Looking for dumbells to complement my gym work out

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Soldato
Joined
2 Dec 2006
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Hey guys, im at uni at the moment with a uni membership. Which is all well and good but currently its under redeveloping and is packed and its really hard to get to use all the equipment. Also my time table is packed which is making 2 times a week hard let alone 3 times. So im looking to get some dumbels and a bar to help supliment my work out. I dont have a lot of space so i cant get a bench but i figure a bar will still be handy.

So what would you suggest? the budget is just what ever is worth getting without paying extra really as im a student.

Also on a side note, i cant do squats because my legs are so unflexible and im unsure how to get around this. Any ideas?

Cheers.
 
forget buying equipment if you can't do a bodyweight squat.

Dumbells aren't cheap, especially ones worth buying.

You said you can't use all the machines, well, there's no need to. Use a barbell and some dumbells in the gym.
 
Unfortunatley when a gym is packed it's a bit of a bummer and you might have to re-work your routine round what is available. By this I mean the order. Could you go at a different time? Your not out every night so what about going in the evening?

For your squat flexability...try just standing up from a chair and lowering yourself back down (hands out in front paralell to ground) with control. Also doing some progressive static stretching will help especially in the hip flexors and quads. By this stretch until you feel the muscle bite, then hold until it eases then stretch it a little bit further, repeat etc. You could just sit in the leg press and lower it down as far as it goes and just sit for short while with your feet up on the plate.

As Morba said if you can't do bodyweight squats you don't want to be trying to do them with weight on your back!
 
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Develop your flexibility before attempting your squats with the following:

Calf Stretch
Hamstring Stretch
Quadricep Stretch
Hip Flexor Stretch
Glute Stretch
Rectus Abdominus Stretch
Quadratus Lumborum / Spinae erector stretches

Go to the gym and chat to one of the PTs. If they're any way half decent they'll be able to flexibility assess you, give assisted (PNF!) stretches and offer some to take away.

The most common limiting factor will be hip flexors, calves and glutes.

Ant :cool:

PS. Static Stretching pre-training is stupid, don't do it.
 
WantoN said:
PS. Static Stretching pre-training is stupid, don't do it.
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Interesting. I'm not one to stretch before a workout myself for obvious reasons as discussed in the gymrats thread (I think).

I've almost completed by Level 2 Gym Instructor course and you have the usual warm up routine for a client which involves 'Mobility, Pulse Raise, Pre Stretch'. Stretches which are static and held for around 8-10 seconds.

I know your a PT and have far better knowledge of this stuff than I do.

Is there any reason why we're taught this? Is it 'for a beginner'? Is it alright because you've mobilised and warmed joints/muscles with mobilising exercises and a cardio warm up?

Just interested that's all :)
 
Morba said:
forget buying equipment if you can't do a bodyweight squat.

Dumbells aren't cheap, especially ones worth buying.

You said you can't use all the machines, well, there's no need to. Use a barbell and some dumbells in the gym.
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ty for the defeatism attitude. I obviously don't intend on never doing squats and wish to do them. I never said i cant use all the machines. The gym is packed to the point i cant use anything even free weights due to them doing a revamp of it all. I simply cannot compete with the huge regulars who all know each other and feel very out of place as a result when there is already what seems to be 3 times as many people as there should be.
cristi said:
for starters get a wider than usual base. hold hands together and bend forwards so you don't fall on your ass.
keep on practicing untill you'll be able to do them properly. (have a look for vids on youtube) ex: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbxxs1PErLQ
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yeah i do need to look into videos a lot more. Its the fact the muscles/tendons across my shin's start to scream the moment i get close to doing a squat becuase my legs are just so inflexible. Doing simple flexibility exersizes like touching your toes i can only just about reach my knees :(

Benny06 said:
Unfortunatley when a gym is packed it's a bit of a bummer and you might have to re-work your routine round what is available. By this I mean the order. Could you go at a different time? Your not out every night so what about going in the evening?
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Im doing maths at uni so my time table is packed. Im also a rediculas 1 hour bus journey from the uni and gym which makes it even harder to fit in. Evenings are possible but when youve got 5/6 hours straight in lectures with no break the gym is the last thing on your mind usualy especialy when i have work to do on top of it, but i may have to jsut figure out a proper working pattern i am new to it all really. Ive currently got 2 days a week that i can fit the gym in nicely but they just happen to be megaly busy. The 3rd day i can fit in sometimes depending on my work load.

