Howzat? (dumbells routine)

Deadly Ferret · 5 Dec 2007 at 13:34

Thanks for looking.

(Started it on Monday, but don't have all the chemicals yet, so I'm doing the best I can with food and just-protein shakes until my Bulkpowders order arrives. Before the routine I was just doing some curling, upright row, wide leg squat, incline fly and skullcrushers randomly in front of the telly.)

MONDAY: (back, torso, biceps)

Upright row
Bicep curl
Abdominal curls
Bent over row
Hammer curl
Side bends

WEDNESDAY: (triceps, legs)

Close leg squat
Skullcrushers
Wide leg squat
Tricep kick backs
Static lunges

FRIDAY: (chest, shoulders)

Chest press
Shoulder press
Incline fly
Lateral raise
Pullover
Upright row

3 x 8 of everything, except for 3 x 15 abdominal curls. Virtually every muscle gets six days to rest. Goal is to gain weight/be more solid, and increase strength. Initially I'm more concerned with bulking, but once I hit a certain size I want to shift the emphasis from gaining muscle to getting the best out of what I have. I'm 5'11" and currently at around 170lbs. At this stage, I see 195-200lbs as my final target, i.e. I'd go above then cut down to it.

I've been working on a diet too:

TRAINING DAYS:
Pre-workout shake consisting of: 30g dextrose, 30g maltodextrin, 30g whey, 500ml water.
(10g L Glutamine 15mins after workout)
Post-workout shake consisting of: 60g dextrose, 60g maltodextrin, 60g whey, 1l water. (Half to be knocked back straight away, the other half to be sipped until meal is ready.)
Post-workout meal of 100g of soya chunks (that's 330kCal energy, 50g protein, 27g starch, 15g fibre) with natural yoghurt and some accompaniment such as vegetable curry or red onion salsa.

I currently take Wellman vitamins, but I'm going to look for a cheaper alternative. I also take iron tablets every day, as they're good for efficient use of energy, and I've decided to start taking milk thistle because I've heard it's important.

I've hit a brick wall on the rest of the diet, especially what I should be eating on rest days. I'll have lots of eggs of course, but I'm vegetarian so chicken & fish are out (and any other meat).

Any comments welcomed and appreciated.

PS: I did consider deadlifting, but I'd feel more comfortable sticking to dumbells. I don't use a gym, and I'm nearly always on my own when I train.

Sadgeek · 5 Dec 2007 at 15:40

Instead of the Wellman vits, I use Tescos own brand for half the price. On comparison of ingredients/vits etc, they appeared identical.

Just my 2c

Richard_16v · 5 Dec 2007 at 16:22

What sort of weight dumbells are we talking here? Your not going to bulk up much using a 30kg set from Argos, if you have space I would consider a decent bar, bench and even rack combo.

Deadly Ferret · 5 Dec 2007 at 16:29

Upright row - 15kg
Bicep curl - 19kg (can do a set of six with 24kg, but I prefer to make it a bit lighter to ensure correct form and do a full eight)
Abdominal curls - 11.5kg
Bent over row - 17.5kg
Hammer curl - 19kg
Side bends - 24kg
Close leg squat - 24kg
Skullcrushers - 9kg
Wide leg squat - 24kg
Tricep kick backs - 9kg
Static lunges - 19kg
Chest press - 15kg
Shoulder press - 11.5kg
Incline fly - 11.5kg
Lateral raise - 9kg
Pullover - 15kg

I'll be upping a lot of them by a kilo or two next week, these are just the numbers I decided seemed about right to begin with. Triceps are my weakness at the moment, anymore than 9kg and I usually can't complete a third set.

Richard_16v · 5 Dec 2007 at 16:33

Is 24kg the most you have?

If you are serious (which it sounds like you are), then I would invest in a bar soon. If you think just an olympic barbell will weight 20kg, thats not far off what your squatting now.

When you start lifting heavy it's amazing how quick you will progress.

Deadly Ferret · 5 Dec 2007 at 16:37

Richard_16v said:
If you think just an olympic barbell will weight 20kg, thats not far off what your squatting now.

Sorry if I'm wrong, but I think you might have the wrong end of the stick. Those are the weights I have in each hand, not of the pair.

Richard_16v · 5 Dec 2007 at 16:41

It's been a long day

My advise still stands though, if you want to add 30pounds of lean weight, and be 14stone (i'm guessing lean) @ 5ft 11 then eventually you will need to use more than a basic dumbell set.

I am lucky that I have a garage, so I brought a power rack, best thing I ever got - I can now train to my limit without the fear of dropping the weights on me. If you can fit one in and afford one then they are well worth it to train safely alone

Deadly Ferret · 5 Dec 2007 at 16:53

No worries, easy mistake to make.

Yep, that's spot on re: my goals; I'm 12 stones now and I'd like to be 14 stones, the extra two being mostly muscle.

I was planning on buying some more plates as needed, probably in a few weeks, but at the moment I can still make up everything that's at the limit of what I can lift from available equipment. It's a bit of a pain, as I'm always breaking down the ones I've just used for curling to make up the ones for incline fly, for example, then building them back upright row or squats etc.

I've got three 14" bars (long story involving leaving a dumbell behind on a crane) and numbers of various plates...5kg, 1.25kg, and 0.5kg (I could do with some 2.5s, but haven't got around to getting them yet.)

The most I could make out of what I have would be 2 x 26.5kg, so I think it'll be a while yet before I really need the extra plates. Still, I keep meaning to pick up a replacement bar to make life easier but forgetting when I'm out & about!

Richard_16v · 5 Dec 2007 at 17:14

I goto fitness superstore in Northampton, since it's only 5mins from my house I just turn up and collect the stuff.

They have 4*2.5kg standard plates for £8.91 and have 14" dumbells at £4.89 each.

Deadly Ferret · 5 Dec 2007 at 17:27

Thanks Richard. I've looked at their site in the past, and am thinking about getting one of their leg press stands for my Christmas present. Do you think a combination of that and some heavy dumbells for upper body could be enough to achieve the goal?

http://www.fitness-superstore.co.uk/leg_machines/powerline_vertical_leg_press_grey/8846_p.html

Richard_16v · 5 Dec 2007 at 17:34

I'm no expert, but I would say if you have room for that, then you have room for http://www.fitness-superstore.co.uk/power_cages/powerline_power_rack_grey/8847_p.html

Then you could squat safely with big weights, benchpress safely etc.

Get a cheapish utility bench (i started off with a york DB bench before getting a nice utility bench), and you can add weights as and when you grow.

I just think £190 for a one dimensional machine is quite a lot (plus you would be able to leg press heavy weights so would need to buy quite a few more KG).

Deadly Ferret · 5 Dec 2007 at 18:12

I don't know how to do anything with that though. Is it safe to be self-taught, and how would I know I'm doing it correctly? Are the exercises easy to learn?

Richard_16v · 5 Dec 2007 at 19:22

If you read sites like http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.htm
and http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html you can see how to do it, then either use mirrors, or ask someone to watch you and make sure your keeping your back straight etc.

I think being self taught is just as safe as going to a gym, some people that work in the gym don't know that much. With the rack you have spotter bars so if you drop the weight it stops on them not on you

Read up about everything, I read lots on http://www.muscletalk.co.uk/ there is tons of info out there, plus you are the person that knows your body most, listen to what it is telling you and you'll be ok.