5-Day Full Body Dumbbell Workout Plan

Have you ever ever tried a full-body dumbbell exercise? Whether or not you could have a restricted house health club setup or are merely searching for a extra useful routine, you possibly can successfully prepare your complete physique utilizing solely dumbbells. Dumbbells are probably the greatest items of health club tools and provide a number of advantages to machines or barbells. It is potential so as to add severe muscle mass with a full-body dumbbell exercise utilizing customary dumbbell workouts and just a little creativity. 

On this article, we provides you with a five-day cut up full-body dumbbell exercise and all the ideas you must set off muscle development. We can even present you a one-day full-body dumbbell exercise to burn energy and get you ripped. So, no matter your objective, there’s a dumbbell exercise for you!

Desk of Contents

• Full Physique Dumbbell Exercise 5-Day Break up
• Fats-Burning Full Physique Exercise
• Advantages of Utilizing Dumbbells
• Programming Ideas
• FAQs

Wish to get proper to the exercise? Click on here for a spreadsheet you possibly can take with you on the go.

Full Physique 5-Day Exercise Break up

The primary possibility is a 5-day cut up program designed to shred these muscle fibers and construct muscle with dumbbells. Be happy to regulate the reps so long as they fall within the recommended vary. 

Day 1: Higher Physique (Power) 5×5, or 4×6

Dumbbell Bench Press: 5 units x 5 reps

1. Decide a pair of dumbbells and lie down on a flat bench retaining your ft flat on the bottom.
2. Place the dumbbells according to your chest in order that your arms type a big U-shape and your palms face ahead.
3. Press the dumbbells upwards by extending your arms and bringing them in direction of your heart line in order that they evenly contact. 
4. Slowly decrease the load to carry the dumbbells right down to your chest or barely previous, along with your higher arms parallel to the ground.
5. Repeat for 4-7 reps. 

Incline Dumbbell Row: 5 units x 5 reps

1. Place a pair of dumbbells underneath the pinnacle of a 30- or 45-degree bench.
2. Lie face down on the bench so your arms dangle right down to the dumbbells.
3. Seize the dumbbells with a impartial grip (palms towards one another). Maintain your elbows near your physique and barely bent all through. 
4. Row the dumbbells upwards in direction of your ribs by pulling your shoulders again.
5. Squeeze your shoulder blades collectively on the prime to really feel the contraction. 
6. Slowly decrease the dumbbells so far as potential with out locking your elbows. 
7. Repeat for reps 4-8 reps.

Dumbbell Overhead Press: 5 units x 5 reps

1. Sit on a bench along with your again flat and ft shoulder-width aside planted on the ground. 
2. Grip a dumbbell in every hand at shoulder degree along with your palms going through outward. Your elbows needs to be at round a 90-degree angle.
3. Exhale and slowly push the dumbbells overhead, extending your arms up with out locking your elbows. 
4. Slowly decrease the dumbbells right down to the unique place.
5. Repeat for reps 4-8 reps. 

Single-Arm Dumbbell Row: 5 units x 5 reps

1. Seize a single dumbbell in your proper hand along with your palm going through inward.
2. Place your left arm on a bench or sturdy floor for help.
3. Bend your knees barely, hinge your hips ahead, and hold your again straight so your torso is parallel to the bottom. 
4. Maintain your arm near your physique and slowly retract your shoulder blade to tug the dumbbell in direction of your hip. 
5. Your elbow will transfer again behind your physique upwards to tug the load. 
6. Slowly decrease the dumbbell again down on the identical path.
7. End the reps with the fitting arm earlier than doing the left arm. 
8. Repeat for reps.

Day 2: Decrease Physique (Power) – Quad Focus

Dumbbell Squat: 4 units x 10, 8, 6, 4 or 5×5

1. Begin standing along with your ft shoulder-width aside and your toes pointed barely outward. Seize dumbbells with every hand. 
2. Drop your hips right down to a squat place so your higher legs are barely beneath parallel. The dumbbells ought to nearly contact the bottom. 
3. Together with your eyes ahead, chest up, and core engaged, explode via your heels to return to the unique place.
4. Repeat for 4-8 reps. 

