what is inside
In today's fitness world, we are spoiled for choice when it comes to equipment.
From state-of-the-art machines to affordable home appliances of all kinds, there is something for everyone.
A device that wasfor decadesit's the dumbbell.
With a few pairs of these lightweight, heavy strappy buckles, you can sculpt the figure you've always dreamed of.
This article is a guide to building a strong, muscular, and powerful body with only dumbbell workouts.
The 12 week dumbbell training plan PDF in this article covers different phases of fitness training, all of which are used with just a single dumbbell.
What is the Purpose of the 12 Week Dumbbell Training Plan?
The 12-week dumbbell training plan (with pdf) should help you with thisdifferent fitness levels.
The plan contains four distinct phases that will take you from endurance to explosive power.
The goal of your free workout plan is to empower people with limited access to equipment to achieve their fitness goals.
What Are the Benefits of a Dumbbell Only Workout?
Related:Back exercises with dumbbells
This dumbbell program has many benefits for those who practice it at the gym or at home.
First off, this program requires minimal equipment.
If you have access to some dumbbell sets (oradjustable dumbbells) and maybe an exercise bench you have everything you need to sculpt an athletic body.
Dumbbells also have the benefit of involving manystabilizing musclesas a form of one-limb exercise with free weights.
Another advantage of a pure dumbbell training plan is the time saving. When you're at home, you don't have to set up and switch a lot of different devices.
When you only work out with dumbbells at the gym, you can often avoid waiting for specific machines or equipment.
After all, training with only dumbbells is incredibly versatile. Just using dumbbells can build endurance, muscle mass, strength, and athletic power.
The 8 best dumbbell-only exercises
Related:5 day dumbbell workout split
Because the 12-week dumbbell workout plan in this article has multiple phases, the exercises selected for this list have unique criteria.
In particular, they are among the best at each stage of the program.
Read on to learn more about why each of these movements made the list of the best dumbbell exercises.
1. Walking lunges with dumbbells
The first exercise on this list is amazing for building lower body endurance.
The standing lunge is a simple but effective exercise that works all the muscles of the lower extremities and core.
This exercise is also great for developing balance and athleticism.
To perform the dumbbell lunge:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart
- Hold weights on each side of your hips.
- Take a step forward with one leg
- Bend your knees and lower your hips until your back knee touches the floor.
- Keep the front knee in line with the ankle.
- Press into the heel to lengthen the back.
- Step forward with the other leg and repeat the exercise.
Winnings:Functional movement pattern, trains balance, stretches and gets stronger.
Pro Tips:Maintain an upright posture throughout the exercise and place your feet hip-width apart to maintain balance.
2. Curl and dumbbell press
The next step is the barbell-dumbbell curl, which combines a bicep curl with an overhead pressing motion.
This exercise recruits a large number of upper body muscles while creating a good cardiovascular requirement for resistance training.
It's the key to many of the more advanced phases of training you'll see in the final weeks of the program.
To perform the dumbbell curl and press:
- Stand tall with good posture, strong core
- Forearms supinated so palms face forward
- Bend the dumbbells at your shoulders.
- Rotate your arms outward until your palms are facing forward.
- Overhead dumbbell press with straight arms
- Reverse the movement to return to the starting position
Winnings:Pull and push exercise in one, good preparation for the Olympic lifts
Pro Tips:Keep your arms tight to your torso throughout the curl and squeeze your glutes throughout the exercise.
3. Incline bench press with dumbbells
The next upper body exercise on this list is an upper chest bulking exercise.
Using dumbbells forinclined pressallows you superior range of motion during exercise.
It also allows you to adduct your shoulders up, meaning you get better contraction and stretch under tension.
How to do the incline bench press with dumbbells:
- Lie on the incline bench with a dumbbell on each thigh
- Use your legs to lift the weights off each shoulder.
- Extend your arms overhead and bring the dumbbells together at the top
- Slowly control the weights on either side of your chest
- Repeat as many repetitions as necessary
- Bring the weights to your knees and sit forward.
Winnings:Develops the upper chest fibers, allowing for a good stretch at the bottom of the movement.
Pro Tips:Hold the top of the exercise while firmly squeezing your pecs, and pause at the bottom to stretch under tension.
4. Bulgarian squat
This single-leg exercise burns like no other, but has the benefit of setting muscle blocks in the hamstrings.
