Can you get ripped with dumbells?

**prospero** · 05-31-2005, 09:23 PM

...or at least muscular? For now, this is all I have, except for a gym every few weeks, maybe.

**Sebstar** · 05-31-2005, 09:24 PM

i worked out with dumbells for 2 months before i got a gym membership... I got a bit more definition and SOME mass but nothing compared to what I get now at the gym...

**david135** · 05-31-2005, 09:27 PM

Yeah... i love using dumbbells... helps with the stablizer muscles...

**Wheyhem.** · 05-31-2005, 09:36 PM

curl em, set somthing up and bench em, work your shoulders with them, do sit ups with em on you, shrug them, squat them? :P

**prospero** · 05-31-2005, 09:59 PM

I suppose the question is whether or not there will be a visible difference.

**armz_ha** · 05-31-2005, 10:15 PM

dumbells do not get you ripped.

**Sebstar** · 05-31-2005, 10:17 PM

Originally Posted by prospero

I suppose the question is whether or not there will be a visible difference.

there will be.

**prospero** · 05-31-2005, 10:19 PM

The question of "ripped" was deceptive, I know I won't get big using dumbells, anyway, "there will be" means.... what?

**Sebstar** · 05-31-2005, 10:21 PM

you will get bigger, more defined, but don't hope to look like arnie, lol... In the 2 months of using dumbells i went up by maybe 1KG TOPS. My chest looked fuller but that was about it.

**prospero** · 05-31-2005, 10:25 PM

Well, I'm not hoping to get "built," but I am hoping to look and feel a little different. So, a visible difference is just fine until I get a gym membership.

**crazyjoe** · 05-31-2005, 11:04 PM

as long as you got big enough ones than yea, sure...
dont think that doing a million reps with 10lbs will get you ripped though...

I like using dumbells. I wish i had more than 10 pounders at my house though...

**prior22** · 05-31-2005, 11:10 PM

ya man it depends on how you use them. There are all sort of cool exercises you can do with them

**crazyjoe** · 05-31-2005, 11:16 PM

hmmm... now i actually wanna buy some heavier ones....

you guys know about how much weight you need in dumbells to work the chest?

Maybe a formula like each one is 1/3rd of your bench or something?

if someone knows their max's for both that would rock.... cuz i dont wanna buy like every size there is...

**prospero** · 06-01-2005, 08:15 PM

My Kung Fu teacher (who lifts weights whenever he can, that is, once he's recovered) told me that once you can do three sets of ten reps easily, increase your weight. So that should work, it's working for me.

**Sebstar** · 06-01-2005, 08:17 PM

i got a 20kg set of dumbells... they did their job. i used the corner of my bed to do one armed dumbell bench presses. back then i was real scrawny so like 30lbs was enough

**judahpinsker** · 06-01-2005, 08:25 PM

if they're heavy enough, yes.
you can get ripped with big enough garbage bags full of sand with duct tape handles.

**irishbuilder** · 06-01-2005, 08:34 PM

Originally Posted by judahpinsker

if they're heavy enough, yes.
you can get ripped with big enough garbage bags full of sand with duct tape handles.

lmao preach dude preach

**mkashcraft** · 06-01-2005, 08:39 PM

agreed, as long as you have heavy enough dumbells you can do almost any workout with them. Search the forum and bb.com for a bunch of different exercises you can do.

**TheStrength** · 06-01-2005, 08:41 PM

most people prefer to use dumbbells over machines.

**fkn_give_me_abs** · 06-01-2005, 09:25 PM

machines are good for beginners, because they help a lot with form.

dumbells i prefer though, because you are using your stabalising muscles to keep them balances by yourself. easy to use the wrong form though, so be careful with that.

EDIT: oh yeah, as some people have said beforehand, you can work all muscles just as well (if not better, as you have to balance the weights) with dumbells than machines.

**n2d** · 06-01-2005, 10:42 PM

Originally Posted by crazyjoe

hmmm... now i actually wanna buy some heavier ones....

you guys know about how much weight you need in dumbells to work the chest?

Maybe a formula like each one is 1/3rd of your bench or something?

if someone knows their max's for both that would rock.... cuz i dont wanna buy like every size there is...

Get the adjustable ones. It varies from 2.2-3 depending on the level of specialization, assuming you are benching less than 300lb.
Personally, I try to use dumbells whenever grip is not an issue. So not on deadlifts, hack squats, etc.

**squazo** · 06-02-2005, 06:30 AM

get a set of power blocks ^ and you can do everything with dumbells you would ever even have to go to a gym to get big and it would be any easier to go to a gym either

**darkline** · 06-02-2005, 06:35 AM

I go to Golds Gym and I use dumbbells as much as possible. I think they work better than barbell excercises.

Of course I'm using the ones that weigh anywhere from 80 lbs to over 110 lbs so its sort of a big difference compared to 30 lb dumbbells.

**Spuddy** · 06-02-2005, 06:52 AM

ive put on 20 pounds in 3.5 months with nothing more than dumbels and a barbell. anything i did on the barbell would be very reproduceable with dumbels though

ANYTHING will make you jacked so long as you are lifting it right and its heavy enough

**dln115** · 06-02-2005, 08:18 AM

not a teen but check out my thread this was done soley on dumbells. just get heavy enough ones. http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=479360

**popeye_99** · 06-02-2005, 08:45 AM

Dumbbells do not get you ripped bro. I used them before I got a gym membership and a barbell, and gained about 10lbs (that's it!)! Most of the mass was on my arms.

The only way to get ripped is to BULK UP (this can be done with DBs, but it takes longer than if a BB is used) and then to cut to lose body fat.

Good luck anyway!

**prospero** · 06-02-2005, 04:19 PM

Thanks very much, guys. dln, you did that over four months???

**Jason.H** · 06-02-2005, 04:32 PM

Originally Posted by crazyjoe

hmmm... now i actually wanna buy some heavier ones....

you guys know about how much weight you need in dumbells to work the chest?

Maybe a formula like each one is 1/3rd of your bench or something?

if someone knows their max's for both that would rock.... cuz i dont wanna buy like every size there is...

For me:

Flat BB: 305 Flat DB: 120's
Incline BB: 245 Incline DB: 110's

**dln115** · 06-03-2005, 07:58 AM

actually the two pictures is over a one month span. I didn't have a before picture of 4 months prior when i was 25lbs fatter. i lost 25lbs in 3 months then said damn im getting too skinny and decided to start hitting the weights. I didn't have time to get to a gym cuz i was working two jobs so i bought some dumbells, but i have 50's down to 20's. and i got my ass to work.

**m27** · 06-03-2005, 10:02 AM

The thing about dumbells is that you can't handle as much weight as you can with barbells. I bench 225lb, but I sure as hell could never bench two 110lb dumbells! So when you're using the barbell, you're stimulating large muscle groups more because of the greater weight.

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