About this routine
Two dumbbell workouts that split the body in half. The upper day trains chest, back, shoulders and arms with a floor press, one-arm rows, a seated press, curls and kickbacks. The lower day trains legs and glutes with goblet squats, Romanian deadlifts, lunges, glute bridges and calf raises.
For beginners training at home with a pair of dumbbells, a chair and some floor space. No bench needed. If you have a bench and a few months of lifting behind you, use the harder version at the bottom of the page.
The week
3 days a week
Start the next week with Lower, so the two days take turns.
- MUpper
- TRest
- WLower
- TRest
- FUpper
- SRest
- SRest
4 days a week
Each muscle trained twice a week. Move up once 3 days feels easy.
- MUpper
- TLower
- WRest
- TUpper
- FLower
- SRest
- SRest
The workouts
Before you start
If you have a medical condition or an injury, check with a doctor before starting a new exercise routine.
Stop any exercise that causes pain, dizziness, or strain somewhere you don't expect it.
Warm-up, about 5 minSee moves
- Spot jog45 seconds
- Jumping jacks30 seconds
- Arm circles10 each way
- Shoulder circles10 reps
- Cat-cow8 slow reps
- Light practice set of Dumbbell Alternating Floor Press1 to 2 sets
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1
Dumbbell Alternating Floor Press
3 × 10 to 12 repsChest
How to do it
- Lie on your back on the floor, knees bent, a dumbbell in each hand by your chest.
- Rest your upper arms on the floor, elbows angled slightly in toward your body.
- Press one dumbbell straight up, then lower it as you press the other.
- Lower until your upper arm touches the floor, then press again.
- Keep your back on the floor and move slowly.
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2
Dumbbell Single Arm Bent Over Row
3 × 10 to 12 repsMiddle back
How to do it
- Hold a dumbbell in one hand. Rest the other hand on your knee, a bed, a sofa arm or a bench.
- Push your hips back and tip your chest forward until your back is flat, close to level with the floor.
- Tighten your stomach and pull the dumbbell up toward your hip, elbow close to your side.
- Lower it slowly until your arm is straight.
- Keep your back still. Do not twist to lift the weight. Do all reps, then switch arms.
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3
Dumbbell Seated Shoulder Press
3 × 10 to 12 repsShoulders
How to do it
- Sit on a chair or bench with a backrest, feet flat on the floor.
- Hold the dumbbells at shoulder height, palms facing forward.
- Tighten your stomach and press the dumbbells up until your arms are almost straight.
- Lower them slowly back to shoulder height.
- Keep your back against the backrest. Do not lean back to push the weight up.
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4
Dumbbell Biceps Curl
3 × 12 to 15 repsBiceps
How to do it
- Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand, arms straight, palms facing forward.
- Keep your elbows by your sides and curl the dumbbells up toward your shoulders.
- Pause at the top, then lower slowly until your arms are straight.
- Do not swing your body to lift the weight. If you have to, go lighter.
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5
Dumbbell Standing Kickback
3 × 12 to 15 repsTriceps
How to do it
- Hold a light dumbbell in each hand. Soften your knees and tip your chest forward, back flat.
- Bend your elbows to a right angle and keep your upper arms tucked by your sides.
- Straighten your arms behind you, moving only at the elbows.
- Squeeze for a second, then bend back slowly.
- Stop if you feel it in your lower back.
Cool-down, about 3 minSee moves
- Easy walk1 minute
- Chest stretch30 seconds
- Triceps stretch30 seconds each side
- Child's pose30 seconds
Warm-up, about 5 minSee moves
- Spot jog45 seconds
- Jumping jacks30 seconds
- Hip circles8 each way
- Leg swings10 each leg
- Glute bridge10 reps
- Light practice set of Dumbbell Goblet Squat1 to 2 sets
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1
Dumbbell Goblet Squat
3 × 10 to 12 repsQuadriceps
How to do it
- Hold one dumbbell upright against your chest, both hands under the top end.
- Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart and tighten your stomach.
- Sit your hips back and down until your thighs are level with the floor, or lower if your heels stay down and your chest stays up.
- Push the floor away to stand back up.
- Keep the dumbbell against your chest the whole time.
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2
Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
3 × 10 to 12 repsHamstrings, Glutes
How to do it
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs.
- Soften your knees and tighten your stomach.
- Push your hips back and let the dumbbells slide down your legs, keeping your back flat.
- Go down until you feel a stretch in the backs of your thighs, usually around knee height.
- Squeeze your bottom to stand back up. Stop if you feel it in your lower back.
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3
Dumbbell Lunge
3 × 10 to 12 repsQuadriceps, Glutes
How to do it
- Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand by your sides.
