Chest Exercise W/Dumbells

[Cougar_v203]

can someone name a few really good chest muscle exercise that you can do with dumbells?

[YODA]

Yeah - use the dumbells to make sure your training bag doesn't roll away - then hit the dip bars for 3 sets to failure.

Any bench pressing ovement is good provided you have enough weight.

Failing that - incline flyes are about the best you can hope for if we're talking girlie weights i.e. below 25kg per side.

[Saz]

Is it safe to practise basic techniques with dumbells? When I say techniques, I mean punches, simple blocks etc

[YODA]

No - it's dumb to use dumbells for techniques :D

The resistance is in the wrong direction to the movement. Unless you're going to punch straight up!

[Cain]

I had thought of that b'fore but as Yoda said you will be trying to keep your arm up to punch ie resisting against gravity which does not help much in punching...

Correct me if I am wrong Master Yoda :D

|Cain|

[YODA]

You are correct my young Padawan :D

[pgm316]

What are incline flyes?

I probably do all the wrong stuff with weights :o But I'm getting better at doing the wrong stuff! :D

[Tosh]

Wild stab in the dark (which is no doubt what I'll get if I'm wrong) is flyes on an incline??

I.e. 45 degrees

[khafra]

How 'bout decline flyes? Are those good? Or flat, incline, and decline presses if you have decent sized weights? Maybe pullovers for chest with a bit of lat also.

[Telsun]

Why just chest exercises?

Dips are probably king of chest exercises, although most believe it to be bench press. Due to my lack of equipment I just stick to good old pushups.
You can get carried away with the variations of benching and flyes. All you really need is one major exercise i.e bench press. I would opt for incline.

But again please elaborate as to why you are only asking about your chest. I'm curious.

[Sc0tsg1t]

from a purely physiological viewpoint the best source of muscle stimulation (as carried out by those crazy scientists who get off on calculating cellular stimulation) is the decline bench press. This exercise activates most muscle fibres within the chest area.

However, I would say combine it with push ups (and those done on a Swiss Ball are the finest for working the small stabilising muscles) and dips for all round development.

oh yeah, lots of bag work.

and some more bag work.

and maybe just a little bit more on the bag

(just remember that if you aren't lifting girly weights then have a spotter as the worst thing you can do for your chest is to have a dumbell or barbell crushing your face)

[Cain]

Hmm, yea, dips AND pull ups are the most underrated but imp exercises IMHO

Just ask a guy who's worked with weights and not pull ups and ask him to do pull ups and you will see what I mean ;)

Also both the dips and pull ups use more than one muscle which makes them good compund exercises which are fully compatible with Yoda 2.0 :D

|Cain|

[Joe karate]

"""Yeah - use the dumbells to make sure your training bag doesn't roll away"""
-Yoda
Dumbells can be used for good! I use them for dumbell chest press when i get tired of the bar or dont have a bench with a bar holder thingy.

I use them more often sometimes than a straight bar because usually all the bench presses at school are taken(by "macho" guys who just like to sit on it and look in the mirror for some reason!)

And it worked to. Now I'm not superman, I used to press a pair of 35lb dumbells max, now I'm at a pair of 75lb, and my bench is alot stronger to!

[Cougar_v203]

what happens if you can't do pull ups?

also, I'm starting to feel a little pull in my chest area, is that bad?

[Cain]

what happens if you can't do pull ups?

The question is not what happens if you can't do pull ups, the question is more like what happens if you CAN do pull ups

Theses are really good strengthening exercises, you will need a ton of strength to come back up if you have come fully down with your ams straight, besides they are fun to do :D

I am all for pull ups and dips

also, I'm starting to feel a little pull in my chest area, is that bad?

Don't think it is bad, just the feeling when you exercise, you have a problem if you DON'T feel this :D

|Cain|

[YODA]

A big YEEEEEESSSSSS for pull ups & dips.

They ROCK

p.s. I like them :D

[Sc0tsg1t]

If this is like a niggle then be careful as you could have strained your muscle slightly. If it just a general soreness then listen to your body and rest an extra day. Remember, fitness training is like your martial arts training. It isn't a race, it is better to train slowly and diligently and get the technique right than rush it and do yourself harm. As the technique is perfected so the additional benefits such as power, size, speed will develop.

