Is it normal, after 3 years of weight training, to find the 28kg dumbbells heavier than 16kg when I grab them on the rack?
Is it normal, after 3 years of weight training, to find the 28kg dumbbells too heavy (more than 16kg) when I grab them on the rack (they weigh all over the whole upper body and I hold them, vertically, at arm's length)? How to gain in energy at this level?
I would like to increase my energy, or power, in order to grab the 28kg dumbbells as if they were about 16kg and that this feeling of lightness lasts at least 1 or 2 minutes. How could I do this?
Informations about me
24yo male, computer scientist
No sports background, days spent in front of the computer during my teenage years and my student life. For the last 3 years, I spent a lot of time doing workout but until the last 6 months I didn't have lots of results I think.
1m70
75kg, approx. 25% BF (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jr4hd2x2vys/T5coEbbAmGI/AAAAAAAAAMw/cZ78_1d3cCs/s1600/facebook_913768540.jpg)
My aims
I want to make gains in muscular mass (hypertrophy) and, consequently, in power. In other words: I want to bodybuild, not to powerlift. I don't want to loose fat (even if you find 25% BF is too high on the above pic, I find my body OK).
My program
I know how to work out for bodybuilding. I don't want any advice to hypertrophy my muscles.
The only advices I expect from you on this SO question is: how to increase my energy, or power, in order to grab the 28kg dumbbells as if they were about 16kg and that this feeling of lightness lasts at least 1 or 2 minutes?
Monday (2 hours, it's perfect for legs)
Hips thrust, squat focus quadriceps, legs press (for quadriceps AND hamstrings AND adductors), romanian deadlift, legs curl superset legs extension and lunges on the pull-ups assistance machine.
4 sets for each exercise
Tuesday (1h30)
Chest on machine (15 sets during my whole work-out), bench press with dumbells (5 sets), lateral elevations
Wednesday (1h40)
Pushdown for back, diverging lat pull down, vertical pull down (close and neutral grip, tilted backwards), horizontal rowing, pull-ups, dumbbell bird
5 sets for each exercise
Thursday (1h40)
Military dumbells press, machine anterior deltoids, lateral elevation, dumbell bird, dumbells shrugs, machine shrugs with free weights
5 sets for each exercise
Friday (1h40)
Bottom pulley curl superset Pushdown for triceps, Neutral grip dumbells curl superset Dips for triceps and anterior deltoids and chest (so, the dips are executed tilted forwards), Curl in supination at the high pulley (while standing) superset French press with the bar, Curl at the bar in pronation grip superset side triceps to the pulley (with rope)
5 sets for each exercises (but 4 sets only for both exercises of the superset including the French press).
Calves and abs, lumbar
They are done on the rest pauses of some exercices for which I'm naturally good (example: pushdown for back). I do abs at the pulley or leg lifts while suspended, and calves at the bar for squats (calves extensions).
I also work abs and lumbar the week-end (crunches, abs board on ball: dynamic sheathing, leg lifts while lying down, dragon fly, oblique abs with dumbbells).
Rets pauses
2'40min approx. between sets (or between supersets)
The way I work-out
I'm going to fail. After the failure, I wait 10 seconds maximum, I do 6 repetitions (depending on the exercise and the load used, I do these repetitions without lowering the load), I wait 10 seconds again, I lower my load and I do as many repetitions as I can (often 4).
When I do 14 or 16 reps that fail, I increase the load to about 6 or 8 reps and restart my progression until I reach 14 or 16 reps that fail.
My results
With this program, I have gains in hypertrophy and in weights too. Especially in weights of machines. It's harder for me to have progress on squat and bench press (but I do have progress on deadlift and pull-ups and dips).
(3)3 Comments
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I've read through the question and most of the answers and comments. Essentially, if you want 28kg to feel easier or lighter, you will need to get stronger. This is the only way. There have been numerous answers and comments telling you this and some great suggestions on how to do this. E.g.not lifting to failure.
However as you've said multiple times yourself, you don't want to do any training that's remotely outside of the strict ideas you have about bodybuilding. You don't want to change any of your training or exercises. So i'm having a lot of trouble understanding why you could possibly think that you'll find 28kg lighter by not changing a single thing about your workout.
This is a quote from yourself: "I don't want to do powerlifting ("when it comes to getting stronger" -> that's not my aim), I only do bodybuilding".
If i take this quote into consideration and you have absolutely no desire to get stronger. The answer to your question "how can i make a 28kg dumbell feel like a 16kg dumbell?" is: You can't. If you don't want to get stronger, it will never feel any lighter than it does currently.
I guess the only solution for you is to buy weightlifting straps.
As a side note, you come here looking for an answer. Got an answer that you didn't like, and then assumed everyone was wrong rather than trying to take on board peoples advice and trying to adapt it to your own personal training style.
this is going to be short and lack some explanations because I don't have a decent keyboard right now, but this is what I would do:
1) train legs twice a week with those deadlifts. Legs are the #1 thing to getting stronger. Deadlifts and squats will additionally work your entire body. Your core, your grip, your back, even your shoulders. That's what you need to pick up those weights.
2) do farmer walks. Grip dumbbells and move instead of just standing there.
3) don't go to failure on most lifts, especially compound lifts.
4) google "progressive overload". Use it in those farmer walks to get better at holding Dumbbells and so on
Once you know the basics, once you have enough strength, you should be able to lift more. If you absolutely have to focus on unpacking dumbbells, apply progressive overload: lift heavier weights as you progress. This will make lighter weights seem lighter
If you want the 28kg DBs to feel as light as the 16kg ones or what you are used to right now, you need to train to be able move much heavier weights than 28kg.
This is how it works, a lot of the strength is limited by mental strength, your body has to percieve how heavy a weight must be so it can prep your body for it. Once you do something heavier than before, your body has a new limit, the previous weight won't seem as heavy as before but the new weight will feel heavy.
So if your limit is 1kg, and it feels difficult to hold, and you train yourself constantly and reach a limit of 3g, that previous limit is going to feel really light now. Your body is acclimated to a much higher weight now.
So, in short, if you want the 28kg dumbbell to feel as light as 16kg is for you right now, then train your body with heavier and heavier weight until you reach a 40-50kg limit. For example, if you are benching with 50kg dumbells, 28kg is going to feel like nothing, that's just 60% of your max training weight.
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