Combo exercises - yay or nay?

[mixmastermo]

I've kinda sorta developed this workout that involves dumbbells and some stretching. It's a blend of a dumbbell press, torso twist, and warrior stance.

So it starts like this

After alternating arms comes the twist

It's not exactly like that- basically picture doing it with dumbbells, while standing- kinda like in the pose the woman has in the first gif

After 24-40 reps of that, I drop down to do the warrior stance



It's the second exercise in this video



Been doing this for about 6 weeks now and it's been fantastic for my abs, obliques and deltoids. Best part is it is so simple I can easily do all of this at home between posting inflammatory comments on Sherdog

Now what I am going to try doing is this- supposedly doing one arm at a time like this is great for arms and shoulders

What I was thinking was then raising both dumbbells after alternating each arm like so

Supposedly that works your chest?

Anyway I have seen an alternate version of that where you don't twist the dumbell when raising

If any of you have experience with this, let me know what you think works best

 

[mixmastermo]

While you all ponder my training methods, I'd just like to share I was dicking around with this website

Strength Level - Weightlifting Calculator (Bench/Squat/Deadlift)

Calculate male/female ability in exercises like bench press, squat and deadlift. Compare your max lifts against other lifters at your bodyweight. Compete with friends.

strengthlevel.com

For a guy my size apparently I am an intermediate lifter. I punched in my most recent work on a variety of exercises and I am intermediate on all of them.

I'm actually ok with that standing, considering lifting isn't exactly a job for me- I never spend more than 40 minutes at a time training.

That being said, intermediate is right in the middle of those rankings- there are two levels above that. Am I right to assume that advanced lifters are less than 5% of the population, while elite lifters are a fraction of a percent?

 

[Baby Hanma]

You’re not gonna properly slam any muscle with any sufficient stimulus if that’s all you do. There’s a reason Olympic lifters do heavy front squats even when they’re already doing heavy cleans.

 

[mixmastermo]

You’re not gonna properly slam any muscle with any sufficient stimulus if that’s all you do. There’s a reason Olympic lifters do heavy front squats even when they’re already doing heavy cleans.

Never said that's all I do bud.

I do all the other traditional lifts. Perhaps I wasn't specific enough in my 2nd post here but there's a number of traditional exercises I punched into that website to determine my intermediate ranking, including bench press, squats, calf raises, chest flys, pulldowns, etc.

The stuff I listed in the first post is supplemental stuff I do on days I don't go to the gym where there are full equipment setups. That stuff is really good for the core muscle group

 

[Baby Hanma]

Never said that's all I do bud.

I do all the other traditional lifts. Perhaps I wasn't specific enough in my 2nd post here but there's a number of traditional exercises I punched into that website to determine my intermediate ranking, including bench press, squats, calf raises, chest flys, pulldowns, etc.

The stuff I listed in the first post is supplemental stuff I do on days I don't go to the gym where there are full equipment setups. That stuff is really good for the core muscle group

Ever tried Turkish getups?

The stuff you're doing is more of a giant set than a "functional training style" core exercise. It's like a whole circuit in one position and same dumbbells from the first exercise.

My abs are very strong and all I do for them, aside from the stimulation they get from squats and pulls, are weighted decline sit ups. No need for fancy circuit training.

 

[vision1]

My abs are very strong and all I do for them, aside from the stimulation they get from squats and pulls, are weighted decline sit ups. No need for fancy circuit training.

So Baby Hanma's bod is the goal?

 

[Baby Hanma]

So Baby Hanma's bod is the goal?

Baki Hanma you mean? Not really. I don't train for aesthetics. Not now, not before, not ever. I train my abs heavy so I can squat heavy. Heavy squats and deadlifts require strong abs.

 

[vision1]

Baki Hanma you mean? Not really. I don't train for aesthetics. Not now, not before, not ever. I train my abs heavy so I can squat heavy. Heavy squats and deadlifts require strong abs.

But your reasoning for avoiding circuit training was that you have strong abs and only do weighted situps?

 

[Baby Hanma]

But your reasoning for avoiding circuit training was that you have strong abs and only do weighted situps?

My reasoning is that if you're already squatting, clean pulling, and bent over rowing heavy, plus you go heavy on weighted decline sit ups, then you dont need any fancy, indirect ab work like what the OP above showed.

 

[vision1]

My reasoning is that if you're already squatting, clean pulling, and bent over rowing heavy, plus you go heavy on weighted decline sit ups, then you dont need any fancy, indirect ab work like what the OP above showed.

