I’m a beginner and have been following the Dawgschool workout. I am on my 7th week and need to change one of my workouts. I been doing the dumbbell side bends.
and the weight I use in each hand is getting heaver and heaver. To the point where it hurts more to hold the weights then to actually do the workout. What other exercise can I do to workout those same muscles. I really liked this workout at first. I felt that great burn when I started doing it. Now I feel the burn in my palms from just holding the weight. (about 20lbs in each hand)
If 20 lb dumb bells are hurting your palms, etc. and if you’re using a pair of workout gloves (some people have very sensitive/delicate skin), then your grip/forearm or whatever that’s supposed to help you hold those dumbbells is too weak. I can hold 35 lbs dumb bells (assuming that I haven’t abused/killed my forearms much).
ok dude…i’m goin with the guy that called you a girl…i’m a scrawny little fucker, not in bodybuilding circles but 6’ 160 scrawny…and i do lifts with 100 pound dumbells, yeah it hurts like hell, but no damn way you should be hurting with 20, no way
Try doing side crunches while on a hyperextention bench. You can add dumbells or plates to the exercise as you progress. However, remember that if you add muscle to your obliques it will make your waist look wider and lessen the taper of your back. Use this exercise sparingly.
Saxon side bends are great, definitely give them a try. In the mean time, work on your grip. It sounds like you just need to toughen up your hands and get used to holding weight in them. Do some farmer’s walks, or static holds with a barbell, or hang from a chinup bar for as long as you can. Any of these exercises will help you get used to holding a heavy weight in your hands. And if you’re using gloves or straps, ditch them.
Um, maybe I’m misunderstanding you here, but you say you’re doing side bends with a dumbell in EACH hand? The way I’ve always understood it is that you do it holding a dumbell in ONE hand, and you bend to that side, with the other hand on the hip.
Guys, lets not confuse everything. Saxon Side bends place the load at an extremely different point and require a much more stabilized core… side bends themselves aren’t quite as ‘brutalizing’.
Anyways - I would definitely look up the saxon side bends… its one of those exercises you think “ok small range of motion, relatively strong body part… easy…” but no. I did these with 10lb plates in each hand and the next day i didn’t want to roll out of bed. I did feel ok when i was doing them however. Basically, the coach davies exercises will make you a more useful human being, and probably a little more injury proof.
i am no genious but i did have the same problem your having.i regularly use the dumbell side bends in my workout and found it very tiring by the time i got to my last set to hold the dumbell.i use 65- 85 lbs but i hold only one dumbell and then switch hands.what i do is use a dead lifting strap and then roll the dumbell in tight and basically that solved the problem of holding onto the dumbell when i got tired or sweaty.a pair of lifting hooks might also be good but i am most comfortable with the cotton straps.good luck.