Split squats are great to do with dumbbells because they're easier to balance than a barbell, but are still a great way to add progressive overload.
For bigger quads, hamstrings, and glutes, this dumbbell move is a must.
How to perform the Bulgarian squat:
- Stand in front of a bench with your back foot on the bench and your front foot on the floor.
- With your arms straight, hold a dumbbell on each side
- Bend your hips and knees to descend
- From the bottom position, drive through the heel to stretch backwards
- Do desired reps and repeat on the other side.
Winnings:Total Leg Builder corrects any muscle imbalance between the legs
Pro Tips:Keep your front knee in line with your ankle below and don't allow yourself to deviate too far forward or to the side.
5. Development with dumbbells
When it comes to building raw strength, the dumbbell bench press is one of the best exercises you can do.
Whether sitting or standing, the recruitment of the upper body muscles required to lift heavy weights while stabilizing the shoulders is tremendous.
This exercise builds strong, stable shoulders that are ready for many other athletic upper body movements.
How to do the dumbbell bench press:
- Start with the dumbbells on either side of your ears, palms facing forward and elbows at a 90-degree angle.
- Exhale and push the dumbbells up until they almost meet over your head.
- Slowly bring the weight back to the starting position.
- Repeat for recommended reps
Winnings:Additional stabilization muscle recruitment, each arm works independently
Pro Tips:If you feel uncomfortable in the standard position, try doing this exercise at shoulder blade level with your elbows 30 degrees in front of your shoulders.
6. Crouch on the suitcase
Like many other forms of squats, the dumbbell variety is the king of lower-body exercises.
Some advantages of using dumbbells include less spinal stress and a lighter barrier to entry than something like a barbell squat.
You also build grip strength while holding the dumbbells by your sides.
How to perform the suitcase squat:
- Stand with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your body.
- Stand in a shoulder-width stance with your toes pointing slightly outward.
- Slowly lower your body by backing your hips and bending your knees.
- Continue until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
- Push through your heels, exhale, and stand up
- Repeat for desired reps
Winnings:Dumbbells allow for a more upright posture with less stress on your lower back
Pro Tips:Always keep your head up and don't let your knees get too close together.
7. Pressure Pressure
Moving on to more strength-based exercises, one of the best dumbbell moves is the press.
This athletic move increases your ability to jab, throw, and attack, and do it fast.
The benefit of dumbbell presses is that you don't have to worry about catching the bar under your chin.
It's also easier to keep the weight on your shoulders behind your back than the bar on your collarbone.
How to perform the dumbbell push press:
- Stand hip-width apart with the dumbbells resting on your shoulders
- Keep your elbows in front of your body
- Slightly bend your knees and lower your body
- Explode through heels, knees and hips
- Push the weight overhead as quickly as possible
- Lock your arms overhead and briefly hold your weight directly over your feet.
- Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position in a controlled manner and repeat the exercise
Winnings:Supports upper and lower body to develop propulsion
Pro Tips:The energy has to come from the bottom up; The shoulder press should be the easy part.
8. One-arm dumbbell snatch
Finally, we have another explosive dumbbell exercise, the snatch.
This exercise builds coordination and strength from head to toe, involving virtually all major muscle groups.
again theUnilateral barbell snatchIt's great as it adds a rotational element to the core strengthening aspect of the movement.
It's also more feasible for those without shoulder mobility to perform the advanced barbell snatch.
How to do the one-arm dumbbell snatch:
- Place your feet on the floor shoulder-width apart on either side of a dumbbell
- Extend one arm down and hold the weight with your back straight.
- Set your hips back and drive across the floor to lift the weight.
- Let the momentum carry the weight into a locked position above you
- Kick your feet as you “pick up” the dumbbell.
- Control the weight back on the floor while maintaining good spinal alignment
- Reset and repeat for repeats
Winnings:Explosive full-body traction, very athletic movement, excellent core training
Pro Tips:Start with a light weight and practice good technique before continuing with this exercise. Engage your glutes and core to protect your back.
The best 12 week dumbbell training program
This program is a complete dumbbell fitness program that takes you through various stages of development. There are four phases, each lasting two to four weeks.
Each stage has as its goal aFitness-Element. They are arranged in a certain way on top of each other.
You can go through the program from start to finish or try different phases and spend more time developing them if it suits your goals.
