For health concerns, I’m currently losing weight, and while I do have aspirations of getting toned abs and pecs, my goal is to gain some lean muscle.
My primary goal at the moment is to lose weight, but I also want to resume lifting, which I haven’t done in ten years, using just dumbbells and a bench.
What weight range should I seek for in a dumbbell set that would cover all of my exercise needs?
I just worked out at home throughout COVID, using an incline bench and two sets of 40-pound adjustable dumbbells. I also did some ab exercises. When I’m done, I can put everything in the closet because the bench folds up. (If at all possible, use iron weights instead of plastic.)
I downloaded ‘dumbbell workout’ and ‘six pack abs’ free apps. Search for Axiom LLC in the app store, they have about a half dozen modules for various workouts. It’s bare bones, but will generate a schedule to follow. I did a combination of crunches, reverse crunches, leg lifts, dead bug, plank, sit ups, bicycle kicks, heel touch, Russian twist.
The Bowflex 52.5-pound adjustable dumbbells are what I would get. With those and a bench I purchased from Amazon for $40 to $50, I can accomplish about anything I need to.
Check out the sub to see how much muscle you could gain with just five resistance bands. more adaptable and less expensive. You need excess calories to gain muscle, lose weight on an omad diet, and then begin building muscle.
Even when BBs are available, I primarily work on DBs. With DBs, you obviously activate more stabilizer muscles, which results in a more well-rounded workout. I have a set of 45s, 50s, and 60s for DB Romanian DLs, incline and downhill BP, OHP, shrugs, and carries, as well as a small set of adjustables for 5 to 20 lbs (lateral rises, front raises).
However, I would stick with calisthenics if you’re trying to get as much done as possible on a tight budget, and I like the concept of using a kettlebell for swings and other exercises.