Increasing dumbell weights

Xiney

Hi! Second post in as many days - not spamming just have questions!

Essentially, been doing dumbell exercises (using Smart Girls Do Dumbells) for a bit now. I've been doing them with 2.5 lb weights which always seemed awfully light but I wanted to make sure I was getting the form right first.

I'm pretty sure I've got that down and I'm also pretty sure now that 2.5 lbs isn't enough weight, it's laughable at this stage. So how much of an increase should I go with? I don't want to injure myself, although I do think I'm pretty strong for someone not in posession of a Y chromosome.

Kenmare

Xiney wrote: »

Hi! Second post in as many days - not spamming just have questions!

Essentially, been doing dumbell exercises (using Smart Girls Do Dumbells) for a bit now. I've been doing them with 2.5 lb weights which always seemed awfully light but I wanted to make sure I was getting the form right first.

I'm pretty sure I've got that down and I'm also pretty sure now that 2.5 lbs isn't enough weight, it's laughable at this stage. So how much of an increase should I go with? I don't want to injure myself, although I do think I'm pretty strong for someone not in posession of a Y chromosome.

I would go wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy up from that. It depends on what you are looking for (from my very limited knowledge), but I think that 2.5lbs for anyone is light.

I tried some 6.6lb weights (3kg) which are fairly light. They will provide more of a workout than the current ones, but will provide a slight challenge for the less used muscles.

I'd wait for a pros answer , I only answered because I was online ^_^

Xiney

well, thanks for the answer!

I'll wait until I get 3 or 4 opinions to see if there's a consensus though. I don't think there's too much information on weight training for women - we're mainly relegated to the cardio machines in order to appear waif like and starved (not the look I'm going for, although I don't want to be overly muscular either, which I suppose could be a problem given my propensity towards quick muscle development)

BossArky

Slightly off topic but these may be helpful...

4 things your girlfriend should know

For female's afraid of lifting


On topic... I would suggest doing a set with a slightly higher weight dumbbell. If you can manage it fine... increase again. Take it gradually... but you defo should increase.

t-ha

Xiney wrote: »

well, thanks for the answer!

I'll wait until I get 3 or 4 opinions to see if there's a consensus though. I don't think there's too much information on weight training for women - we're mainly relegated to the cardio machines in order to appear waif like and starved (not the look I'm going for, although I don't want to be overly muscular either, which I suppose could be a problem given my propensity towards quick muscle development)

LOL, all the guys will hate you for saying that! :pac:

I'd say fire away, you can wait until your muscles get as big as you want them and then decide to stop increasing the weight. I know plenty of girls who are doing bodyweight up to double bodyweight lifts and they still looks like wimmin'.

Dunno what that book you're using is like, but here's some resources for the fairer trainee anyway;
http://www.teamtestforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=205

aye

yep increase the weights if you feel yuo need to.

you should be going for 12 reps on the exercises, with a weight you can lift 12 or so times, not a weight where 12 reps is easy.

the amount of weight lifted will be different for different exercises, so it will be trail and error to find the weight per exercise.

Xiney

Different weights for different exercises huh? darn... of course, that makes total sense. Different muscles will have different strengths.

Well, as I'm doing this at home, and I have to purchase every set of dumbells as I go along, what would people suggest would be a good "range" for me to purchase? Something like 5, 10 and 20 lbs weights? (God I think I'll take a taxi home with that lot...)

t-ha

There are also many bodyweight exercises to do that don't cost a penny.

http://www.trainforstrength.com/workouts.shtml

(go to sample workouts)
http://www.rosstraining.com/articles.html

(go to bodyweight training articles)
http://www.mikemahler.com/articles.html#bodyweight

Xiney

I'm happy enough with the Smart Girls Do Dumbells for now - the woman who wrote it isn't some vapid 25 year old gym bunny, but instead is like, 60 and looks fabulous. I figure I've got about 40 years, but if I look half as good as her by then, I'll be happy. Also it's easier right now while I'm still learning exercises to have them all in one place.



