Are you so short on time that commuting 20+ minutes to the gym keeps you from getting your workouts in? Or maybe you’ve got a different reason to want to train at home. Either way, we’ve created a three-days-per-week lifting program that requires, equipment-wise, only the bare necessities – a set of adjustable dumbbells and an adjustable bench.

The first two weeks of the routine will have you focusing on strength, keeping your reps in the 6-8 range. After that, you’ll increase your reps up to 12 by weeks five and six to facilitate maximum hypertrophy. Keep your rest periods between 90 seconds and two minutes in weeks 1 and 2 and to no more than one minute after that.

A few of the exercises in this routine are great substitutes for the ones rarely seen outside the gym. No lat pulldown at home? No problem, straight-arm lat pulls will do the job. Don’t have a seated calf raise machine lying around the living room? We’ve got you covered with the dumbbell version. If we got any more encompassing, you’d have to charge membership to all houseguests!

BENCH AND DUMBBELLS ONLY WORKOUT

Monday – Legs and Shoulders

Week 1-2      Week 3-4        Week 5-6

Squat:                                      

3*X 6-8          3 X 8-10          4 X 10-12

Arnold Press                            

3*X 6-8          3 X 8-10          4 X 10-12

StepUp                                     

2 X 6-8          3 X 8-10          3 X 10-12

Wide-Grip Upright Row            

2 X 6-8          3 X 8-10          3 X 10-12

Sissy Squat                              

3 X 6-8          3 X 8-10           3 X 10-12

Lateral Raise                            

3 X 6-8          2 X 8-10          3 X 10-12

Romanian Deadlift                  

3*X 6-8          3 X 8-10          4 X 10-12

Bent-Over Lateral Raise          

2 X 6-8          3 X 8-10           3 X 10-12

Seated Calf Raise                    

3 X 10            2 X 20              3 X 20

V-Up                                      

3 X 10            2 X 20              3 X 20

*Doesn’t include 1-2 warm-up sets

Next Up: Chest & Back >>

Wednesday – Chest and Back                                                

Week 1-2       Week 3-4      Week5-6

Incline Press                                   

2*X 6-8            3 X 8-10       4 X 10-12

Bent-Over Row                              

2*X 6-8            3 X 8-10       3 X 10-12

Flat Bench Press                              

3 X 6-8            3 X 8-10       3 X 10-12

Straight-Arm Lat Pull                      

2 X 6-8            3 X 8-10       4 X 10-12

Straight-Arm Pullover                    

3 X 6-8            2 X 8-10       3 X 10-12

Shrug                                            

2 X 6-8            3 X 8-10       3 X 10-12

Decline Flye                                    

3 X 6-8            2 X 8-10       3 X 10-12

Double Crunch                              

2 X 12              3 X 15           4 X 15

*Doesn’t include 1-2 warm-up sets

Next Up: Arms >>

Friday – Arms                                               

Week 1-2       Week 3-4      Week5-6

Standing Biceps Curl                       

2*X 6-8            3 X 8-10       4 X 10-12

Overhead Triceps Extension            

2*X 6-8            3 X 8-10       3 X 10-12

Incline Curl                                      

2 X 6-8            2 X 8-10       3 X 10-12

Weighted Bench Dip                        

2 X 6-8            3 X 8-10       4 X 10-12

One-Arm Incline Preacher Curl                

2 X 6-8            3 X 8-10       3 X 10-12

Lying Triceps Kickback                  

2 X 6-8            3 X 8-10       3 X 10-12

Reverse Curl                                   

3 X 6-8            2 X 8-10       3 X 10-12

Weighted Crunch                            

3 X 12              3 X 15          4 X 15

*Doesn’t include 1-2 warm-up sets

See How To Perform The Moves >>

Straight-Arm Lat Pull

START: Grasp a dumbbell in a pronated (overhand) position. Bend at your waist, keeping your knees bent, back flat and your working arm hanging straight toward the floor. Rest your non-working hand on your thigh to further support your torso.

ACTION: Keeping your arm as straight as possible, flex your lats and pull the dumbbell straight back and up as high as possible. Hold for a brief count, then slowly lower the dumbbell along the same path to the starting position. Repeat on the other side.

Seated Calf Raise

START: Sit at the end of the bench with your knees bent and the balls of your feet on one side of a short, stable platform, allowing your heels to descend and elevate freely.  Grasp two dumbbells and place them on your lower quads, maintaining a tight grip on the dumbbells at all times. 

ACTION: Slowly lower your heels toward the floor until you feel a good stretch in your calves, then press through the balls of your feet to push the dumbbells upward toward the ceiling. Squeeze your calves and hold the peak contraction momentarily before lowering.  

Sissy Squat

START: Raise an incline bench to nearly the highest setting. Stand next to the bench with your feet hip with apart. Carefully place a dumbbell against your chest and hold it steady with the hand furthest away from the bench, grasping the bench with the other hand for balance. Rise onto your toes and arch your back as you create a “shelf” with your chest for the dumbbell to rest, keeping your hand on the dumbbell throughout the set. 

ACTION: While up on your toes, bend only at the knees, lowering yourself straight down toward the floor and keeping your chest up at all times. When your legs approach 90-degree angles, pause and extend your legs to raise your body back to the starting position. Remain on your toes as you squeeze your legs hard at the top. 

One-Arm Incline Preacher Curl

START: Set the bench to 45 degrees or higher. With a dumbbell in hand, place your arm on the bench, with your armpit securely on the top edge of it and your upper arm pressed against the pad. Keep a slight bend in your arm at the start.

ACTION: Flex your biceps to bring the dumbbell as high as possible without allowing your elbow to flare out or rise off the bench. Squeeze your biceps hard at the top before slowly returning the dumbbell to the starting position. Stop just short of full-arm extension. 

More Exercise Descriptions >>

Lying Triceps Kickback

START: Lie facedown on a flat bench with just your head off the end of it. Grasp two dumbbells and press your elbows into your sides with the dumbbells hanging straight down toward the floor forming 90-degree angles with your arms.

ACTION: Keeping your elbows fixed at your sides, press the dumbbells up and back to full arm extension, squeezing your triceps hard at the top. Hold for a brief count, then lower the dumbbells down to the starting position.

Wide-Grip Upright Row

START: Stand upright holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides slightly in front of you with a wide, pronated (palms forward) grip. Keep your chest up, shoulders back and head straight.

ACTION: Keeping the dumbbells wide, raise them up to shoulder level, bringing your elbows high. Hold the peak contraction for a brief count, then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.

Decline Dumbbell Flye

START: Set the bench to a decline position. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, lie back on the bench with your lower legs secured at the top of it. Using a neutral (palms-in) grip, raise the dumbbells straight up in front of your face, keeping a slight bend in your arms.

ACTION: Maintaining the slight bend in your arms, lower the dumbbells out and down to your sides, feeling a good stretch in your pecs.  Stop when your upper arms are in line with your shoulders. Hold for 1-2 seconds, squeezing your chest and maintaining the slight bend in the arms, then bring the dumbbells back to the starting position.

Double Crunch

START: Lie face-up on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you, keeping your feet together. Grasp the ends of a dumbbell behind your head with both hands, your elbows out to your sides. Lift your legs off the ground about six inches.

ACTION: Holding the dumbbell overhead, curl your upper body off the floor. Simultaneously bend your legs and bring your knees toward your chest. Hold the peak-contracted position momentarily while squeezing your abs. Slowly return to the start position, stopping just short of the dumbbell and your feet touching the floor.