Dumbbell Step-Ups: 4 units x 5-8 reps



1. Maintain a dumbbell in every hand along with your arms by your aspect. 
2. Stand going through in direction of a bench or elevated floor. Step up onto the bench with one foot till your total foot is on the bench. 
3. Push via the heel of the entrance foot (elevated) to carry your physique onto the bench.
4. Slowly step again right down to the ground. 
5. Do all reps for one leg, then repeat for the opposite leg.

Dumbbell Bulgarian Break up Squats – 4 units x 8-12 reps



1. Stand about 2-3 ft in entrance of a bench or elevated platform with a dumbbell in every hand.
2. Place one foot behind you on the bench so your shoelaces are resting on the bench and your toe is pointing down.
3. Decrease your physique straight down by bending your entrance knee as you retain your again leg secured on the bench. Your entrance thigh needs to be parallel to the bottom.
4. Maintain your entrance knee according to your ankle, and ensure it doesn’t lengthen previous your toes.
5. Press via the heel of your entrance foot to return to the start place. 
6. Repeat for 8-12 reps. 

Tip: Attempt an extended stance to emphasise the hamstrings and a shorter stance to concentrate on the quads. 

Standing Calf Raises – 4 units x 12-15 reps



1. Stand along with your ft hip-width aside and your ft flat on the bottom.
2. Seize a dumbbell in every hand. 
3. Slowly push your heels off the bottom as excessive as potential. To get a good higher stretch, strive standing on one thing barely elevated. 
4. Slowly decrease again right down to the bottom.
5. Repeat for 12-15 reps.

Day 3: Push (Hypertrophy)

Incline Dumbbell Bench Press: 4 units x 8-15 reps



1. It is a comparable motion as day 1, besides the bench is positioned at a 30- or 45-degree angle to emphasise the higher chest.
2. Push straight up retaining according to your chin and squeeze your higher chest on the prime of the motion.
3. Repeat for 15, 12, 10, and eight reps, rising weight every set.

Arnold Press: 4 units x 8-15 reps



1. Sit on a bench (or stand) along with your ft shoulder-width aside. Seize a pair of dumbbells.
2. Maintain the dumbbells in entrance of you, round shoulder top, along with your palms going through in, such as you’re on the prime of a biceps curl. 
3. Slowly lengthen your arms straight upwards above your head like a shoulder press, however rotate your wrists as you carry so your palms are going through away from you on the prime of the motion.
4. Slowly decrease the dumbbells right down to beginning top whereas rotating your wrists again to the unique place with palms going through in direction of you.
5. Repeat for 8-15 reps.

Dumbbell Fly: 3 units x 10-15 reps



1. Lay on a flat bench, ft flat on the ground, with one dumbbell in every hand.
2. For the beginning place, lengthen your arms into the air with a slight elbow bend, holding the weights so your palms face one another. 
3. Slowly decrease the weights to your aspect, like a letter T, along with your arms barely bent.
4. Open your arms as large as potential and concentrate on stretching the chest muscle tissues.
5. Squeeze your muscle tissues and concentrate on the chest contraction as you slowly carry the dumbbells again to the beginning place. 
6. Repeat for 10-15 reps. 

Dumbbell Lateral Elevate: 3 units x 10-15 reps



1. Stand straight with ft hip-width aside, holding the dumbbells with a impartial grip at your sides. 
2. Elevate your arms laterally outward, sustaining a slight bending within the elbow. Deliver the weights as much as shoulder degree or barely previous. 
3. Slowly decrease the dumbbells again to the start place,
4. Repeat for 10-15 reps.

Mendacity Dumbbell Tricep Extension: 3 units x 10-15 reps



1. Lie on a flat bench along with your again absolutely supported and your ft flat on the bottom.
2. Maintain a dumbbell in every hand, palms going through inward (in direction of your head), and lengthen your arms straight up in direction of the ceiling.
3. Together with your elbows near your physique, bend your elbows to decrease the dumbbells in direction of your shoulders till they’re parallel to the bottom. 
4. Press the dumbbells again as much as the beginning place by extending your elbows and squeezing your triceps.
5. Be sure you hold your arms regular all through the train. 
6. Repeat for 10-15 reps.

Day 4: Pull (Hypertrophy) 

Single-Arm Dumbbell Row: 4 units x 15, 12, 10, 10 reps

1. Identical train as day 1, however use a lighter weight for extra reps. Begin with a lighter weight and enhance every set.

