a question about weight size for curls and benching

I have been doing curls at the gym. i always pick up the 10lbs, complain
it isn't very heavy, move on to the 15 lbs and find that i can not do a
whole bunch of repetitions of the 15. maybe two sets of 10 per arm.
since i cannot do a whole lot of the 15 and i pass up the 10 since its
light at first grip should i concentrate on doing a whole bunch of the
10lb curls ?

as far as bench press. i can only press the bar. i am not sure how to
know if i should increase weight on them. i definitely cannot bench the
weight press bar a whole bunch either. maybe 2 sets of 10 to save me from
having too hurt muscles for days.

any advice ?

thank you

"Bob Trebb" <nospam@devnull.com> wrote in message
news:S5ydnRYKMeaI-FvbnZ2dnUVZ_gmdnZ2d@giganews.com...
>I have been doing curls at the gym. i always pick up the 10lbs, complain
> it isn't very heavy, move on to the 15 lbs and find that i can not do a
> whole bunch of repetitions of the 15. maybe two sets of 10 per arm.
> since i cannot do a whole lot of the 15 and i pass up the 10 since its
> light at first grip should i concentrate on doing a whole bunch of the
> 10lb curls ?
>
> as far as bench press. i can only press the bar. i am not sure how to
> know if i should increase weight on them. i definitely cannot bench the
> weight press bar a whole bunch either. maybe 2 sets of 10 to save me from
> having too hurt muscles for days.
>
> any advice ?
>
> thank you

Try a little harder at trolling.....

On Aug 18, 11:22 am, "ATP*" <waxwingsl...@azurepane.com> wrote:
> "Bob Trebb" <nos...@devnull.com> wrote in message
>
> news:S5ydnRYKMeaI-FvbnZ2dnUVZ_gmdnZ2d@giganews.com...
>
> >I have been doing curls at the gym. i always pick up the 10lbs, complain
> > it isn't very heavy, move on to the 15 lbs and find that i can not do a
> > whole bunch of repetitions of the 15. maybe two sets of 10 per arm.
> > since i cannot do a whole lot of the 15 and i pass up the 10 since its
> > light at first grip should i concentrate on doing a whole bunch of the
> > 10lb curls ?
>
> > as far as bench press. i can only press the bar. i am not sure how to
> > know if i should increase weight on them. i definitely cannot bench the
> > weight press bar a whole bunch either. maybe 2 sets of 10 to save me from
> > having too hurt muscles for days.
>
> > any advice ?
>
> > thank you
>
> Try a little harder at trolling.....

Yah! Pak you Troll!

-Vince

"Bob Trebb" <nospam@devnull.com> wrote in message
news:S5ydnRYKMeaI-FvbnZ2dnUVZ_gmdnZ2d@giganews.com...
>I have been doing curls at the gym. i always pick up the 10lbs, complain
> it isn't very heavy, move on to the 15 lbs and find that i can not do a
> whole bunch of repetitions of the 15. maybe two sets of 10 per arm.
> since i cannot do a whole lot of the 15 and i pass up the 10 since its
> light at first grip should i concentrate on doing a whole bunch of the
> 10lb curls ?
>
> as far as bench press. i can only press the bar. i am not sure how to
> know if i should increase weight on them. i definitely cannot bench the
> weight press bar a whole bunch either. maybe 2 sets of 10 to save me from
> having too hurt muscles for days.
>
> any advice ?
>
> thank you

When I go back to weights I select a number of sets and reps I wish to do.
I start with a weight I can easily do. next workout I increase the weight
the minimum available. When I can no longer do that last rep I stay at that
weight till I can. then I increase the weight the minumum that I can and
repeat. You have a choice you can increase reps sets or weight. The muscles
can grow more rapidly than the bursers so be careful about the rate of
weight increase. Joint damage sucks.

Bob

Bob Trebb wrote:
> I have been doing curls at the gym. i always pick up the 10lbs, complain
> it isn't very heavy, move on to the 15 lbs and find that i can not do a
> whole bunch of repetitions of the 15.

http://www.fractionalplates.com/

Specifically, "Ironhorse™ MAGNETIC FRACTIONAL PLATES™."

> maybe two sets of 10 per arm. since i cannot do a whole lot of the 15
> and i pass up the 10 since its light at first grip should i concentrate on
> doing a whole bunch of the 10lb curls ?

Sure. If you don't want to spring for the magnetic plates, of course.
Once you can do 20 reps with 10lb dumbbells, I suspect you'll be able
to get at least a few reps out with 15s, right?

Otoh, if you're only curling between 10 and 15 pounds then why not
simply do your curls at home?

Buy two gallon jugs of water (about 16 pounds) for one-armed curls.
(Four jugs for two-arm curls, naturally.) Pour out a portion of the
one jug and then hook your hand through the two grips. Curl away with
from anywhere between eight and 16 pounds depending on how much water
you've poured away. (Take your own weight and then stand on your
bathroom scales while holding the jugs to determine how much they
weigh. Subtract, right?)

> as far as bench press. i can only press the bar.

An Olympic bar? A 45-pounder?

> i am not sure how to know if i should increase weight on them.

Each time you reach ten reps then increase the weight a bit. Work with
that until you hit ten reps again. Simple.

Best of luck.

--
Curt

ATP* wrote:
> "Bob Trebb" wrote
>
> >I have been doing curls at the gym. i always pick up the 10lbs, complain
> > it isn't very heavy, move on to the 15 lbs and find that i can not do a
[...]

> Try a little harder at trolling.....

Four bites on one cast, though, ATP*. Not too shabby if it was a
troll. ;o)

--
Curt

On Aug 17, 11:18 pm, Bob Trebb <nos...@devnull.com> wrote:
> I have been doing curls at the gym. i always pick up the 10lbs, complain
> it isn't very heavy, move on to the 15 lbs and find that i can not do a
> whole bunch of repetitions of the 15. maybe two sets of 10 per arm.
> since i cannot do a whole lot of the 15 and i pass up the 10 since its
> light at first grip should i concentrate on doing a whole bunch of the
> 10lb curls ?
>
> as far as bench press. i can only press the bar. i am not sure how to
> know if i should increase weight on them. i definitely cannot bench the
> weight press bar a whole bunch either. maybe 2 sets of 10 to save me from
> having too hurt muscles for days.
>
> any advice ?
>
> thank you




Huh?? If you can only press the bar, and only a little bit, too, you
need to go back to push-ups, man. Get your push-ups in order, then
progress to chin-ups, and once you can knock out a lot of those (say
fifty push-ups and fifteen chin-ups at a minimum) you'll be ready for
weights -- real weights -- and bench presses.

Calisthenics are not only fun, but they have a lower potential for
danger, which at your stage of development is of paramount concern. I
mean, play around with those light weights if you really must, but the
point of weights is to go heavy...if you're only capable of light
work, you might as well learn your calisthenics real well first...even
forty push-ups will look more impressive than lifting an empty or
lightly-loaded bar a few times, and, I believe, a heck of a lot more
beneficial!

Good luck.