I didn’t even read his post but that’s nonsense

 

[Baby Hanma]

I didn’t even read his post but that’s nonsense

The heck's wrong with you? Are you the kind of guy who would do concentration curls when you already have standing barbell curls in your program? That's a waste of time bro. There's value in minimizing exercise selection and just focusing on lots of weekly volume.

 

[Poon Goon]

Coincidentally I saw a cool combo just yesterday. Joker unracks 350lbs, lowers it, sits up and overhead presses it, and then drops back and pushes out a few easy reps.

 

[NoSmilez]

Combo exercises are usually poor for hypertrophy or strength. There is also the neat party trick category but still not great for hypertrophy or strength.

Also don't do front raises. Majority of people don't need more direct anterior delt work. Most of us are already doing a shoulder press or some kind of incline press. Most people have underdeveloped rear delts. Pick an exercise that targets it.

 

[vision1]

The heck's wrong with you? Are you the kind of guy who would do concentration curls when you already have standing barbell curls in your program? That's a waste of time bro. There's value in minimizing exercise selection and just focusing on lots of weekly volume.

You don’t know what you’re talking about.
The your core is complex and it’s function is way more than abdominal Flexion and bracing during hip extension. An athlete competing in any sport would be a fool to train like you. Not to mention how important muscular endurance is in sports, especially fighting and sprinting sports.

 

[Baby Hanma]

Coincidentally I saw a cool combo just yesterday. Joker unracks 350lbs, lowers it, sits up and overhead presses it, and then drops back and pushes out a few easy reps.

I wish a guy like that trained in my gym to make all of our jaws drop every now and then. The strongest guy in my gym is a bodybuilder with a beyond 400 pound bench press and even he can't do the insanity that that dude above just did.

 

[Baby Hanma]

You don’t know what you’re talking about.
The your core is complex and it’s function is way more than abdominal Flexion and bracing during hip extension. An athlete competing in any sport would be a fool to train like you. Not to mention how important muscular endurance is in sports, especially fighting and sprinting sports.

Ab strength is about trunk flexion (or whatever its called) and bracing during a heavy squat or deadlift. Nothing else.

The triceps are responsible for elbow joint stability and arm extension. Nothing else. Don't overcomplicate muscles, bro. We may have a lot of muscles, but they are all grouped into muscle groups. All of your quadriceps is for knee extension and nothing else. Glutes is hip and back extension and nothing else. All three parts of your pecs get stimulated from a flat dumbbell fly.

The only athletes who have business disecting muscles into your level of detail when targeting them through weights are bodybuilders refining their physiques for that last point that'll make them win a show. All of use are mere performance athletes with simple needs.

 

[vision1]

Ab strength is about trunk flexion (or whatever its called) and bracing during a heavy squat or deadlift. Nothing else.

The triceps are responsible for elbow joint stability and arm extension. Nothing else. Don't overcomplicate muscles, bro. We may have a lot of muscles, but they are all grouped into muscle groups. All of your quadriceps is for knee extension and nothing else. Glutes is hip and back extension and nothing else. All three parts of your pecs get stimulated from a flat dumbbell fly.

The only athletes who have business disecting muscles into your level of detail when targeting them through weights are bodybuilders refining their physiques for that last point that'll make them win a show. All of use are mere performance athletes with simple needs.

You’re an idiot.
There’s a reason no top athlete in the entire world trains like you.

 

[KnightTemplar]

Coincidentally I saw a cool combo just yesterday. Joker unracks 350lbs, lowers it, sits up and overhead presses it, and then drops back and pushes out a few easy reps.

Didn't lock out the elbows; no reps.

J/K of course.

 

[mixmastermo]

Combo exercises are usually poor for hypertrophy or strength. There is also the neat party trick category but still not great for hypertrophy or strength.

Also don't do front raises. Majority of people don't need more direct anterior delt work. Most of us are already doing a shoulder press or some kind of incline press. Most people have underdeveloped rear delts. Pick an exercise that targets it.

Interesting perspectives here.

Well I'm not going to stop doing that first combo I posted about- I already have been doing it for several weeks and I do like the results I've been getting. Plus like I said, it's easy enough for me to do at home in between doing other things.

I will definitely re evaluate the raises though- I already do delt flys on the chest fly machine at the gym (just move the position of the bars) so that does target the rear delts. Thanks for the input.

 

[SocraticMethod]

Are you jakt and tan? Do you enjoy your training? If so, keep doing what you're doing.