Dumbell questions; weight ratio compared to barbell, other.

[9nines]

I got the powerblocks. I am usually negative on new things (usually hate new things but I slightly liked these so that is positive for me), so I imagine I will like them a lot, after I get used to them. I just need to get used to their dimensions and how I rest them on my body, place them etc.

 

The work-out seems good. I first tried chest exercises. On chest, I usually exercise with 130 pounds up to 160 pounds on barbell bench press. I mainly used the 50 pounds powerblocks for my bench presses and my entire chest is still sore 3 days later. I have not had this type of soreness in a while - I like it.

 

I figured it would take less dumbbell weight (since you balance individually on each arm) to get comparable exercises to barbells but I did not know the ratio would be so low, about 75%: 50 pounds (dumbbell) to 65 pounds (barbell 130/2.) Also 60 pounds (did one set with 60 pounds powerblocks) was as hard as 160 pounds on barbells.

 

(1) Do others find that ratio holds: about 3/4 of barbell weight for comparable dumbbell weight?

 

Also, after chest exercises my biceps were sore too. I guess handling the weight in individual hands (lifting it up etc.) worked my biceps well. That was the side benefit (working all kinds of muscles just handling them) I was seeking from dumbbell exercises.

 

(2) Do others find that benefit (work all kinds of muscles just handling the dumbbells)?

[Jay]

(1) Do others find that ratio holds: about 3/4 of barbell weight for comparable dumbbell weight?

More or less. Depends on how strong your triceps are. The stronger they are the more you'll do with a barbell.

 

(2) Do others find that benefit (work all kinds of muscles just handling the dumbbells)?

No.

 

And the soreness is because this exercise is new for you. Whenever you do something new, you'll get sore at first. The soreness though doesn't really mean it was a good (or bad) workout.

[jonathan]

i think that it is hard to be specific with it. its all down to individual phsiologies.

 

for instance, ive always been pretty good with dumbells. this is probably because i started with them, adn trained exclusively with them for the first 6months.

so now, even though i never (well maybe once in 2months) use dumbells, i can do 2x5x110lb each hand with dumbells whereas i could probably only do 2x5x242lb with the barbell.

 

jonathan

[9nines]

 

And the soreness is because this exercise is new for you. Whenever you do something new, you'll get sore at first. The soreness though doesn't really mean it was a good (or bad) workout.

 

Doesn't soreness mean muscle was torn (muscle building way of torn)?

[Jay]

It isn't known exactly what causes soreness according to the last discussion held here. I do know that for me personally (lifting 16 years) my best gains came when I didn't get sore and I was just wasting my time pretty much when I was getting sore. But some people get sore all the time and still manage to improve. So soreness is just irrelevant.