MusclistDumbbell only workout: a free 3-day plan
Three full body sessions with nothing but a pair of dumbbells and an adjustable bench. Every major muscle is trained three times a week, so it works as a complete plan, not just a stopgap.
- Days per week
- 3
- Level
- Beginner
- Session
- 45–60 min
- Equipment
- Free weight and Bodyweight
Who it’s for
Anyone training at home, in a hotel gym or in a crowded gym where the racks are always taken. Adjustable dumbbells and a bench that inclines cover every exercise. Without a bench, do the presses on the floor and the rows with one hand on a chair.
Weekly schedule
- Mon · Dumbbell A
- Tue · Rest
- Wed · Dumbbell B
- Thu · Rest
- Fri · Dumbbell C
- Sat · Rest
- Sun · Rest
Dumbbell A
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Goblet Squat | 3 | 10–15 |
| Dumbbell Bench Press | 3 | 8–12 |
| Dumbbell Row | 3 | 8–12 |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 3 | 12–20 |
| Dumbbell Curl | 2 | 10–15 |
| Plank | 2 | 30–60 s |
Dumbbell B
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift | 3 | 8–12 |
| Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 3 | 8–12 |
| Dumbbell Row | 3 | 8–12 |
| Push Up | 3 | 8–20 |
| Overhead Dumbbell Triceps Extension | 2 | 10–15 |
| Glute Bridge | 2 | 12–20 |
Dumbbell C
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Bulgarian Split Squat | 3 | 8–12 |
| Incline Dumbbell Press | 3 | 8–12 |
| Chest Supported Dumbbell Row | 3 | 10–12 |
| Bent Over Reverse Fly | 2 | 12–20 |
| Hammer Curl | 2 | 10–15 |
| Triceps Kickback | 2 | 12–15 |
Weekly sets per muscle
Counted the way Musclist counts them: a full set for the muscle an exercise mainly trains, half a set for each muscle that helps.
| Muscle | Sets per week |
|---|---|
| Triceps | 10 |
| Upper back | 10 |
| Glutes | 9 |
| Chest | 9 |
| Front delts | 8.5 |
| Biceps | 8.5 |
| Rear delts | 6.5 |
| Quads | 6 |
| Lats | 4.5 |
| Abs | 4.5 |
| Adductors | 3 |
| Side delts | 3 |
| Hamstrings | 2.5 |
| Forearms | 2 |
| Traps | 1.5 |
| Lower back | 1.5 |
How to progress
Dumbbells go up in bigger jumps than barbells, so progress with reps first. Stay on a weight until you reach the top of the rep range on every set, then move up a pair.
If you are stuck at the heaviest dumbbells you have, slow the lowering part of each rep to three seconds, pause at the bottom, or add a set.
Bodyweight moves like push-ups progress by reps. When you can do 20 clean reps, raise your feet on a bench.
Run it in Musclist
In the app, open My routine and add one workout for each day: Dumbbell A, Dumbbell B, and Dumbbell C, with the exercises in the order above. Musclist then suggests the next workout every time, starts each exercise from last time’s weight and reps, and shows the muscles you trained after each session. The app keeps the exercises and their order, not the sets and reps, so keep this page handy for those.
Questions
Can you build muscle with only dumbbells?
Yes. Muscles respond to hard sets close to failure, not to the equipment. Dumbbells cover every major muscle, and many lifters build plenty of muscle at home with them.
What weight dumbbells do I need?
Adjustable dumbbells that go from about 5 kg to 25 kg each (10 to 55 lb) cover this plan for most people for a long time. Lower body exercises need the heavier end first.
Can I do this plan without a bench?
Yes. Do the bench and incline presses as floor presses, the chest-supported row as a regular one-arm row with a hand on a chair, and the split squat with your back foot on a sofa or step.
Other programs
- Push Pull Legs6 days a week
- Upper / Lower4 days a week
- Full body, 3 days3 days a week
- Full body, 2 days2 days a week
- Beginner 5×53 days a week
- Body-part split5 days a week
Not sure which one? Read How to choose a workout split.