Weeks 1-2: muscular endurance
First we have the muscular endurance phase. This will be a full body program, working out three days a week.
The goals of this phase are to establish correct movement patterns, prepare the joints,tendons and connective tissueand develop some aerobic capacity for the later stages.
Monday: full body workout 1
Heating:General warm-up 5 min, 10 standing twists, 10 front/back and side leg swings, 10 front/back arm circles.
| The exercise | sets x repetitions | Rest |
| Kelchhocke | 3×20 | 30-60 Sek |
| dB supino | 3×20 | 30-60 Sek |
| dB line compatible | 3×20 | 30-60 Sek |
| roll + press | 3×20 | 30-60 Sek |
| Crisis dB | 3×20 | 30-60 Sek |
Estimated duration of training:30 minutes including warm-up.
Mars
I rest cardio 30-60 minutes
Wednesday: full body workout 2
Heating:10 standing twists, 10 forward/backward and side leg swings, 10 forward/backward arm circles.
| The exercise | sets x repetitions | Rest |
| push dB up | 3×20 | 30-60 Sek |
| caminata low dB | 3×20 | 30-60 Sek |
| dB curved line | 3×20 | 30-60 Sek |
| dB OH Trizeps-Extension | 3×20 | 30-60 Sek |
| Turn dB Russo | 3×20 | 30-60 Sek |
Estimated duration of training:30 minutes including warm-up.
Thursday
I rest cardio 30-60 minutes
Friday: full body workout 3
Heating:10 standing twists, 10 forward/backward and side leg swings, 10 forward/backward arm circles.
| The exercise | sets x repetitions | Rest |
| breakaway line | 3×20 | 30-60 Sek |
| coffin press | 3×20 | 30-60 Sek |
| dB sumo deadlift | 3×20 | 30-60 Sek |
| alternatives Hammergewinde | 3×20 on each side | 30-60 Sek |
| boat hold dB | 3×20 | 30-60 Sek |
Estimated duration of training:30 minutes including warm-up.
Saturday
I rest cardio 30-60 minutes
Domingo
rest day
Weeks 3-6: Muscle hypertrophy
Next comes the muscle building phase of the pure dumbbell program.
The goal here is quite simple: combine appropriate resistance and metabolic fatigue to stimulate muscle tissue growth.
This phase is an improvement on the previous one, with six training sessions per week. It's a PPL division (push-pull legs),performed twicethrough individual sessions.
If you can't train for six days, you can simply add rest days if necessary and do the next session according to the respective training.
This means that you can also do these exercises three, four or five days a week.
Eat and sleep well, and these sessions will help you build muscle ready for the next phase.
Montag: Push-Training 1
Heating:General warm-up 5 minutes, 10 standing twists, 10 forward/backward arm circles.
| The exercise | sets x repetitions | Rest |
| db snake pushes up | 3-4×10-15 | 60-90 seconds |
| dB shoulder pressure | 3-4 × 8-10 | 1-2 minutes |
| lift sideways | 3×12-15 | 1 Minute |
| Kickback db triceps | 3x10-12 on each side | 1 Minute |
| OH tricep extension | 3×10-12 | 1 Minute |
Estimated duration of training:30-45 minutes including warm up.
Tuesday: Zugtraining 1
Heating:General warm-up 5 minutes, 10 standing twists, 10 forward/backward arm circles, 1-2 warm-up sets of first exercise.
| The exercise | sets x repetitions | Rest |
| dB inclined series | 3-4 × 8-10 | 1-2 minutes |
| DB shrugs | 3×10-12 | 1 Minute |
| Seated rear delta fly | 3×10-12 | 1 Minute |
| oblique thread | 3×10-12 | 1 Minute |
| concentration screw | 3×12-15 | 1 Minute |
Estimated duration of training:30-45 minutes including warm up.
Wednesday: Legs and core workout 1
Heating:10 foot twists, 10 forward/backward and side-to-side leg swings.
| The exercise | sets x repetitions | Rest |
| dB squat | 3×12-15 | 1-2 minutes |
| Bulgarian dB squat | 3x8-10 on each side | 1 Minute |
| dB side lunge | 3x8-10 on each side | 1 Minute |
| dB Stiff Legged Deadlift | 3×10-12 | 1 Minute |
| dB scaler | 3×20 on each side | 1 Minute |
Estimated duration of training:30-45 minutes including warm up.