AS regards whether you can actually physically do them then try using an assisted chins/dip machine at your local gym (the more traditional spit-and-sawdust ones may look at you rather funny if you ask for one of these by the way :)).

If you don't have access to this then at your gym ask if you can borrow a chair and do the following. Place the chair underneath the chins bar. Stand on the chair (please make it a sturdy one and not a collapsible one) and grab the bar with your palms facing toward you about 2 fist widths apart. Now pull yourself upwards until your chest comes to the bar keeping the motion controlled whilst you breath out. Once at the top of the movement breath out slowly and lower yourself to the count of 4. Continue until you find this difficult. Even if you only manage one repetition this is a starting point.

Once the initial pullup is difficult use the chair for a little extra help and don't feel bad about straightening your legs and putting your feet down. The whole point about this is gradual progression. You don't learn major judo throws or advanced acrobatic kicks in your first lesson so treat your fitness training in the same manner.

Aim each session (making sure you have at least 24-48 hours rest) to do one extra rep. This way you will soon see your body develop and eventually not need the chair at all - although on my final sets I think it is still a good way to squeeze out a few partial reps.

Hope this helps and enjoy. After all, if you ever find yourself hanging off of something (e.g. cliff or window sill) then the chin up will save your life. Likewise dips can push you from holes and other such areas. These are life saving techniques as much as a knockout punch or kick. Learn them well my friend.

[Tosh]

Originally posted by Cougar_v203
what happens if you can't do pull ups?



Just an addition to Scotgit's advise negative pullups work much the same way to get you started.

This is assuming the people at the gym have a method to get your hands on the bar first!!

Hold the regular pull up/ chin position and slowly (count of 6) lower yourself back down.

Nice and easy! Happy pulling

[Cain]

Originally posted by YODA
A big YEEEEEESSSSSS for pull ups & dips.

They ROCK

p.s. I like them :D

I am terribly sorry if I am wrong but do I sense some saracasm?

|Cain|

[Cougar_v203]

My other question is what part do pull ups work?

[YODA]

Originally posted by cain_charlie


I am terribly sorry if I am wrong but do I sense some saracasm?

|Cain|


Relax Cain - you are right for once :D

[YODA]

Originally posted by Cougar_v203
My other question is what part do pull ups work?

They work (to varying degrees depending on grip)

The Latissimus Dorsi
The The Biceps
The Radialis
The Brachialis
The Trapezius
The Teres
The Rhomboids

In short - your upper back upper arms and forearms :D

[Cougar_v203]

damn thats alot.
well..looks like I got some work to do.

[Cain]

Originally posted by YODA



Relax Cain - you are right for once :D

(((Blush)))

:D

|Cain|

[Cougar_v203]

awwww cains blushing :D
*pinches Cains cheek* lol :)

[YounGrasshopper]

Dumbell Flys Worked for me....

[Cain]

They may be good, but you gotta decide what you want, dumbell flyes or dips which don't require any weights and are 10 times better ;)

I may be going out on a limb here but weighted dips can beat even bench presses IMO
|Cain|

[YounGrasshopper]

whats a dip???? is it just like a inclined bench press but with dumbells???? Cause thats what i thought of when you said dips

[Cain]

Dips are a bodyweight exercise where you stand on your hands between two bars/chars and lower yourself down and push yourself back up with your hands, you also lean forward the the width between the hands should be just wider than shoulder length

They are like squats for your upper body!

|Cain|

[YounGrasshopper]

OOOOOOOOOOOOO i do that

[Cougar_v203]

aren't dips the ones where you have 2 bars at each of your sides and you have to try to lift yourself up?

[Cain]

aren't dips the ones where you have 2 bars at each of your sides and you have to try to lift yourself up?
:rolleyes:

*bangs head on wall hard*

[I can't be bothered to find that wall thumping pic right now]

|Cain|

[YounGrasshopper]

aren't dips the ones where you have 2 bars at each of your sides and you have to try to lift yourself up?


LOLOLOLOL

[Cougar_v203]

hey! :cry: :mad: :mad: