Barbells or Dumbells?

[drizzt3117]

It just depends on what you're trying to accomplish. Dumbbells are great and about 40% of my workout involves using dumbbells. That said, they aren't as suitable for high weight workouts like squats and deadlifts, and bench press to some degree, because they aren't heavy enough and there are limits to how much weight your wrists will support.

 

[Rolo]

Originally Posted by odoreater

I'm not sure what you mean by "tone" your body, but I'm pretty sure I can hit all of the major muscle groups with a pair of dumbells:

Shoulders: db military presses
Lats: Dumbell Rows
Chest: Dumbell bench presses
Biceps: Curls
Triceps: overhead presses with single db
Abs: crunches
Quads: Dumbell lunges
Hams: Dumbell deadlifts
Cafs: Calf raises holding dumbells.

Also, even using a relatively light set of dumbells, you can crank up resistance by doing more esoteric lifts that increase leverage.

 

[teddieriley]

Originally Posted by mizanation

oh yeah, rack would help.

but you can do bench on the floor. you can do squat holding the bar in front, etc...

just gotta be creative.

for a beginner, who's not too sure whether to get barbells or dumbbells in the first place, being creative should be the last thing to tackle. Trying to learn basic movements is hard enough as it is. Besides - creativity is for prison inmates.

 

[whacked]

Originally Posted by teddieriley

for a beginner, who's not too sure whether to get barbells or dumbbells in the first place, being creative should be the last thing to tackle. Trying to learn basic movements is hard enough as it is. Besides - creativity is for prison inmates.

Absolutely agree.

To whoever said he fared better lifting at home than going to the gym, more power to him. That said, most, especially beginners would benefit from a gym membership; once it becomes a routine, you are much less likely to cheat/take a day off. And I might be jumped upon for saying this, the adrenaline-filled environment there is more conducive for strength training anyhow.

 

[Qzar]

Just something you guys might want to keep in mind.

Barbells allow you to really focus the weight on your key muscles because you aren't trying to stabilize the bar. This generally allows you to lift heavier weights and get bigger gains mass wise. When it comes to building mass, the less movement you do the better (fewer muscles get worked at a time, allowing you to focus). This also brings me to another point and that is weight. The best way to really build muscle mass is just to use weight and to add weight at every workout. More weight builds muscle better than more reps with lighter weight (though... more reps has different benefits to the muscles). This can get to be pretty difficult with dumbbells.

That's not to say dumbbells are bad, they just serve another purpose. Dumbbell presses generally give very different results from Barbell presses. The dumbbells work more muscles... the smaller stabilizing muscles that help give that "ripped" look. Dumbbells also allow you to do do many move movements that work areas that barbells don't hit.

Generally I would say the best of both worlds would be to have both. If if I already had a good deal of muscle mass and was working on "toning" my main muscles and building smaller muscles, I would probably go with dumbbells if I had to. But if I was a complete novice with weight training and I had very little to start off, then I would definetly go with the barbell and focus on full body lifts. There really is no point in destroying your arms with hundreds of dumbbell curls if the other muscles in your body are crap.

Best bet that gets really good gains in the beginning is to go with a full body workout. I recommend this one: Rippetoes Barbell Workout

It does not look like much (just 3 excersises a day... 3 sets 5 reps... 3 times a week??!!!) but if you do it properly, adding weight each day, and warming up properly.... it will really tear you up. (as long as you have good nutrition... lots of calories... lots of protein).

Whatever you do... most important piece of advice... don't ignore your legs... and don't ignore full body lifts.... squats... deadlifts... presses... they will make you strong.

 

[lefty]

There's always this...

http://www.defrancostraining.com/pic...c_tireflip.jpg

Cheap as hell and works the whole body.

lefty

 

[JLibourel]

I did all my early training with dumbbells because of space considerations and built, I like to think, a pretty good physique.

Everyone seems to be talking here about getting solid, fixed-poundage dumbbells, which makes little sense to me unless you are running a gym.

A pair of adjustable dumbbells with 4 plates each in 1 1/4, 2 1/2, 5, 10 and 20 pounds and a bench can give you an excellent workout, a great-looking physique and make you stronger than the vast majority of the male population. However, you cannot build really immense strength without a barbell, appropriate racks and plenty of weight.

 

[Aries]

Originally Posted by Rolo

Also, even using a relatively light set of dumbells, you can crank up resistance by doing more esoteric lifts that increase leverage.
+1 Rolo, great point regarding esoteric lifting, isolating muslces more readily. These are huge pluses that lead to a more complete/balanced body.

 

[drizzt3117]

Originally Posted by Aries

+1 Rolo, great point regarding esoteric lifting, isolating muslces more readily. These are huge pluses that lead to a more complete/balanced body.

Compound exercises are better, especially for a beginner, in any case.

 

[Alter]

Originally Posted by drizzt3117

Compound exercises are better, especially for a beginner, in any case.

Originally Posted by Aries

+1 Rolo, great point regarding esoteric lifting, isolating muslces more readily. These are huge pluses that lead to a more complete/balanced body.

Do you have any examples of these "esoteric" or "compound" exercises? Not sure what that refers to.

Thanks.

BTW: Just want to say that I really appreciate all of the input to this thread. I have already bought some weights and have started with some fairly basic lifts for the moment. I am greatly enjoying it.

 

[drizzt3117]

Originally Posted by Alter

Do you have any examples of these "esoteric" or "compound" exercises? Not sure what that refers to.

Thanks.

BTW: Just want to say that I really appreciate all of the input to this thread. I have already bought some weights and have started with some fairly basic lifts for the moment. I am greatly enjoying it.

Compound exercises are basic ones, such as bench press, shoulder/military press, squat, deadlift, lunge. They refer to exercises that work more than one muscle, rather than isolation exercises which try to isolate one muscle group. They are better for you because they allow you to get a full body workout in less time and in some cases build core strength as well.

 

[Aries]

Originally Posted by drizzt3117

Compound exercises are better, especially for a beginner, in any case.

drzzt, Point taken, and I had though of it, but again I figured what's to stop one from using dumbells for compounding exercises as well, owing to their versatility, but also have the option of isolating muscles and building a balanced musculature as opposed to using a bar in which the weight bearing can potentially become asymmetric.

 

[drizzt3117]

Originally Posted by Aries

drzzt, Point taken, and I had though of it, but again I figured what's to stop one from using dumbells for compounding exercises as well, owing to their versatility, but also have the option of isolating muscles and building a balanced musculature as opposed to using a bar in which the weight bearing can potentially become asymmetric.

That's true if you have adjustable dumbbells. That said, I would use much heavier dumbbells for something like bench press or shrug than I would for a shoulder isolation workout. This is one of the reasons that I prefer a gym setting.

 

[Aries]

Originally Posted by drizzt3117

That's true if you have adjustable dumbbells. That said, I would use much heavier dumbbells for something like bench press or shrug than I would for a shoulder isolation workout. This is one of the reasons that I prefer a gym setting.

I hear ya, the weight factor on dumbells is fairly limiting, and it is difficult to achieve the same quality of workouts that is possible at a gym.

 

[ken]

Originally Posted by Qzar

That's not to say dumbbells are bad, they just serve another purpose. Dumbbell presses generally give very different results from Barbell presses.

Agreed. They feel like two completely different lifts.