercises make sure you do:

pull ups (back/biceps)
pushup (chest/triceps/shoulder(a little))
situps (abs/core)
squats (all leg muscles)

Those are your most basic and useful exercises without going to a gym

He didn't say curling...

If "curling" means rotating at the elbow then yes that's what I'm doing

 

[stev0]

do you go to a college? if so, utalize their weght room, usually it's free with a student id.

your in luck because i'm anal about my arms.. always wanted those big forearms and such.
- take your dumbell and hold it verticle, aka: hammer curl > these work your forearms quite a bit more than a standard curl
- get one of those 'gripmasters', i have the black tension (hardest). makes a huge difference on youre grip and works the hand/wrist/forearms quite well... plus it's easy to do when your sitting around watching tv or something.

for legs, lunges, calf raises
- grab a dumbell in both hands, step one foot forward and bring the other knee down to the ground, raise yourself and repeat with the other side. you should feel this in your quads and hams
- grab a dumbell in both hands, find a ledge, the edge of a step works great. put the ball of your foot on the edge, lower yourself down, then raise yourself up. you should feel this all the way up the back of your leg to your ass

question: are you working your triceps at all? if not;
- take a dumbell, hold the one of the bigger ends in both hands, so the part where you normally grip is between your hands and handing downwards. carefully raise it above your head, then lower it behind your head and raise it back up, you will feel this mainly in the back of your arm, slightly in your shoulders.

you can do a dumbell style military press to work your shoulders, although if your just starting 40lb'ers are probably a bit heavy.
- sit on a firm object, dumbell in both hands, straight back. start the dumbell at shoulder height and raise them up, works best if you keep the angle back (ie: if you were doing this with a bar it would be going right through your head)

 

[Balt]

- Will working my arms in the way I am eventually result in a bigger upper body (say shoulders, chest, etc) or do I need to do something differently? My shoulders hurt the next morning, so I know I'm exercising something in that area...

Push-ups will help with shoulders and chest, but you are going to hit a wall pretty quickly. You won't gain much mass by doing forty push-ups at a time. If you have anything resembling a narrow bench in your house, you can do presses with your dumbells (if you have two of them). Eventually you'll need heavier weights, though.

 

[Ikonomi]

My favorite wrist/forearm exercise involves a slender rope, a broom handle, a nail, and some weight. Tie the rope once or twice around the center of the stick, and drive the nail in to secure it (you can also use a staple gun). Make sure the rope is just long enough to reach the floor from waist or shoulder height (doesn't matter).

Now, tie a good number of free weights to the other end of the rope. Grip the broomstick with both hands on either side of the knot in the center, and lift the weight by twisting the stick forward, like you were revving a motorcycle, until you run out of rope. Do a few sets of those, and then do them the other way, using the muscles on the top of your forearm to twist backward.

It works like a charm. Best forearm exercise ever, along with carrying big buckets of water/heavy dumbbells around.

 

[Alphathree33]

Okay thanks for all the help guys... I just tried 10 "lunges" and 10 "squats" (I'd heard of these before but had no idea what to do)...
can definitely feel that working my legs.

I'm creating an exercise schedule with three different things every day and nothing two days in a row....

It includes: Curls, Wrists (I actually have one of those tension-squeezing things), Push Ups, Sit Ups, Squats, Lunges and Tricep workouts

Does that seem fairly well rounded?

 

[Alphathree33]

The triceps thing hurts like a ah heck... am I doing something wrong?

 

[Lothar1974]

If all you have are dumbells, then your some what limited, you can still do alot however. I was into power lifting 2 years ago, benched 405, leg pressed 1500. You can do flys for chest, push ups for chest and lats, curls, delt raises, shrugs, tricept extensions, calf rasies, lunges, squats, walking holding dumbells wll help with grip and wrist so will wrist curls, man I could go on forever. If you have a specific body part or question let me know. I was also a trainer at a few gym's for several years.

:beer:

 

[Alphathree33]

Originally posted by: Lothar1974
If all you have are dumbells, then your some what limited, you can still do alot however. I was into power lifting 2 years ago, benched 405, leg pressed 1500. You can do flys for chest, push ups for chest and lats, curls, delt raises, shrugs, tricept extensions, calf rasies, lunges, squats, walking holding dumbells wll help with grip and wrist so will wrist curls, man I could go on forever. If you have a specific body part or question let me know. I was also a trainer at a few gym's for several years.