Thursday: push training 2
Heating:General warm-up 5 minutes, 10 standing twists, 10 forward/backward arm circles, 1-2 warm-up sets of first exercise.
| The exercise | sets x repetitions | Rest |
| Press dB slope | 3-4 × 8-10 | 1-2 minutes |
| dB Brustfliege | 3-4×10-12 | 1-2 minutes |
| dB bus driver | 3×12-15 each way | 1 Minute |
| Lying down triceps extension | 3×10-12 | 1 Minute |
| Close-Grip dB Bench Press | 3×12-15 | 1 Minute |
Estimated duration of training:30-45 minutes including warm up.
Friday: strength training 2
Heating:10 standing twists, 10 arm circles forwards/backwards, 1-2 warm-up sets as the first exercise.
| The exercise | sets x repetitions | Rest |
| dB line supported slope | 3-4 × 8-10 | 1-2 minutes |
| a row of arms | 3-4 × 8-10 on each side | 1 Minute |
| Lat-Pullover | 3×10-12 | 1 Minute |
| dB Curl closed handlebars | 3×10-12 | 1 Minute |
| alternatives Hammergewinde | 3x12-15 on each side | 1 Minute |
Estimated duration of training:30-45 minutes including warm up.
Saturday: leg and core workout 2
Heating:10 foot rotations, 10 front/back and side leg swings, 1-2 warm-up sets on the first exercise.
| The exercise | sets x repetitions | Rest |
| squat suitcase | 3×8-10 | 1-2 minutes |
| reverse lunge | 3x8-10 on each side | 1 Minute |
| dB sumo deadlift | 3×8-10 | 1 Minute |
| dB standing calf raises | 3×10-12 | 1 Minute |
| Turn dB Russo | 3×20 on each side | 1 Minute |
Estimated duration of training:30-45 minutes including warm up.
Domingo:
rest day
Weeks 7-10: Maximum strength
Now let's take the newly added muscle tissue and let it work.
This phase is all about one thing: adding intensity. This comes from constantly adding weight to your lifts.
Workouts consist of fewer exercises but take longer due to necessityRest periods between sets.
You must abide by it to allow your power systems to recover and run the next set. Make sure your form is as perfect as possible as you load the exercises.
If you hit the numbers by cheating, you only risk getting hurt and that means you are no longer making a profit.
A quick note here. Make sure the last week of this phase is a dump week, meaning you get plenty of rest and only increase 50% of your normal numbers.
This will help your body recover and prepare for the final phase.
Monday: full body workout 1
Heating:General warm-up 5 min, 10 standing twists, 10 front/back and side leg swings, 10 front/back arm circles, 2-3 warm-up sets on the first two exercises.
| The exercise | sets x repetitions | Rest |
| dB squat | 5×5-6 | 3-5 minutes |
| dB supino | 5×5-6 | 3-5 minutes |
| dB curved line | 5×5-6 | 3-5 minutes |
Estimated duration of training:60-90 minutes including warm up.
Mars
I rest cardio 30-60 minutes
Wednesday: full body workout 2
Heating:10 standing twists, 10 forward/backward and sideways leg swings, 10 forward/backward arm circles, 2-3 warm-up sets of all exercises.
| The exercise | sets x repetitions | Rest |
| Bulgarian dB squat | 4 × 6-8 on each side | 3 minutes |
| dB military pressure | 5×5-6 | 3-5 minutes |
| Own weight in dB | 3×5-6 | 3-5 minutes |
Estimated duration of training:60-90 minutes including warm up.
Thursday
I rest cardio 30-60 minutes
Friday: full body workout 3
Heating:10 standing twists, 10 forward/backward and sideways leg swings, 10 forward/backward arm circles, 2-3 warm-up sets of all exercises.
| The exercise | sets x repetitions | Rest |
| Press dB slope | 5×5-6 | 3-5 minutes |
| a row of arms | 4 × 6-8 on each side | 3-5 minutes |
| dB squat | 5×5-6 | 3-5 minutes |
Estimated duration of training:60-90 minutes including warm up.
Saturday
I rest cardio 30-60 minutes
Domingo
rest day
Weeks 11-12: Explosive power
We ended up taking everything we've built so far and turning it into a body that not only looks good, but performs at a high level.
