ok ive made previous posts like this one and they usually end up turning into something else. The question is simple but I need some more informed and experienced insite from you guys rather then relying on my own judgement. Anyways, all im looking for is adding muscle to my upper body, specifically my pecs. I have worked in restaurants for the like 5 years and my legs are strong as I need them. My question is, with the right exercises couldn't I avoid the cost of getting a gym membership, something i really cant afford, by just purchasing some changeable dumbbells and learnign the right exercises for chest, back, etc? Or is this something that can only be acheived at the gym?
question, really need info
- Thread starter dice
- Start date
Warboss Alex
Master Don Juan
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2005
- Messages
- 4,175
- Reaction score
- 30
First mate, you lose my sympathy vote as soon as you said the "my legs are as strong.." etc bit. I'm sorry, but squatting is going to give you a bigger chest than chest presses will, that's my firm opinion and I've found it to be true.
I'll also tell you that isolating a particular muscle group (pecs in your case) will seriously stunt your pec growth. The human body is a unit, and for it to grow properly it has to be worked out as a unit.
And yes, you'll find people with huge upper bodies and underdeveloped legs - they wasted years just training their arms and chest when they could've got the same effect in half the time just by getting in that bloody squat rack and/or pounding the old deadlifts. But no-one wants to do those because they hurt. Yet it's proven time and time again that it's squats and deadlifts which make your biceps grow, not bicep curls.
Enough of my rant, I'm a bit pissed off today, I nearly picked up some pretty boy beach muscle buck fifty-three poser in the gym today and deadlifted him because he was doing bicep curls, just bicep curls, changing the weight every time, and looking as if he was humping the dumbbell rack whenever he tried to swing the weight up.
ANYWAY. I know how it is to not be able to afford a gym membership, I'd always say it was worth it if you can but I know that finances can be difficult .. I don't believe that you'll achieve the same level of growth with just home weights (since the weight you lift ultimately determines your eventual size gain) but yes, you can improve yourself.. but it's going to be a limited improvement.
Dumb-bells will only get you so far, and possibly nowhere at all. Until you get squatting, barbell rowing and deadlifting you can expect minimal growth, pure and simple.
If adjustable weights are your only option, and I do mean as a last resort - that buying a power rack is out of the question that is - then go for them, and best of luck. There's members here including myself who can tell you the right exercises etc, but I implore you to reconsider.
If it's really out of the question and dumbbells are the only thing then like I said, they're the only option. Otherwise you'd be best off saving up for a power rack and barbells, a home gym setup of sorts.
You really can't train back or legs with dumbbells, and that's what's gonna give you a huge chest, and avoid the chicken leg syndrome (and don't tell me your legs are big enough already, because that's what everyone says).
Have I been harsh? Probably, and I apologise, it was the leg comment that did it.
Good luck bro, I'll answer any exercise/form/weight-related question you like and advise as best I can, but you need a much better setup for serious growth. Save up for a few months.. once you buy your stuff, it'll last you ages.
I'll also tell you that isolating a particular muscle group (pecs in your case) will seriously stunt your pec growth. The human body is a unit, and for it to grow properly it has to be worked out as a unit.
And yes, you'll find people with huge upper bodies and underdeveloped legs - they wasted years just training their arms and chest when they could've got the same effect in half the time just by getting in that bloody squat rack and/or pounding the old deadlifts. But no-one wants to do those because they hurt. Yet it's proven time and time again that it's squats and deadlifts which make your biceps grow, not bicep curls.
Enough of my rant, I'm a bit pissed off today, I nearly picked up some pretty boy beach muscle buck fifty-three poser in the gym today and deadlifted him because he was doing bicep curls, just bicep curls, changing the weight every time, and looking as if he was humping the dumbbell rack whenever he tried to swing the weight up.
ANYWAY. I know how it is to not be able to afford a gym membership, I'd always say it was worth it if you can but I know that finances can be difficult .. I don't believe that you'll achieve the same level of growth with just home weights (since the weight you lift ultimately determines your eventual size gain) but yes, you can improve yourself.. but it's going to be a limited improvement.
Dumb-bells will only get you so far, and possibly nowhere at all. Until you get squatting, barbell rowing and deadlifting you can expect minimal growth, pure and simple.
