dumbells only

[premo]

ok so i have decided to build a gym or a basic one in my garage - i will start of with dumbells as i do not want to clog up all the space with machines aswell as keeping costs down!!! leaving me only needing to travel to the gym to train back hopefully

realistically how many work outs or body parts could you do on a dumbell only without doing the same exercises over and over

who here does 2 or 3 sessions a week in there home ? have you noticed a difference in intensity of your workouts

 

[davegmb]

There are lots of things you can do dont worry, you can still squat even using Goblet squats and split leg bulgarian squats. Just go on a websites such as the following one and it will give you lots of ideas:

Men's Fitness UK - workouts, exercise, abs, health, nutrition, celebrity workouts, fitness

YouTube Video

 

[fufu]

You can train your entire body with dumb bells no problem, easily. Check out ExRx (Exercise Prescription) on the Net for exercise ideas.

 

[gtbmed]

I would recommend step-ups and single-leg RDLs for your legs. Walking lunges aren't bad either.

 

[Phineas]

I would recommend step-ups and single-leg RDLs for your legs. Walking lunges aren't bad either.

I think a unilateral and a bilateral is the way to go. Agreed with the uni RDLs. Step-ups are great but I think Bulgarian Split Squats the ultimate unilateral pushing lift.

For bilateral with DBs you could do high-rep Sumo Deads for your pulling exercise (high reps because the weight you'd need for sumos you probably won't get in a dumbbell...unless you used two dumbbells at a time, but I think that would be too low to the ground..usually with DB sumos people use one DB and stand it up on its side).

For bilateral pushing with DBs you could do Front Squats or Goblet Squats. Then again, you'd probably have to stick to high-reps on this. The problem with DB-only training is sub-maximal lifting often becomes awkward -- especially with leg work.

 

[yellowmoomba]

check out

RossTraining.com Blog

He has some good videos and ideas

 

[unclem]

I would recommend step-ups and single-leg RDLs for your legs. Walking lunges aren't bad either.

are walking lunges bad on your knees?

 

[Phineas]

are walking lunges bad on your knees?

I imagine the same rules would apply as in squats. Keep the tension on your quads (i.e. don't relax the muscle group as people mistakenly do in box squats) and pressure will stay off your knees.

 

[unclem]

phineas, can it add size to your quads cause iam only squatting 225 for 9 reps very deep but overuse is fucked up my knee joints so will the lunges help, never did them before? thnx

 

[Phineas]

phineas, can it add size to your quads cause iam only squatting 225 for 9 reps very deep but overuse is fucked up my knee joints so will the lunges help, never did them before? thnx

lol, I love how you consider this to be "only" 225 for 9. There are a lot of 16 year old leg pressers who would kill to squat 1/2 that weight for 1/4 of the depth for 1/6 of the tempo for 1/8 of the reps.

Just about anything will add size if you eat enough calories and the right proportion of macor/micro-nutrients.

I will say that lunges are a great exercise, especially for the mid- to higher-rep ranges/intensities. They were a staple in my beginner days BB'ing, mainly because I was too chicken shit to do anything besides leg press and...sigh...smith machine half-squats. They helped me develop good quads early on when I was otherwise using pussy lifts (nothing wrong with leg press, but I didn't know how to put it in its place back then). Lunges have a very deep ROM, and you get the extra work on the adductors and hip flexors due to the unilater element.

Lunges are a winner!

 

[fufu]

are walking lunges bad on your knees?

Not if you do them right.