For your squat flexability...try just standing up from a chair and lowering yourself back down (hands out in front paralell to ground) with control. Also doing some progressive static stretching will help especially in the hip flexors and quads. By this stretch until you feel the muscle bite, then hold until it eases then stretch it a little bit further, repeat etc. You could just sit in the leg press and lower it down as far as it goes and just sit for short while with your feet up on the plate.

As Morba said if you can't do bodyweight squats you don't want to be trying to do them with weight on your back!
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Cheers i shall try this. I also am fully aware that doing them with weight would be very dumb, but i never said i intended on doing this. The fact i menchened squats was a side remark not the reason i wanted weights.

WantoN said:
Develop your flexibility before attempting your squats with the following:

Calf Stretch
Hamstring Stretch
Quadricep Stretch
Hip Flexor Stretch
Glute Stretch
Rectus Abdominus Stretch
Quadratus Lumborum / Spinae erector stretches

Go to the gym and chat to one of the PTs. If they're any way half decent they'll be able to flexibility assess you, give assisted (PNF!) stretches and offer some to take away.

The most common limiting factor will be hip flexors, calves and glutes.

Ant :cool:

PS. Static Stretching pre-training is stupid, don't do it.
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ill look into all these strechs thankyou :). Being able to squat properly is a big goal for me as i know its one of the best exersizes and really says a lot about my flexibility at how poor i am at them. I am also trying to sort out rounded shoulders which i beleive is caused by my chest muscles dominating my back muscles and pulling my shoulders forwards so i need to correct this by balancing them out. Ive had this now for about 5 years so really it is time i sorted it out.
 
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Also back to my orginal question, what is suggested as a reasonable starting kit. Im thinking i should be looking at 50kg if im getting a bar as well and can always add to later, though i wont be able to get my own bench till i move out into my own acomidation next year.
 
Its not a defeatist attitude in the slightest, if you don't like a realistic POV then, well, life sucks sometimes and santa aint real :p

if your flexibility is stopping you squatting then it will be affecting other exercises that you could be doing as well.

My advice is to get to a gym that you can use all the equipment, your money would be better spent there.

Not being able to squat and needing to correct rounded shoulders, this says to me that working out at home is not the best thing for you. for a while you should be under some sort of guidance, helping you correct the things you need to correct.
 
If your shins are hurting when you try to squat I can only imagine your coming up onto your toes. Keep your heels on the floor. Push through them :)

Use a long mirror to help check form too.
 
Benny06 said:
If your shins are hurting when you try to squat I can only imagine your coming up onto your toes. Keep your heels on the floor. Push through them :)

Use a long mirror to help check form too.
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You know that is probably right as i walk on my toes not on my heels too.

Morba said:
Its not a defeatist attitude in the slightest, if you don't like a realistic POV then, well, life sucks sometimes and santa aint real :p

if your flexibility is stopping you squatting then it will be affecting other exercises that you could be doing as well.

My advice is to get to a gym that you can use all the equipment, your money would be better spent there.

Not being able to squat and needing to correct rounded shoulders, this says to me that working out at home is not the best thing for you. for a while you should be under some sort of guidance, helping you correct the things you need to correct.
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I pay 96 quid a year to use what seems to be a very well equiped gym. But they had floods and it ruined it all so now they are repairing it and i suspect it should be alright in a few months. I had already been going to the gym since september. But now that its so packed i want to be able to do some exersizes at home so as to not just put my self back onto the starting block. I cant see the problem and still no one has answered my question.

Well i figure i dont need flexibility in my legs to do upper body exersizes. Which is still better then doing no exersize. I cant afford to buy anotehr gym membership im a student.

Ive been told that to correct my rounded shoulders i need to stengthen my back muscles and i think im going to be seeing a physo soon when i get my dr's sorted out as i need to do paper work and that and just not got round to it. So they should be giving me more then enough guidance.
 
A 50KG spindle lock Barbell and Dumbell Set should see you through. It's a pain having to spin the locks on and off all the time and they often come undone.

Unless you have the cash for an olympic set but your talking £100's of pounds. Get your physio to show you some rowing exercises.

If you do any arm isolation such as curls keep your back flat on a wall to make sure you aren't rounding.
 
8igdave said:
You know that is probably right as i walk on my toes not on my heels too.
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I can say with relative certainty that your squats are limited by the range of motion of your calves. Look into Gastrocnemius and Soleus stretches and start developing flexibility. Also, not reaching your knees is quite a serious flexibility impingement fella! I'd recommend a session with a (decent) PT and develop a decent dynamic and static flexibility program.