If adjustable weights are your only option, and I do mean as a last resort - that buying a power rack is out of the question that is - then go for them, and best of luck. There's members here including myself who can tell you the right exercises etc, but I implore you to reconsider.
If it's really out of the question and dumbbells are the only thing then like I said, they're the only option. Otherwise you'd be best off saving up for a power rack and barbells, a home gym setup of sorts.
You really can't train back or legs with dumbbells, and that's what's gonna give you a huge chest, and avoid the chicken leg syndrome (and don't tell me your legs are big enough already, because that's what everyone says).
Have I been harsh? Probably, and I apologise, it was the leg comment that did it.
Good luck bro, I'll answer any exercise/form/weight-related question you like and advise as best I can, but you need a much better setup for serious growth. Save up for a few months.. once you buy your stuff, it'll last you ages.
first i just want to say thanks for responding to my post since 36 other people hit the back button instead of helping me out with an opinion
second i dont care i lost your sympathy vote. what i said was "my legs are as strong as i need them to be" and i understand where you're coming from because most people do say that. But I am literally on my feet for 25-30 hours a week, non stop rushing around (im a waiter / busser), and when im not doing that im on the courts playing basketball or reading ss. What I meant was I really dont think my legs could even handle it, and my inexperience in this field is the reason im making a post about somethign most of you probably consider easy to answer.
MY POV is this: i dont need to work on my legs bc right now my legs are years ahead of the rest of my body literally, for that matter id ont even know if i could handle it if i wanted to. I didnt see the point of a gym membership when i could just learn dumbbell exercises for the upper body.
I do value ur opinion and to anyone that can help me out, thanks in advance, bc this thread is basically the deciding factor for me on how to approach this.
second i dont care i lost your sympathy vote. what i said was "my legs are as strong as i need them to be" and i understand where you're coming from because most people do say that. But I am literally on my feet for 25-30 hours a week, non stop rushing around (im a waiter / busser), and when im not doing that im on the courts playing basketball or reading ss. What I meant was I really dont think my legs could even handle it, and my inexperience in this field is the reason im making a post about somethign most of you probably consider easy to answer.
MY POV is this: i dont need to work on my legs bc right now my legs are years ahead of the rest of my body literally, for that matter id ont even know if i could handle it if i wanted to. I didnt see the point of a gym membership when i could just learn dumbbell exercises for the upper body.
I do value ur opinion and to anyone that can help me out, thanks in advance, bc this thread is basically the deciding factor for me on how to approach this.
Warboss Alex
Master Don Juan
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2005
- Messages
- 4,175
- Reaction score
- 30
If you work a busy schedule you're going to have to eat a helluva lot to grow muscle-wise (and I mean a helluva lot, my sweetie is also working in a restaurant now so I know firsthand how hard it is - she's not trying to grow though, lol), but I guess forcefeeding is part of our game anyway - playing basketball won't help either.
I'm sorry, I misunderstood about the legs, I assumed that you'd stopped working in restaurants, but if you still do then yeah, recovery would be a factor here.
I still say train them though - at the end of the day it's your decision of course.
As with the gym/dumbbells thing. And I'll tell you again, dumbbells will limit you, but a good gym with a full range of equipment (what happens when you stagnate on an exercise with dumbbells and can't do other exercises because of lack of equipment) is going to be such a help. Years ago I used to work out at home with dumbbells but I didn't get anywhere because you're so limited in what you can do.
That, or a home gym with an adjust bench and power rack as well as weights. Save the money for this, put off your working out for a coupla months..
I'm sorry, I misunderstood about the legs, I assumed that you'd stopped working in restaurants, but if you still do then yeah, recovery would be a factor here.
I still say train them though - at the end of the day it's your decision of course.
As with the gym/dumbbells thing. And I'll tell you again, dumbbells will limit you, but a good gym with a full range of equipment (what happens when you stagnate on an exercise with dumbbells and can't do other exercises because of lack of equipment) is going to be such a help. Years ago I used to work out at home with dumbbells but I didn't get anywhere because you're so limited in what you can do.
That, or a home gym with an adjust bench and power rack as well as weights. Save the money for this, put off your working out for a coupla months..