Weight lifting with 2lb weights?

Before anyone jumps on me, I know, I know, you should use heavy weights if you want to build muscle and tone etc etc. However, I only have 2 lb weights with me right now and have no way of getting heavier weights. Are there any exercises I can do with the 2 lb-ers that are actually useful? I do a lot of exercises that involve using your body weight too but want to make use of these weights that I have.

Mon. Jan 11, 8:34pm

Hi. I am one of those people who thinks you should use as much weight as you can handle.

However.

I *DO* believe there is *SOME* benefit to using 2lb weights.. if done correctly. Use your weights to do bicep cups/tricep pulldowns/wrist curls/shoulder press/lateral raise... etc... all the normal stuff and SQUEEZE them as you do them. You'll still trigger muscles.

I did martial arts for 2 years and added muscle.. my instructor was RIPPED and didn't go to the gym.. so you can do the same thing without weights.. I know this for a fact..

But I think the weights will help you trigger the muscles intended by the particular exercise.

Just my opinion.

But more weight would be better. If money is the issue check out pawn shops. I've seen dumb bells there really cheap. (After all.. a set of 5lb-ers costs what... $10 brand new at walmart?)

Monday, January 11, 2010, 10:14 PM

Two-pound weights are fine. Increase the number of repetitions in each set to, say, 15 and do three such sets s-l-o-w-l-y. Pause one second at the beginning and at the end of each rep.

The idea is for the muscle to fail. That is, you should not be able to do any more reps in that set. Rest for 30 seconds after each set.

When muscles fail (micro-tear), it takes a week to rebuild them. That's why you shouldn't do weight training every day. Once a week is great if you have very heavy weights (can do just 2-3 reps per set then). Twice a week with weights are fine.

Do a variety of exercises for each part of the body so that you get enough workout to tire the muscles and cause muscle failure. Don't forget to do a lot of squats and lunges -- most people hate them as they are difficult, but remember the leg and thigh muscles are larger than your arm muscles. And that means more energy is required and that means more fat is going to be burned. Result: a leaner body.

Youtube videos are great for learning a variety of exercises. Doing them on an exercise ball increases the difficult. The ones by Kim Strother are particularly good, esp if you are a woman.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010, 10:46 AM

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