Benny06 mate, congratulations on your lvl2 progress bud! For a beginner, pre-stretches are fine. They improve ROM which is generally limited in sedentary people, and will cause no inhibition to basic training programs. VA however, don't include pre-stretches in their programs anymore, and other gyms are following suit.

For more demanding routines, pre-stretching serves to increase risk of injury and reduce the force of muscle contraction. This is still a point of contention in the industry, but generally it's now accepted that pre-stretches are at best inneffective and at worst will inhibit training, especially heavy resistance and plymotrics (the basis of my training!).

Why is pre-stretching bad? Initially it activates the stretch reflex by forcing muscle spindles to fire as they're taken to their end-rom, then as the Golgi Tendon Organ (GTO, google is your friend) is activated, it serves to switch off the stretch reflex and reduce muscle contraction strength. So you're left with muscles that are longer, contract more weakly, and have an inhibited stretch reflex. This serves to reduce strength and increase risk of injury through forcing muscles and connective tissues past natural rom.

Hope that helps!
Ant :cool:
 
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WantoN said:
Snip
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Thanks for that breakdown :)

Despite being reasonably experienced I've learnt a lot from the course in regards to form (rotating the elbows) for lying skull crushers to keep the elbows in which was something I always struggled with. I discovered shoulder press with no backrest. And in general teaching skills and general knowledge about exercise, CV equipment (specifically level 1-10 on the rower simulating water boyancy and affecting catch position, not resistance) and the body like how muscle contractions work, actin and myosin, and also the body's energy systems.

Even though it doesn't go very 'deep' it was still deffinatley worthwhile and a steal at half price!

I'll be doing my Level 3 Advanced Gym Instructor and PT modules next summer hopefully. I also wanted to do a nutrition course too but am not in a rush for that as it's breifly touched on in the Level 3 & PT. Though they won't be cheap it deffinatley money well spent in my eyes.
 
Benny06 said:
*awesome stuff*
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Very glad you're loving it mate. I didn't know that resistance on the rower was down to bouyancy and catch position, nice thing about all of this is it doesn't matter how long you've been in the industry or what qualifications you have, everyone knows something you dont.

As a side note, in the OPs case, I WOULD use pre-stretching, specifically PNF and in later weeks dynamics (gently at first but I'd progress quite aggressively) because his range of motion is so poor.

To be honest bud, it's additional courses, experience and personal study that actually teaches you anything real world. It's like your driving test, you don't know **** til you've hit the motorway :p

Ant :cool:
 
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Yeah, I used to think it was actually to do with a resistance level. If you have a play you see that on the highest level it 'bites' about 1 foot away from the fan and on the lowest, much much further back. The more people in the boat the lower it sits and the sooner your oars hit the water. Also I found I used to get a real strain in the tibialis anterior which is due to having the feet straps too tight and the pads badly set up!

I was taught the course by Dave Irelson Founder/Partner of 'Envisage', don't know if you've heard of him but he was very good. He also gave a very interesting speech about abdominal training. Not something I regulary isolate and when I do it's cable crunches.

His pitch was that the rectus abdominis is one muscle, like a bicep (if we ignore brachii). We wouldn't spend 45 minutes blasting our biceps, working the upper, lower, sides etc (obviously the obliques are seperate but bear with me!). So doesn't see why people train upper, mid and lower abs as its one muscle. He highlighted there's classes dedicated to ab training. We wouldn't do 300 biceps curls so why 300 contractions on the abs?

He also informed us that what divides the R.A. up into 4/6/8 packs (appart from low bodyfat to make it visible) is infact tendons. Tendons which originally are 'feeding tubes' from the ambilical cord and once cut they harden to form tendons.

What do you tell your clients when they jump on the ab cradle or swiss ball ready to marathon out some crunches? (I also learnt that ab cradles leave the sternocleidomastoid underdeveloped/unworked and weak and that standing/kneeling ab work is much much better.

I may have got a few bits wrong there but that was the jist of it. What are your thoughts?
 
I have to speak out about the stretching again because I don't agree fully with what's being said. In a large compound movement such as a squat, if one muscle is very tight it's because it's being overworked and taking the load off the surrounding muscles. In this case, stretching the overworked muscle (and yes weakening it) is exactly what you want to do to activate the supporting muscles so that the whole group is working in sync. Obviously you'd drop the weight to prevent injury because those other muscles aren't used to the strain, but the end result would be a stronger more balanced lift. I'm tired and Alwyn Cosgrove explains it way better than me :)
 
i dont like the idea of that at all.
i would prefer some pre exhaustion work to be done instead.

i'd rather the muscle be a bit more tired, than be weaker.
 
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