- Step forward and lower until both knees are bent, back knee just above the floor.
- Keep your chest up and your front knee in line with your toes.
- Push off your front foot to step back, then switch legs.
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4
Dumbbell Glute Bridge
3 × 10 to 12 repsGlutes
How to do it
- Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Put a folded towel or mat over your hips and the dumbbell on top.
- Hold the dumbbell in place with both hands and tighten your stomach.
- Push through your heels and lift your hips until your knees, hips and shoulders line up.
- Squeeze your bottom at the top for a second, then lower slowly.
- Stop if you feel it in your lower back rather than your bottom.
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5
Dumbbell Standing Calf Raise
3 × 12 to 15 repsCalves
How to do it
- Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand, or one dumbbell and a hand on a wall for balance.
- Stand flat on the floor, or with the balls of your feet on a step for more range.
- Rise up onto your toes as high as you can and pause.
- Lower your heels slowly.
Cool-down, about 3 minSee moves
- Easy walk1 minute
- Quad stretch30 seconds each leg
- Hamstring stretch30 seconds each leg
- Glute stretch30 seconds each side
Rest and progress
Rest between sets
- Rest 2 to 3 minutes after each set of the first two exercises of each day. These are your heaviest lifts.
- Rest 60 to 90 seconds on everything after that.
How to progress
- Pick a weight you can lift for the bottom of the rep range with one or two reps left in the tank.
- Add a rep each session. When every set reaches the top of the range, move up to the next pair of dumbbells.
- If your heaviest pair gets easy on squats and Romanian deadlifts, slow the lowering and pause at the bottom before you buy more weight.
Swaps
- No chair with a backrest
- Do the shoulder press standing. Tighten your stomach and do not lean back.
- Lunges hurt your knees
- Take a shorter step, or step backward instead of forward.
- Floor press too easy
- Press one dumbbell while the other waits at the top, and lower it slowly.
- Rows bother your lower back
- Rest your free hand on a sofa arm or the edge of a bed so your back is supported.
With a bench: the intermediate version
Six exercises a day, with flat and incline bench presses on the upper day and dumbbell hip thrusts on the lower day. You need an adjustable bench. Same rest and progression rules.
Upper · about 45 min
| Dumbbell Bench Press | 3 × 8 to 12 reps |
| Dumbbell Single Arm Bent Over Row | 3 × 8 to 12 reps |
| Dumbbell Seated Shoulder Press | 3 × 8 to 12 reps |
| Dumbbell Incline Bench Press | 3 × 8 to 12 reps |
| Dumbbell Biceps Curl | 3 × 10 to 15 reps |
| Dumbbell Lying Triceps Extension | 3 × 10 to 15 reps |
Lower · about 45 min
| Dumbbell Goblet Squat | 3 × 8 to 12 reps |
| Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift | 3 × 8 to 12 reps |
| Dumbbell Walking Lunge | 3 × 8 to 12 reps |
| Dumbbell Hip Thrust | 3 × 8 to 12 reps |
| Dumbbell Standing Calf Raise | 3 × 12 to 20 reps |
| Dead Bug | 3 × 10 to 15 reps |
In the Akhada app: Upper · DB-only, Lower · DB-only.
Questions
Can you build muscle with just dumbbells at home?
Yes. Muscles respond to hard sets, and dumbbells let you add weight in steps. The limit is your heaviest pair: once the top of every rep range is easy with it, slow the reps down or get heavier dumbbells.
How long does each workout take?
About 35 minutes including rest, plus a 5 minute warm-up.
Should I train 3 or 4 days a week?
Start with 3. The ACSM suggests 2 to 3 training days a week for beginners and 3 to 4 for intermediate lifters. Four days trains each muscle twice a week, which research finds builds more muscle than once.
Is there a harder version after the bench one?
Yes. The Akhada app has Upper and Lower DB Volume days, with 4 sets on the first two lifts of each day. They also need a bench.
What dumbbells should I buy?
Adjustable dumbbells cover every exercise here and take up little room. Leg moves need much heavier weights than curls and kickbacks, so pick a set that goes heavy enough for squats.
More routines
Sources
The Akhada team picked these exercises from our catalog of 7,000+ demonstrated movements. A strength coach reviewed the step-by-step cues for every exercise in our starter routines. The schedule and progression on this page follow the research below.
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Training each muscle twice a week builds more muscle than once a week. That is why the 4-day schedule exists.
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The ACSM recommends 2 to 3 training days a week for beginners and 3 to 4 for intermediate lifters. That is why the plan starts at 3 days and moves to 4.
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Trained lifters resting 3 minutes between sets gained more strength and muscle than those resting 1 minute. That is why the first two lifts get 2 to 3 minutes.