Dumbbell Susceptible Row: 3 units x 10-15 reps



1. The DB Susceptible Row is actually the identical train because the incline dumbbell row on day 1, besides the bench is flattened as a substitute of at an incline. This creates a extra direct horizontal pull than the angled pull from the incline bench. 
2. Not each health club has an additional tall bench like this, the identical impact will be achieved by placing a bench on prime of two plyo bins. 
3. Lay down flat on a bench within the inclined place and seize one dumbbell in every hand.
4. Squeeze the lats, retract your shoulders, and flex the elbows (roughly a 30-degree angle) to row the weights upwards towards the bench.
5. Your higher arms needs to be simply above your again on the prime of the concentric a part of the carry.
6. Slowly decrease the dumbbells again right down to the unique place. 
7. Repeat for 10-15 reps.

Renegade Row: 3 units x 10-15 reps



1. Seize two dumbbells and get right into a plank/push-up place along with your arms on the dumbbells. 
2. Maintain your legs straight and ft barely wider than hip-width.
3. Pull one dumbbell in direction of your ribs with a rowing movement within the plank place, retaining your elbow near your physique.
4. Slowly decrease the dumbbell again right down to return to the plank place, then repeat the motion for the other arm.
5. Alternate between arms till you full all reps for all sides. 

Bent Over Reverse Fly (Rear Delt): 4 units x 10-15 reps



1. Stand along with your ft shoulder-width aside, dumbbell in every hand.
2. Hinge ahead at your hips to bend your higher physique till it’s nearly parallel to the ground. Maintain your again straight, chest up, and knees barely bent. Your arms ought to dangle straight down beneath your shoulders, along with your palms going through one another.
3. Together with your elbows barely bent, exhale and carry each dumbbells out to the perimeters till your arms parallel the bottom.
4. Inhale and decrease the dumbbells in a managed method again to the start place.
5. Repeat for 10-15 reps. 

Seated Dumbbell Curls: 3 units x 10-15 reps



1. Sit on a bench/chair along with your again firmly in opposition to the again and ft flat on the bottom. 
2. Seize every dumbbell with an underhand grip (palms out) and let your arms dangle straight down. 
3. Together with your elbows tight to your physique, exhale and slowly curl the dumbbells in direction of your shoulders by bending your elbows.
4. Squeeze your biceps on the prime of the carry to maximise the contraction.
5. Inhale and slowly decrease the dumbbells again to the beginning place in a managed method.
6. Repeat for 10-15 reps.

Day 5: Legs (Hypertrophy) – Hamstring Focus

Romanian Dumbbell Deadlift – 4 units x 8-12 reps



1. Stand along with your ft shoulder-width aside and maintain a dumbbell in every hand in entrance of your thighs, palms going through your physique.
2. Hinge at your hips and slowly decrease the dumbbells, retaining them near your legs whereas retaining your again flat and chest up. The weights ought to move beneath your knees however not contact the bottom.
3. Maintain your knees bent and backbone impartial, and keep away from rounding your again in the course of the carry. Your again needs to be flat, your chest up, your core tight, and your shoulders pulled again.
4. Activate your hamstrings and glutes to boost your torso to the start place.
5. Squeeze your glutes to totally lengthen your hips on the prime of the carry.
6. Repeat for 8-12 reps. You do not wish to go a lot increased than eight reps as a result of the again muscle tissues will fatigue earlier than your legs, which might result in damage. 

Tip: Attempt single-leg in case your dumbbells are too gentle. 

Dumbbell Entrance Squat – 4 units x 8-15 reps



1. Stand tall along with your ft barely wider than shoulder-width.
2. Maintain a dumbbell in every hand at shoulder top, palms going through one another. Relaxation the bottoms of the dumbbells on the entrance of your shoulders.
3. Together with your chest up and your shoulders pulled again, slowly bend on the hips and knees to decrease your self, like sitting down on a chair. Attempt to go till your thighs are parallel to the bottom or past. 
4. Maintain your elbows lifted to stop the dumbbells from dropping. 
5. Push via your heels, then lengthen your hips and knees to face again up. 
6. Repeat for 8-15 reps. 

Tip: This train is nice for individuals with unhealthy knees, because it locations much less power on the knees than common squats. Goblet squats are an awesome various if this motion feels too awkward. 

