Hi, i just started one or two months ago to improve my physique. I read a lot and began to workout. My routine changes a little from workout to workout, but i think the current version stabilizes.
I’m 23 years old, 1.85m. As a student i’m short of money, so no gym and little equipment, where “little” means a set of dumbbells.
Ok, here is my upper body workout:
one-handed dumbbell rows 12kg
one-handed dumbbell bench press 12kg
negative pull-ups on the door (too weak for the real thing)
3x12 incline dumbbell flys 5kg
10 push-ups (close hands) + 9 standing bicep curls 5kg
10 push-ups (shoulder wide) + 9 standing bicep curls 5kg
10 push-ups (wide hands) + 9 standing bicep curls 5kg
1 minute plank right and left
4x30sec supermans
3 scapular wall slides
I’m a computer guy that’s why i put rows first. Bench press and flys, because i thought my chest needed the most attention. The “+” means superset, since i try to keep the time short.
Schedule:
sunday: off
monday: workout
thuesday: tabata thrusters
wednesday: workout
thursday: off
friday: workout
saturday: jogging
My legs are neglected. On the one hand i don’t think it’s that bad, because i always use my bike all the time, but i’d like to get to full body workout at some point. I’m training for pistols, but i don’t have the mobility and balance so far.
Nutrition is slowly improving, but i don’t feel the need to get big fast, so i don’t started to count calories. I just try to get more proteins (more milk and meat) and eat more healthy (oatmeal in the morning).
I’m happy with my results so far, but maybe you have some ideas for me? I think i’ll buy one of these cheap door chin-up bars next. So what do you think?
First, READ. There’s a lot of information on this site and it looks like you have only scratched the surface. First thing to do is get your nutrition in order.
You don’t need an upper body workout, you need a full body workout. Get a bar bell if you can, you can do a lot of exercises with nothing but a bar bell on the floor.
Right now add some squats, just put your DB’s on your shoulders and get to it. Keep doing pull ups, try and do the real thing. Even if you can only do one or two, do several sets of the 1-2 range. Find a place to do dips, I use the corner of the railing on my deck. If you can’t do a full dip you can keep your feet on the ground to help out a little. Add a DB shoulder press. Try bent over DB rows rather then one handed DB rows.
When doing pushups, use the dumbbells as handles, use full range of motion to get the most out of them. If they’re the type that roll, even better as you will have to stabalize them. Start elevating you feet. Make them as hard as you can. Eventually you will be doing handstand pushups on rolling dumbbells unsupported with full range of motion. For the plank, do front one side, reverse plank, the other side all in rotation. The idea is always look for ways to make the exercises harded.