Also, that stumptuous site is really cool. Not so well laid out but the articles are well written and the woman writing them is neat - plus her partner/boyfriend is a nuclear physicist at Pickering, and they live in Hamilton. My dad is a nuclear physicist (not at Pickering though, he works on isotope reactors not power generating reactors) and my parents live just outside Hamilton. Neat coincidences.

She's also less militant than the woman in the second link at muscle with attitude. Don't get me wrong, I'm a feminist. I'm down with being powerful and assertive. But I don't put other women down for their choices to be mothers and call them weak for being maternal - I believe you can be both a powerful woman and a maternal woman, they are not mutually exclusive. I'd like to raise strong daughters that kick ass.

The first link at muscle with attitude was good though - although I'd already read all that stuff in Smart Girls and I already think Yoga is pretty crappy (for me)

aye

Bodyweight exercises are great.
pushups, sit ups, t pushups, squats, pisoner squats, lunges etc.

as regards the weights, yeh you will have different weights for different exercises.
bicep curl and chest press for example.

i'm sure there is a set of weights you can buy up to 15 or 20 lbs.
i'm not sure of the weight on pounds, but i think 20 lbs is around 8 kg or so??

http://cgi.ebay.ie/2-X-ADJUSTABLE-DUMBBELLS-GYM-WEIGHTS-SET-5LB-25LBS_W0QQitemZ150236724218QQihZ005QQcategoryZ137865QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


you could also buy some resistance bands with differing strengths.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Resistance-Exercise-Band-Tube-with-Handles-MEDIUM_W0QQitemZ150238998815QQihZ005QQcategoryZ79759QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262


they will take up less space than the dumbbells, but they arent as versitile, and if that band snaps back at you, it gonna hurt!

Sleepy

Or if you'd prefer a bricks and mortar shop, something like this could suit your needs very well:

http://www.argos.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=30001&partNumber=3028285

Pretty cheap too

cowzerp

Look not been funny but the weights your doing are a waste of time, you reckon your strong then your going to need a kit starting out with about 20kg's worth of dumbells, this should get you started! exercises like 1 arm rows are not that big a deal doing 10kg for strong girls or trained girls, chest press i'd imagine you'd need 5kg dumbells starting point, 10kg or so in each hand for squats, do real weights if you want to look toned and fit.

scabby light weights if you want to be lazy and look the same for ever.

Xiney

Yeah... thanks I already realised the 2.5 lbs were a waste of time (see: laughable)

Honestly, the entire tone of your post is probably part of the reason more people (women especially) don't get into weight lifting - because they think everyone is going to make fun of them and criticise them. Not appreciated.

Supercell

Xiney wrote: »

Yeah... thanks I already realised the 2.5 lbs were a waste of time (see: laughable)

Honestly, the entire tone of your post is probably part of the reason more people (women especially) don't get into weight lifting - because they think everyone is going to make fun of them and criticise them. Not appreciated.

Think your being over sensitive tbh, don't see anything wrong with what the last poster said. This isnt PI, its a fitness forum.

Xiney

Oversensitive maybe, but if you think more people should be healthy then maybe it's better to be more encouraging. Otherwise you can't really complain that the country is descending into lazy ineptitude and obesity because fitness buffs who treat newbies like **** are part of the problem - part of the reason people won't go to gyms because they're "too unfit" and don't want to be seen by others exercising what little they can do.

What the previous poster said was true, but I'd already said it - there was no need to throw it back in my face as if I was some numbskull who didn't know.


The elitist attitude is something I have a problem with - as anyone can benefit from a weight lifting regime but so few people bother with it because they think it's just for "serious" jocks or something ridiculous like that.

Sleepy

Xiney - as someone who isn't one of the elite (my beer gut testifies loudly to that effect), you'll find that the people who give the best advice are the elite. Most of them started as weaklings/fat messes themselves and will judge you only on effort. If you arrive at the gym wearing makeup they'll think your an idiot unless it ends up streaked off you from effort and you don't do it again.