These pure dumbbell exercises combine strength and speed to help you be explosive on the field or in any situation.
In addition, they will recruit theirsfast-twitch muscle fibers, which are of the largest and most powerful kind.
This phase completes the 12-week program. At this point, you can either go back and build on that run, or pick your favorite phase and spend more time on it.
Monday: upper body workout 1
Heating:General warm-up 5 min, 10 standing twists, 10 front/back and side leg swings, 10 front/back arm circles, 2-3 warm-up sets of all exercises.
| The exercise | sets x repetitions | Rest |
| dB push pull | 3×5 | 3-5 minutes |
| One-armed Explosive Bank | 3×5 | 3-5 minutes |
| Clean dB lock | 3×5 | 3-5 minutes |
Estimated duration of training:45-60 minutes including warm up.
Tuesday: Lower body workout 1
Heating:General warm-up 5 min, 10 standing twists, 10 front/back and side leg swings, 10 front/back arm circles, 2-3 warm-up sets of all exercises.
| The exercise | sets x repetitions | Rest |
| High pull sumo | 3×8 | 2-3 minutes |
| dB jump squat | 3×8 | 2-3 minutes |
| dB skips jumping | 3×8 on each side | 2-3 minutes |
Estimated duration of training:45-60 minutes including warm up.
Wednesday
I rest cardio 30-60 minutes
Thursday: Upper extremity training 2
Heating:10 standing twists, 10 forward/backward and sideways leg swings, 10 forward/backward arm circles, 2-3 warm-up sets of all exercises.
| The exercise | sets x repetitions | Rest |
| dB push pull | 3×8 | 2-3 minutes |
| One-armed Explosive Bank | 3×8 | 2-3 minutes |
| dB single arm cranks | 3×8 | 2-3 minutes |
Estimated duration of training:45-60 minutes including warm up.
Friday: Lower body workout 2
Heating:10 standing twists, 10 forward/backward and sideways leg swings, 10 forward/backward arm circles, 2-3 warm-up sets of all exercises.
| The exercise | sets x repetitions | Rest |
| High pull sumo | 3×5 | 3-5 minutes |
| dB jump squat | 3×5 | 3-5 minutes |
| dB skips jumping | 3×5 on each side | 3-5 minutes |
Estimated duration of training:45-60 minutes including warm up.
Saturday
I rest cardio 30-60 minutes
Domingo
rest day
12 Week Dumbbell Training Plan PDF
Pro tips for building muscle with just dumbbells
Related:Training plan for muscle building PDF
Muscles are blind
As we mentioned in ourdefinitive guide to calisthenics, your body does not recognize what you are using as resistance, only that resistance is present.
As long as you use the principles of the 12 week program above, your muscles will respond by growing just like any other piece of equipment.
Take advantage of
Dumbbells are free weights that are greatfreedom of movement, unique member development and accessibility.
Using these versatile tools will allow you to gain extra inches of ROM on most exercises since you are not limited to free weights or machine frames.
steady progress
One thing to keep in mind with a dumbbell-only training plan is to make sure you're calmconstantly ahead.
For those with limited dumbbell sets who can't always add weight, use extra reps, slow tempo, or other advanced techniques to make the exercises more challenging.
frequently asked questions
Can you build muscle with just dumbbells?
Dumbbells are one of the oldest forms of resistance training and can certainly be used to build muscle.
If you have access to a good selection of dumbbell weights, you're guaranteed to be able to build a full physique with no additional equipment.
How do you get muscular with just dumbbells?
In the same way, you can use dumbbells to get a shredded body.
Dumbbells are more than enough for maintaining (and even building) muscle mass while shedding body fat on your journey to fitness.get cut.
What weight should the dumbbells be to build muscle?
For pure hypertrophy, therecommended rangeis 6 to 20 reps, with the most common suggestion being around 8 to 12.
That means the dumbbells have to be heavy enough for you to hit failure within that range.
When you can do it easier, it's time to get harder. Dumbbell weight usually increases from 2 to 2.5 kg or 5 pounds.
last comments
So what do you think of a dumbbell-only program? It's a handy way to ditch expensive gym memberships and equipment.
Also, it helps him work in planned phases to increase his chances of success.
Let us know how you follow the 12 week dumbbell workout plan or ask any questions in the comments.
If you know someone who only has dumbbells to work out, be sure to send them this program!