[quote]staystrong wrote:
As for asking for your opinion on what I’m doing now:
I can’t use a barbell for really any lift outside of front squats thanks to some injuries and surgeries. Which means for things like chest, I only can use dumbbells. As you probably know, with dumbbells it’s pretty hard to do anything low reps for benching or ohp.
What I’ve been doing is something loosely resembling Lyle McDonalds generic bulking routine where every lift is done reverse pyramid style close to failure every set. Chest, back, legs usually 2 exercises 3 sets each; accessory lifts 1 exercise 2-3 sets slightly higher reps, all sets basically to failure. Push/Pull/Legs/Push/Pull so usually 4-5 exercises a day.
Basically every set outside of warm ups are taken to failure or just before for every bodypart with a weight I’ll fail in the 8-12 or 12-15 range, lightening the weight every set.
I’m starting to wonder if it’s a not so great idea to take every set close to failure, looking around it doesn’t seem like many people do that especially for things like arms and shoulders. I’d like to do something similar to 5/3/1 and what you do where I work up to a heavy set then back off but I’m not sure how to do that with dumbbells. I could do it easily enough for chin ups and front squats, but not pressing movements.
From what i’ve outlined above is there anything that jumps out at you as something to change? Too many sets to failure? Not enough overall volume?
Do you have any insight as to how to set up something similar to what you’re doing but with dumbbells for pressing movements? Would you still work up to a max set of higher reps then drop the weight and do back off sets?[/quote]
My last response hits on some of this, but I’ll go through some of your questions here.
First, I’m curious as to what sort of injuries you have that prevent you from using a barbell, and what you’re doing to rectify the situation. Are you currently rehabbing these injuries, or are they things you’re just willing to live with? Have you had surgeries?
For myself, I actually believe dumbbells are more likely to lead to injuries than barbells are. It’s the main reason I train so infrequently with dumbbells. I NEVER do OHP or bench press with dumbbells anymore, because it’s so easy to hurt myself doing them. Barbells are more stable, and getting barbells into position is much easier. I certainly would NOT do low rep dumbbell pressing, ever. If I can’t handle the dumbbells for at least 10 reps, I shouldn’t be pressing them. Too much risk.
On another note, what are your goals? Are they simply to get bigger and stronger over time, or is there something in particular you want to emphasize? Your programming should be based on your specific training goals.
You can make a lot of progress with just dumbbells, if that’s all you can use. sets of 10 reps are a proven method to gaining strength and size.
I don’t have a problem with APPROACHING failure on accessory movements, as I mentioned in my last post. And if your training frequency is on the low end, you could probably get away with hitting failure on a lot of lifts regularly. I think high frequency and lots of lifting to failure, when combined, are a bad idea.
At the end of the day, though, you need to make decisions based on what does and does not work for you in the real world. You need to train in a way that mentally suits you, so that you can apply a high level of intensity every time you train. I hit heavy singles more regularly than most people I know, because I enjoy it, and it seems to work well enough for me. Some people NEVER hit heavy singles in training, and they have plenty of success as well. You have to be open to some level of experimenting, while at the same time sticking to the most basic principles of lifting that you find in all good programs. The most fundamental, pervasive principle is hard work, and it is closely followed by frequent, consistent work. If you work hard, regularly, and over a long period of time, you will almost certainly succeed.