:beer:

I'm more curious about how long it takes ... I don't want to be the world's strongest man... but I was a wimp, and I am still fairly wimpy after a month (although certainly lots of improvements I can feel and notice)

How long (approximately) will it take me to become someone who is visibly muscular (but not some super-buff jock)?

 

[Lothar1974]

Forgot to mention that form is so important. If your form is wrong you could hurt yourself not to mention develop something wrong and waste time. But a muscle fitness mag, or I suggest the Arnold Schwarzenegger encyclopedia to body building. There's alot of stuff in there you will never do but it will give you any info you could possibly hope for.

 

[Lothar1974]

Wimp? Do chicks beat your ars? You can be the strongest guy in the world and still be a fruit when it comes to laying down. If your just looking to gain strength do moderate wieght -high reps with burn outs.

 

[Gurck]

For most people, general upper body stuff (benches, curls, rows, etc) works the forearms enough. Doing what you're doing can't help but improve your health, provided you use proper form and don't injure yourself, but you won't start packing on muscle without pumping iron and eating a lot. For less than the price of a pretty decent system you can get a nice weight setup. Alternatively, as an above poster mentioned, most colleges/universities have weight rooms for you to use, as do a growing number of employers. Health clubs are out there too, for anywhere from the low 2-digits a month to the low 3's. www.superiormuscle.com is a great site with very popular forums. You don't have to be a hardcore weight lifter to benefit from the knowledgebase there.

 

[Lothar1974]

At your age you should be able to put some bulk on quickly. Are you over weight? Or do you have pipe cleaners? If your under weight small ares and etc. get on a supplement diet (weight gainer, creatine) and eat including snacks 6 meals a day. The more you level out you diet, small meal the faster your metabolism will get and burn fat and add lean mass, depends how much buff you want to put on. How tall and how much do you weigh?

 

[Alphathree33]

Do any of you recommend multivitamins/protein supplements/stuff like that? (I really have no idea what I'm talking about?)

 

[Alphathree33]

Originally posted by: Lothar1974
At your age you should be able to put some bulk on quickly. Are you over weight? Or do you have pipe cleaners? If your under weight small ares and etc. get on a supplement diet (weight gainer, creatine) and eat including snacks 6 meals a day. The more you level out you diet, small meal the faster your metabolism will get and burn fat and add lean mass, depends how much buff you want to put on. How tall and how much do you weigh?

Believe you me, if my metabolism were any faster I'd pouf right out of existence.

If I ever get muscular, I'm going to be extremely cut because there isn't an ounce of fat on me. I can eat a box of doughnuts everyday for a month and that won't change anything.

I'm 6'-0" and about 135lbs (haven't checked in a long time, why would I?)

So yes, pipe cleaners. But actually not anymore, after a month my arms have some definition to them. Not a ton, but certainly you can tell that I have a few muscles now.

 

[Gurck]

Originally posted by: Alphathree33
Do any of you recommend multivitamins/protein supplements/stuff like that? (I really have no idea what I'm talking about?)

Most nutrition experts recommend a daily multivitamin. Unless you enjoy eating and enjoy meat at that, it can be really difficult to get enough protein to build muscle, so supplementing protein intake is generally a good idea. There are more supplements out there than you can shake a stick at, but the three most common ones by far are protein powders, multivitamins, and creatine.

 

[beatle]

Multivitamins are a good idea even if you're not working out. I'm lazy as hell but I still take a vitamin in the morning!

 

[Lothar1974]

Any exercise (if done correct) is good. There are alot of books and magazines you can read. If you can afford a gym it's a good idea, usually people are pertty nice and will give you tips. Like anything, it will take some time!

 

[Lothar1974]

check out some weight gainers or creatine and a good multi vitamin. You dont have to buy the most expensive to get the best, compare ingredients, mosts will be simliar but prices wont be. If you eat right with the added help you will be able to gain mass. I trained many guys who were sticks and with correct diet and cardio/weight training they were able to build muscle mass. The hardest thing about all of this is being deticated ans following through, diets the second hardest thing.

 

[TheNinja]

Originally posted by: Alphathree33

I'm more curious about how long it takes ... I don't want to be the world's strongest man... but I was a wimp, and I am still fairly wimpy after a month (although certainly lots of improvements I can feel and notice)

How long (approximately) will it take me to become someone who is visibly muscular (but not some super-buff jock)?

Keep in mind lifting is only 1 of the 3 components for putting on good mass. The other two are diet and sleep. I have a diet plan that I used to keep at it really helped put on good mass. Then I got lazier b/c believe it or not it is hard to eat enough good food during the day to put weight on for some people. I can post it if interested.