Dumbbell Strolling Lunges: 4 units x 8-15 reps



1. Stand tall along with your ft collectively, holding a dumbbell in every hand by your sides.
2. Step ahead along with your proper foot so your heel hits the bottom first. 
3. Decrease your physique by bending each knees till your entrance thigh is parallel to the bottom and your again knee is simply above the ground.
4. Decrease your physique straight down. Be certain that your entrance knee is according to your ankle and does not go previous your toes. Each of your legs ought to type a 90-degree angle on the knee. 
5. Push via the heel of your entrance foot to straighten your entrance leg and return to a standing place. 
6. Repeat for the left leg, alternating till all reps are completed. 
7. Repeat for 8-15 reps. 

Tip: Take lengthy strides to emphasise the hamstrings and create a larger vary of movement for the hips/glutes. 

Dumbbell Leg Curl – 3 units x 10-15 reps



1. Lie on a flat bench along with your legs prolonged and your toes pointing in direction of the ground.
2. Place a dumbbell between your ft, gripping it securely along with your ft.
3. Maintain your hips pressed into the bench to keep up correct backbone alignment.
4. Use your hamstrings to carry the dumbbell in direction of your glutes, retaining your knees shut collectively and your ft flexed.
5. Be certain to not arch the decrease again – squeeze the glutes and contract your core to maintain the concentrate on the hamstrings. 
6. Slowly decrease the dumbbell again to the unique place, extending your knees and straightening your legs.
7. Repeat for 10-15 reps. 

Dumbbell Hip Thrust – 3 units x 10-15 reps



1. Sit on the bottom along with your higher again in opposition to a bench or elevated floor and ft flat on the bottom, hip-width aside.
2. Maintain a dumbbell in every hand in your hips, guaranteeing they’re safe and steady.
3. Press via the heels of your ft and squeeze your glutes to thrust your hips towards the ceiling.
4. Drive your hips upward till your physique varieties a straight line out of your shoulders to your knee.
5. Slowly decrease your hips again down in direction of the bottom to the unique place. 
6. Repeat for 10-15 reps. 

Tip: Attempt a decrease bench and experiment with positions till you discover a snug one. Your decrease leg needs to be roughly perpendicular to the ground. 

Fats-Burning Full-Physique Dumbbell Exercise

Whereas the primary exercise plan is designed to construct muscle, this full-body exercise is designed to burn energy. Full-body exercises are generally used within the CrossFit world and circuit coaching applications as a technique to burn energy and sculpt lean muscle. This full-body exercise makes use of workouts from above which are mixed to coach all the pieces in sooner or later. Since full-body exercises are extraordinarily draining, you must restrict your self to twice every week, with a minimal of 72 hours of relaxation between. 

It’s best to use a weight which you could comfortably full for ten reps. Restrict relaxation time to 90 seconds between units. In contrast to a circuit routine, you must full all three units for every train earlier than shifting on to the following train. 

Heat-Up:

• 5 minutes of dynamic stretching
• 5 minutes of sunshine strolling 

Exercise: 3 units x 10 reps every train

• Dumbbell Deadlift
• Dumbbell Goblet Squat
• Dumbbell Bench Press
• Dumbbell Overhead Presses
• Dumbbell Lunges with Bicep Curl
• Renegade Row

Cool-Down:

• 5 minutes of static stretching
• 5 minutes of sunshine strolling 

Programming The Exercise Plan

For the bodybuilder/power coaching exercise, we’ll use a five-day cut up, however not the one you are enthusiastic about. This exercise will probably be cut up as follows:

• Higher Physique (Power)
• Decrease Physique (Power) – Quad Focus
• Relaxation
• Push (Hypertrophy) 
• Pull (Hypertrophy) 
• Legs (Hypertrophy) – Hamstring Focus
• Relaxation

Whereas most individuals do cut up exercises which are divided by particular muscle teams (chest, again, arms, and so on.), the scientific proof exhibits that coaching every muscle group twice weekly is good for max development.¹ To be taught extra about this, take a look at our article Why You Should Train Each Muscle Group Twice A Week. 

It is essential to have a thorough warm-up for these exercises as a result of dumbbells activate so many accent muscle tissues to keep up stability. Attempt doing dynamic stretches (energetic actions) and some minutes of sunshine cardio to heat up correctly. 

