Need routine help (very limited equipment)

[ncsuLuke]

I am traveling for work and the only gym I have access to is the one in my hotel. The only lifting equipment they have are dumbbells up to 50 lbs, an adjustable bench, leg curl and extension machine, and a cable machine where you can do tricep press downs and the like (no lat pull downs however).

My goals are just to get in better shape, I have been lazy lately and put on a few extra lbs. I have no delusions of being able to make any major improvements with this equipment, I would kill for one bar and some plates but I have to make due with what I have.

Any suggestions for a 3 day a week routine? They also have some cardio equipment that I will try to use some just to build some endurance (I hate cardio). I figure with the light weight I should stay in higher rep ranges but I am not sure what the best approach I should take is. I have always structured my routines around a bar and some plates so I am a bit out of my element.

EDIT: SEE POST 3 FOR A ROUTINE ROUGH DRAFT

Thanks in advance

[J L S]

I have no idea where to start with a routine but I can tell you how id train haha! its just food for thought at the end of the day! make do with what you have got and dont forget about bodyweight exercises and jumps/sprints etc! they can be brutal if you add them alongside things! If it were me I would superset alot of exercises with similar ones, DB Presses - bodyweight push/press ups etc for example or slow the tempo down a ridiculous amount on the eccentric portion of the lift/s, train a few things to failure or pump out some higher reps. You could also play around with different rest periods or rest pause training! Just make any exercise harder than it originally needs to be!

I feel your pain with no bar or plates! I think id go insane if that was me! I bet you can still get it done though if you put your mind to it!

[ncsuLuke]

So I am thinking something like this...

Day 1
DB Incline Bench - 3x12
DB Fly - 3x12
Tricep Pressdowns - 3x8
DB Kickback - 3x8
Ab work
Cardio

Day 2
Goblet Squats - 3x12
Leg Raises - 3x8
Leg Curls - 3x8
Hammer Curls - 3x10
Light Cardio

Day 3
DB Shoulder Press - 3x8
DB Lateral Fly - 3x10
DB Front Raise - 3x10
DB Row - 3x8
Ab work
Cardio

Any thoughts? Day two is a bit shorter because it is always the day I end up busting my ass at the office so I don't want a longer workout when I will have been working for the past 12 hours or so. I feel like the back work is REALLY lacking, there is a pullup bar but I can't do many unassisted pullups right now so that will only help so much. Do you think 50lb DB deadlifts would even be worth doing? I mean I could do them fast and for sets of 12 but it just seems really light.

[loganchristophe]

Looks solid. I would also add some dumbell deadlifts

[r2473]

You could do lots of challenging bodyweight exercises.

The poster above me (if that really is Logan) could give you a great program I bet.

[scalley]

Honestly 50lb dumbbells only get you so far, especially when doing the bigger compound exercises like squat and deadlift. And nothing beats those 2 exercises for lower body and core. I'd recommend getting some heavier dumbbells when you can. I use the powerblocks that go up to 130lb a hand in addition to a barbell and I love them.

[RFabsik]

I'd also think about some typical Kettlebell exercises with the dumbell such as:
swings
snatches
clean and presses

If you got a lot of DB work, rotate in some one armed work.
DB stifflegged deadlifts are great.
Bulgarian Split Squats are great.
Stepups/lunges
You could work on pistols (one legged squats).

With the stack you might be able to add:
Face pulls for the rear dealts/upper back
kneeling ab crunches
you can do stiff arm pulldowns or even sit on the ground to do lat pulls or row variants.

Can you do bodyweight rows off of something for the upper back or is it worth buying something like a TRX that you can bring down to the weight room with you?

If the weights are light for you, you might try to do a lot of super set work or preexhausts.

[ncsuLuke]

Honestly 50lb dumbbells only get you so far, especially when doing the bigger compound exercises like squat and deadlift. And nothing beats those 2 exercises for lower body and core. I'd recommend getting some heavier dumbbells when you can. I use the powerblocks that go up to 130lb a hand in addition to a barbell and I love them.

lol no shit sherlock. I'll let you know when American Airlines lets me take 130 lb dumbbells in my carry on.

Thanks everyone else for the advice, I seem to have a decent routine down now for the time being.

[RichMcGuire]

I feel like the back work is REALLY lacking, there is a pullup bar but I can't do many unassisted pullups right now so that will only help so much. .

Not sure what the extension thing is that you're talking about, but I'm assuming its not high enough for lat pull downs. Is there any way you can sit on your knees and do them or maybe some face pulls?

[ncsuLuke]

Not sure what the extension thing is that you're talking about, but I'm assuming its not high enough for lat pull downs. Is there any way you can sit on your knees and do them or maybe some face pulls?

Yeah, I worked some face pulls in and that worked really well.