Judge workouts by the sweat-patch on someone's t-shirt, not the numbers on the sides of their dumbbells. Cowzerp's right, you're capable of *way* more than you're currently using and probably more than you realise you are. Have you someone who could show you around a gym as a guest and let you test your strength over a range of exercises with the gym's equipment before buying stuff?

Xiney

I know of a gym I can visit for a day for 5 euro - I should probably head there before I buy any weights.

And I've got no problems getting advice from the elite - I'll just take it without the negative put down attitude

aye

Xiney wrote: »

I know of a gym I can visit for a day for 5 euro - I should probably head there before I buy any weights.

yep do that, its a good idea.

Xiney wrote: »

And I've got no problems getting advice from the elite - I'll just take it without the negative put down attitude

Have to say that i have never experienced a negative put down attitude from the bodybuilders in my gym.
If anything the opposite.

Sleepy

Xiney wrote: »

I know of a gym I can visit for a day for 5 euro - I should probably head there before I buy any weights.

That's great. Have you anyone knowledgeable you could get to come along with you? If not, see if you can book a session with one of the Personal Trainers there.

Xiney

I don't know anyone here who's ever had a gym membership, nevermind is currently a member :P

Also, I don't think this gym has any personal trainers. It's at the IT. Sligo's not a big town for gyms and people who go, as far as I can tell.

Sleepy

I'd be very surprised if they don't have anyone there who could at least show you the basics. No harm in asking at the desk anyway!

t-ha

Sorry, which one was the elitist post??? If it's Cowserp, all he did was give you good advice on what kind of weights you'll probably be needing & make a generic comment about tiny light weights sucking - which they do.

cowzerp

Xiney wrote: »

Honestly, the entire tone of your post is probably part of the reason more people (women especially) don't get into weight lifting - because they think everyone is going to make fun of them and criticise them. Not appreciated.

I'm sorry if you took my post as offensive, it was not meant to be, it was meant as solid advise-The best way of giving advise on this subject is by saying it as it is, Everyone starts out as a beginner and people understand that and wont make fun of you.
ps, Thanks posters for backing me up as i really was not trying to offend.

celestial

cowzerp wrote: »

I'm sorry if you took my post as offensive, it was not meant to be, it was meant as solid advise-The best way of giving advise on this subject is by saying it as it is, Everyone starts out as a beginner and people understand that and wont make fun of you.
ps, Thanks posters for backing me up as i really was not trying to offend.

Yeah don't know where the offensive post was there at all:)

a.con

Xiney wrote: »

Yeah... thanks I already realised the 2.5 lbs were a waste of time (see: laughable)

Honestly, the entire tone of your post is probably part of the reason more people (women especially) don't get into weight lifting - because they think everyone is going to make fun of them and criticise them. Not appreciated.

wat do u want to achieve? most guys don't want girls to get strong, thinking it will make them look bad!!
lift heavy don't mind wat anyone say's!! it's ur body!

MagicMarker

Xiney wrote: »

Yeah... thanks I already realised the 2.5 lbs were a waste of time (see: laughable)

Honestly, the entire tone of your post is probably part of the reason more people (women especially) don't get into weight lifting - because they think everyone is going to make fun of them and criticise them. Not appreciated.

Maybe most girls don't get into weightlifting because they interpret something completely innocent as some kind of sexist woman bashing?

Cowzerp would have said the same thing regardless of your gender.

rubadub

Xiney wrote: »

I don't think there's too much information on weight training for women

There is loads of info on weight training for PEOPLE, there is really no difference. It would be like me saying there is not much info on pilates for men, more women might do it and more sites & articles might be written by women but men will follow the same advice.

Also most weight training sites are never specifying that the information is "for men", I don't think I have ever seen sites that are aimed solely at men, while I have seen ones aimed at women, which I also read since I know the advice will apply to me too.

Check out www.exrx.net and www.simplefit.org

Smart girls do -HEAVY- dumbbells

I think some girl here bought this set for her 50+ year old mother.
It has €25 off at the moment, though it was around that price before xmas anyway.
http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/3008250/Trail/searchtext%3E50KG.htm

celestial

Is this the one year anniversary celebration of this thread then?:)