Weight lifting ratios

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Talentless

Talentless

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If you arm curl a 20 lb dumb bell, say, 25 times, should you keep that set for your shoulders or do more, and what about any other combinations of muscle groups, presuming that is the only weight you have? this is a matter of symmetry and proper amount.
 
It all depends on what you are going for. If you want endurance, you could do 3 sets of 20 reps. I strength is the goal, you sould be doing 3 sets of no more that 12 reps each. How many reps/sets are you doing with the 20 lb weight? If you are pulling off 3 sets of 20 while keeping good form and want to gain strength, you need to up the weight.
 
I mean in comparison for good symmetry. Bu strength is my primary interest right now. If I do 60 total reps for my biceps and then my triceps, should I do 60 for my shoulders? Consider that you can shoulder raise with the hands vertical or horizontal, and I believe the position makes a difference with shoulder raises. Perhaps it would be 15 to the side, vertical and horizontal, and 15 in front, vertical and horizontal.
 
I am guessing that you do 4 sets of 15 reps? If that is the case and you are going for strength, you need to get some new weights. This should give you some more info, so you don't think I am smoking crack. :)

Position does make a difference for shoulders. Raising them straight in front of you (dumbell raises) will work the front, while straight up (military press) works the top, and up from the sides works......the sides.

As far as your question on the number of reps/sets you should be doing, it is difficult for me to say because I am not used to lifting with only one weight (ie 20 lbs.) If you bench 20 lbs, you are not going to see any results compared to curling 20 lbs. Or in a more extreme case, I can hip sled 780, but if I tried to bench that.... The point is I don't think it is a good idea to use the same weight for different lifts. Hope that helped, and holy crap that got a lot longer than I was planning.
 
Thanks. I don't have very heavy weights. But I'm not strong either.
 
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