Dumbbells Instead of Barbells?

[Mark E. Hurling]

Does that 91 year old lady live in East Central, Florida, and if so, what do you think she charges for coaching? Kidding... I'm at 18 lbs now, headed as close to the 50 lbs per dumbbell as I can eventually get. The original question that I asked and am re-asking is can I get really strong with dumbbells instead of barbells? I've never heard of anyone dead-lifting dumbbells so I assume you're saying deadlifts with a bar are essential to any strength program?

Dude, I'm 64. I don't know your history but I've been lifting on and off (mostly on) since high school. You can get stronger with dumbbells, just not a lot stronger. With all due respect to the woman you love, perhaps a black iron gym membership is an easier sell to her. I had the good fortune to woo and win a woman who was a multi-sport by-God athlete some 37+ years ago, so I never encountered your own difficulties. Your selling point might just be years of added life to live with her and years that she won't have to wheel you around and change your Depends.

[kebbelj]

kebbelj, I used to live in East Orlando. They've got a Dick's Sporting Goods and you can pick up a barbell set for $100 if you're worried about cost. Heck, you can get one for $180 that might even last you through novice phase. Rip will recommend you don't get a cheap bar (duh), so why not also check out Fringe Sport?

And you should really do the program.

Thank you, Zachary's. It's not just the barbell set, it's the wall rack (around $300), plus a place to mount it, plus some of the others things Rip recommends that jack the cost up for me.

[Mark Rippetoe]

A wall rack?? Mounted to a wall??? When have I ever recommended anything other than a free-standing power rack?

You have no more read the book than I have read The Brothers Karamazov.

[kebbelj]

You can do strength training with dumb bells to a certain extant , however they are an unstable load to bear (especially when the load is increased), you need to hitch up those plates to an axle i.e a barbell, it is a much more stable platform to work from and safer as you have more control across two arms rather than to split the weight. BTW you probably should not train alone yet.

Thank you, Wal. I intend to go as far as the dumbbells can take me for now with barbell as my next step up the ladder. If I max out the 50 lb dumbbells, I will be confident enough that I won't be wasting my investment for the home barbell gym. My den wall is filled with electric guitars, but I'll move some of them for a wall rack if I succeed at the dumbbell step. Most of my workout is pretty safe for training alone, but the bench presses do create a little anxiety.

[Mark E. Hurling]

If I max out the 50 lb dumbbells, I will be confident enough that I won't be wasting my investment for the home barbell gym. My den wall is filled with electric guitars, but I'll move some of them for a wall rack if I succeed at the dumbbell step. Most of my workout is pretty safe for training alone, but the bench presses do create a little anxiety.

Re-read the highlighted portions of this. Think about the difference between your prized possessions and your potential physical well being. Then re-think what I said about coffin lids. Positive incentives when seriously given some intelligent contemplation can almost always overcome anxiety. Besides, the safety rails of racks overcome anxiety quite adequately.

[wal]

Thank you, Wal. I intend to go as far as the dumbbells can take me for now with barbell as my next step up the ladder. If I max out the 50 lb dumbbells, I will be confident enough that I won't be wasting my investment for the home barbell gym. My den wall is filled with electric guitars, but I'll move some of them for a wall rack if I succeed at the dumbbell step. Most of my workout is pretty safe for training alone, but the bench presses do create a little anxiety.

Keb mate you do not need a home gym, just a bar and a few plates, however if you are going to bench alone you need to have an escape plan. Also Mark seems to have the impression that you have not read his book "Starting Strength Basic Barbell Training", it is the base from which to start from, so if you have not read it yet, might be time to do so.

One more thing sell some of those guitars and buy the stuff you need.

[wal]

You have no more read the book than I have read The Brothers Karamazov.

“You mustn't ask too much of human endurance, one must be merciful.”

Dostoyevsky The Brothers Karamazov

[kebbelj]

The *real* question is this - Are the dumbells pink?

I'm a 50 pounds overweight 65 year old man who went from working 6 pounds to 18 pounds--on is way to 50 pounds--in about 5 weeks. A pink pound is as heavy as a gray pound. Yes, they are pink, Dave_G.

[Mark Rippetoe]

My GOD, man, you seem to think that working at about 10% of your capacity is a laudable achievement. You have no idea of the potential of this program, properly applied, because you have not done it. You can do it, but you have chosen not to read about how, and you're on this board bragging about an increase in strength in 5 weeks that many others with far less potential than you have accomplished in one workout. We're happy that you're trying, but you're not trying very hard.

[amsgator]

It doesn't have to be a multi-thousand dollar setup. Here is my garage setup:

Atlas/Titan Power Rack - $289
CAP OB-86 Barbell - $128
Powerline FID Bench - $150
255 lbs of Olympic Plates - $239 at my local Play it Again Sports

You can add more/better equipment piecemeal.