Training with a 5-day dumbbell workout means working one side of your body simultaneously, helping to identify and correct left-to-right power imbalances. Also, many dumbbell exercises involve a more excellent range of motion than the same exercise with barbells. As a result, it increases joint mobility and can improve muscle activity.
Using dumbbells instead of single barbells means you get two weights to control, which improves coordination. In addition, many athletes find that dumbbell training is more mutually friendly. For example, if pressing a barbell bench causes shoulder pain, you may find some relief if you switch to dumbbells.
This 5-day dumbbell workout builds muscle and strength. Perfect for home and garage trainers and anyone who likes to use dumbbells instead of barbells or machines.
There are many ways to divide the five days; most of each exercise involves training 1-2 muscle groups. It is also common to train each muscle group once a week. This is fine for some lifters, but many do better when they train each major muscle group twice a week.
This five-day dumbbell exercise split combines the upper / lower body with a push-pull split leg to make sure you hit the muscles twice every seven days to improve muscle growth. As a result, make your workout more diverse.
Here is your workout plan for the next few weeks
Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
Upper body | Lower body | Rest | Push | Pull | Legs & Abs | Rest |
Although we recommend sets and reps for this exercise, adjust them to meet your training goals. Because of the law of specialization, your body adapts to your training type. For example, lift heavy weights if you want to be strong. In contrast, lightweight and high reps are best for endurance.
Don’t forget to warm up yourself before each workout. Start with a simple 5-10 minute cardio to raise your core temperature and pump blood. Next, prepare your muscles and joints by doing dynamic stretching and joint mobility exercises. Finally, finish your warm-up with essential exercises in your 5-day dumbbell workout.
Workout 1–Upper body
Your first exercise trains all the muscles in your upper body. It’s a simple exercise, but pushing yourself forward and bringing each set closer to failure will be beneficial. This includes equal pushing and pulling to ensure you train your upper muscles evenly.
Exercise | Sets | Reps | Recovery | |
1 | Dumbbell bench press | 4 | 6-12 | 60-90 sec |
2 | Single-arm bent-over row | 4 | 6-12 per arm | 60-90 sec |
3 | Dumbbell shoulder press | 4 | 6-12 | 60-90 sec |
4 | Dumbbell Pendley row | 4 | 6-12 | 60-90 sec |
5 | Decline dumbbell skull crusher | 3 | 6-12 | 60-90 sec |
6 | Dumbbell biceps curl | 3 | 6-12 | 60-90 sec |
Make the most of the right exercises in your 5-day dumbbell workout. As well as making your training more productive, it will also reduce your risk of injury.
Workout 2 -Lower body
Without training your legs, you can’t build a strong, muscular, active body. The good news is that you can use your lower body for nothing but dumbbells.
Exercise | Sets | Reps | Recovery | |
1 | Cyclist goblet squat | 4 | 6-12 | 60-90 sec |
2 | Dumbbell Romanian deadlift | 4 | 6-12 | 60-90 sec |
3 | Split Squat | 4 | 6-12 per leg | 60-90 sec |
4 | Dumbbell leg extension | 4 | 6-12 | 60-90 sec |
5 | Single-leg standing calf raise | 4 | 6-12 per leg | 60-90 sec |
Leg exercises often involve your back, which means it is essential that you do them correctly. Be careful not to round your lower back during this exercise, as doing so pressures your spinal ligaments and intervertebral discs. The 5-day dumbbell workout provides safety by allowing you better control and less time under the weight.
Workout 3 -Push
This exercise targets your chest, shoulders, and triceps – all of your pushing muscles. This exercise has plenty of muscle-building volume, so expect some delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) after doing it.
Exercise | Sets | Reps | Recovery | |
1 | Dumbbell bench press | 4 | 6-12 | 60-90 sec |
2 | Dumbbell flyes | 4 | 6-12 | 60-90 sec |
3 | Dumbbell push-up | 4 | 6-12 | 60-90 sec |
4 | Arnold press | 4 | 6-12 | 60-90 sec |
5 | Lateral raise | 4 | 6-12 | 60-90 sec |
6 | Dumbbell kickback | 4 | 6-12 per arm | 60-90 sec |
7 | Dumbbell overhead triceps extension | 4 | 6-12 | 60-90 sec |
Pressing exercises can be strenuous on your shoulders. Avoid unnecessary shoulder pain by doing every exercise using excellent techniques.
Workout 4–Pull
This exercise targets your back, buttocks, and biceps. Expect a good pump by the end of this training session.
Exercise | Sets | Reps | Recovery | |
1 | Weighted pull-up | 4 | 6-12 | 60-90 sec |
2 | Bent over dumbbell row | 4 | 6-12 | 60-90 sec |
3 | Renegade row | 4 | 6-12 per arm | 60-90 sec |
4 | Dumbbell armpit row | 3 | 6-12 | 60-90 sec |
5 | Dumbbell shrug | 3 | 6-12 | 60-90 sec |
6 | Dumbbell preacher curl | 3 | 6-12 per arm | 60-90 sec |
7 | Concentration curl | 3 | 6-12 per arm | 60-90 sec |
Most stretching exercises involve your biceps. Excessive biceps training can cause elbow pain. During this exercise, make sure that you do not overextend your elbows.
Workout 5- Legs and Abs
It’s time for the legs again, but with the training of your legs, you’re going to do some abs exercise. This is the last workout of the week.
Exercise | Sets | Reps | Recovery | |
1 | Bulgarian split squat | 4 | 6-12 per leg | 60-90 sec |
2 | Single-leg Romanian deadlift | 4 | 6-12 per leg | 60-90 sec |
3 | Dumbbell Romanian deadlift | 4 | 6-12 | 60-90 sec |
4 | Dumbbell leg curl | 4 | 6-12 | 60-90 sec |
5 | Seated dumbbell calf raise | 4 | 6-12 | 60-90 sec |
6 | Weighted crunches | 4 | 6-12 | 60-90 sec |
7 | Dumbbell side bend | 4 | 6-12 per side | 60-90 sec |
This exercise includes some single-leg lower-body activities. These are usually more difficult than two-legged exercises because you need a lot of balance and coordination. If these exercises are new to you, avoid going too heavy too soon, as doing so can lead to knee injuries. The purpose of the 5-day dumbbell workout is to help you build muscle. Of course, this is also fine if you want it to help with fat loss.
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