After the warm-up, all exercises ought to (until you’re doing a pre-exhaust) begin with compound workouts that work for a number of muscle teams. When coaching a number of muscle teams on the identical day (which we will probably be), you must all the time begin with massive muscle teams then transfer on to the smaller muscle teams or accent muscle tissues. 

The primary two exercises (higher physique and decrease physique) are power coaching days and goal all the foremost muscle teams. These two exercises use a decrease quantity with excessive depth to extend muscle power. The objective is to carry as a lot weight as potential whereas sustaining right type. 

The second half of the cut up, the hypertrophy days, use increased quantity to construct muscle and create a pump. This exercise is designed scientifically to extend quantity and handle fatigue. Merely put, you must enhance the amount over time to proceed to make features. The objective is to carry out 10-20 weekly units per muscle group.

In the event you do have entry to greater than dumbbells, you must take a look at our SFS Hypertrophy Program.

In the event you’re searching for a complete power program, you are in luck we’re extraordinarily happy with our SFS Strength Program.

Advantages of Utilizing Dumbbells

When you could also be doubting the effectiveness of a full-body dumbbell exercise, there are literally a number of advantages. A number of the prime advantages of dumbbells embrace:

1. Core Activation

One main good thing about utilizing dumbbells in comparison with different exercise tools is that they hold the core engaged. Most dumbbell workouts activate the core and different stabilizer muscle tissues in a approach that machines cannot. 

2. Higher Vary of Movement

One other main benefit of utilizing dumbbells is the larger vary of movement they permit. The dumbbell bench press is one among a number of examples the place you will get a far larger stretch in comparison with a machine or barbell. With a barbell bench press, your chest will get in the way in which – with dumbbells, you possibly can go so far as you possibly can stretch. A larger vary of movement will enhance features, mobility, and adaptability. 

3. Improved Stability

Lifting with dumbbells requires steadiness and coordination. You might not understand it, however your physique works further onerous to maintain all the pieces steady throughout free-weight workouts. 

4. Repair Muscle Imbalance

Dumbbells make sure you carry the identical quantity to assist stop muscle imbalances. With machines or barbell workouts, your physique usually overcompensates for a missing muscle group by utilizing different physique elements or momentum. This will result in muscle imbalances, whereas dumbbells right this. 

5. Extra Versatile

We perceive that not everybody has entry to full gyms with limitless tools. In case you are figuring out at house or touring, dumbbells can be utilized for numerous workouts that focus on each muscle group.

FAQs

What ought to I do if my dumbbells are too gentle for my power degree?

In the event you solely have gentle dumbbells, you possibly can strive rising the variety of reps or superset with different workouts. For leg workouts, you can even do increased reps to failure or do the workouts with one leg moderately than two. 

Are you able to get huge from a full-body exercise utilizing solely dumbbells?

Sure! You’ll have to get inventive when you have restricted weight choices, however you possibly can prepare each muscle group simply as successfully with dumbbells. 

Is it potential to coach the decrease physique muscle tissues with a dumbbell exercise?

Sure, there are a number of wonderful workouts that may assist construct muscle within the legs and decrease physique. Workout routines just like the single-leg deadlift, goblet squat, lunges, or entrance squat can all be accomplished utilizing dumbbells. 

Outro

So long as you do the workouts accurately and comply with an efficient routine, full-body dumbbell exercises will be simply as efficient as a complete health club. Almost each train will be carried out with simply dumbbells; it simply requires further steadiness and just a little creativity. If in case you have a restricted quantity of dumbbells to work with that you’ve got outgrown, strive doing increased reps or prepare to failure to make sure a superb exercise. You may also mess around with numerous hand positions or angles to make issues more difficult.

In case you are a newbie and want to do this routine, merely reduce a number of units or reps in case you are struggling. A private coach will be useful to point out you correct type and hold you motivated. 

If you’d like extra dumbbell exercise choices, take a look at our article, The Ultimate Upper Body Dumbbell Workout. In case you are bought on this idea and are available in the market for a brand new set of dumbbells for the house health club, take a look at our article 9 Best Dumbbell Sets (2024 Edition). 

References

1. Schoenfeld, Brad J., et al. “Results of Resistance Coaching Frequency on Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Evaluate and Meta-Evaluation.” Sports activities Drugs, vol. 46, no. 11, 21 Apr. 2016, pp. 1689–1697, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27102172/, https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-016-0543-8.