


For some of us, we may struggle with finding motivation to get moving, or we just don’t know how to create a workout plan by ourselves. It gets even more confusing when there are many exercises with different variations and different workout splits. Well, the great news is that getting your workouts in doesn’t always have to be difficult!
Our 5-day dumbbell workout plan is designed to help you get in shape, and you can download it for free! Each day will be focused on targeting the different body parts and will feature different sets of exercises!
Top 5 Benefits of Dumbbell Training

If you stepped into a gym, you would probably notice a lot of people using flashy workout machines or those ever-intimidating huge barbells. Look past these things and you will discover that a rack of dumbbells stands behind, waiting for people to use them.
Dumbbells offer not just convenience but are also proven to be highly effective, especially for those who are new to fitness. Beginners can start with lighter weights to ensure proper form and reduce the risk of injury. Weight training essentially helps to decrease body fat and increase metabolism and strength. Those who are looking to shed some weight or work on their strength can incorporate dumbbell workouts into their fitness routine. These are the top 5 benefits that dumbbell training provides:
Weight Loss
People often think that in order to lose weight, you must do cardio and only cardio. In reality, cardio can only help you so much in your weight loss journey. To effectively lose weight, you need to focus on building lean muscle mass and burn fat. The best way to do it is to include strength training in your workout routine for optimal results.
Increases muscle activation and stability
Using dumbbells can offer greater muscle growth. In a 2016 research that compared the use of barbells and dumbbells for a series of exercises, it was found that there was greater activity when a dumbbell are being used. Dumbbells need more stabilization in comparison to barbells. This, in turn, results in the higher activation of muscle fibers.
Improves bone density
Stronger muscles can lead to stronger bones. Having stronger bones is essential in preventing the risk of fractures due to osteoporosis. Osteoporosis affects an estimated number of 8 million women and 2 million men in America [2].
Dumbbell training places stress on the bones, signaling the bone-forming cells to work. This results in stronger and denser bone.
Offers a greater range of motion
Dumbbells offer a greater range of motion as they are considered to be “free weights”. This means that they are not attached to any machines and you are able to adjust the dumbbell to fit your body movements comfortably. It allows you to lift according to what suits your body best, making movement patterns more effective.
Convenient and beginner-friendly
One of the best things about dumbbells is that they are convenient. Dumbbells are portable and can easily be used in the comforts of your own home if you are uncomfortable stepping foot in a gym. They make an excellent option if you are looking to purchase something that is low-cost.
A major bonus is that they are also beginner-friendly. Dumbbells come in different weight ranges so if you are new to fitness and have yet to develop strength, you can start off with light 1 to 2-kg dumbbells. It’s crucial to perform exercises correctly to avoid injury and maximize effectiveness.
Best Exercises With Dumbbells

There are a number of dumbbell exercises that are highly effective in strengthening the upper body, lower body, or full body. Incorporating these versatile weights into your workout routine can potentially elevate your fitness routine. It’s important to maintain a correct standing position during exercises to ensure effective muscle engagement and prevent injury. Some of the best dumbbell exercises include:
Dumbbell bench press

How to do it:
Lie on a flat bench with two dumbbells placed in an overhead grip, over the chest. Exhale as you push up, ensuring that your arms are fully straightened. As you are at the top, you want to squeeze your pecs together to recruit the muscle fibers. Inhale as you lower your arms back down in a controlled manner.
Target muscle group: Pecs, shoulders, triceps, forearms, lats, traps, rhomboids
Doing dumbbell bench press exercises will help you to build a bigger and stronger chest. Other variations include doing an incline dumbbell bench press.
Dumbbell leg curl

How to do it:
Start by setting the bench to an elevated level. This will give you a better range of motion. Lie face down against the bench and make sure that your knees are aligned with the sides of the bench. Pick the dumbbell off the floor with your feet, securing it in between. With your legs fully extended, bend your knees and slowly bring the dumbbell up towards your buttock. Pause for a moment before bringing it back down to starting position.
Target muscle group: Hamstrings
The dumbbell leg curl is an isolation exercise that helps to strengthen the hamstrings and build stronger thighs.
Bent over dumbbell row

How to do it:
Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing each other. Bend over at a 45-degree angle and inhale. Exhale as you pull the dumbbell towards the side of your chest. Pause for a moment before bringing your arms back down to the starting position.
Target muscle group: Lats, rhomboids, posterior deltoids, traps, biceps
Bent over dumbbell rows helps to improve your spine and targets the upper body, building well-defined shoulders. Other variations of this exercise include doing a single-arm dumbbell row.
Goblet squat

How to do it:
Start by standing with your feet slightly further than shoulder-width apart. Hold a single dumbbell with both hands and in front of your chest. Brace your abs and push your hips back into a squat. Inhale as you are in this position. Exhale and press through your heels to stand back up into the starting position.
Target muscle group: Quads, calves, glutes, abs, forearm, biceps, shoulder
The goblet squat targets the major muscle groups of the lower body and the upper body such as the forearm, biceps, and shoulders to an extent. Essentially, goblet squats are great for a full-body impact.
Dumbbell overhead press

How to do it:
Start by standing upright and keeping the back straight. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and place it at the shoulders, in an overhead grip. Exhale as you raise the weights above your head until your arms are fully extended. Pause for a moment. Inhale as you bring the dumbbells back to the starting position.
Target muscle group: Shoulders
The dumbbell overhead press helps to increase shoulder strength by activating the front deltoid muscle of the shoulders. Other variations of this exercise include the Arnold press and lateral raise.
5-Day Dumbbell Workout Plan
Here is a sample 5-day dumbbell workout plan that is suitable for the beginner level. For this workout, you are required to have dumbbells but if you don’t have any dumbbells lying around, try out our HIIT workout plan instead which doesn’t require any equipment! Download this 5-day dumbbell workout plan workout plan for free and use it as a helpful tool to hang at your workout space for reference.

Workout split overview
The workout plan will follow an upper and lower body split, ensuring that you are training the muscle group twice per week for maximum muscle growth. A well-defined workout structure helps in organizing your routine and achieving your fitness goals.
Day 1: Shoulder and Back
Day 2: Legs and Abs
Day 3: Full body dumbbell workout
Day 4: Chest and Arms
Day 5: Legs and Abs
Workout Schedule
Day 1: Shoulder and Back
- Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
- Dumbbell Bent-Over Rows: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
- Dumbbell Lateral Raises: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
- Dumbbell Reverse Flyes: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
- Single-arm Dumbbell Rows: 3 sets of 8-10 reps per arm
Day 2: Legs and Abs
- Goblet Squats: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
- Dumbbell Lunges: 3 sets of 10 reps per leg
- Romanian Deadlifts: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
- Step-ups: 3 sets of 10 reps per leg
- Russian Twists: 3 sets of 15-20 reps per side
- Dumbbell Side Bends: 3 sets of 12-15 reps per side
Day 3: Full body dumbbell workout
- Dumbbell Squats: 3 sets of 10-12 reps (Legs)
- Bench Press: 3 sets of 10-12 reps (Chest)
- Bent-over Rows: 3 sets of 8-12 reps (Back)
- Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 3 sets of 10-12 reps (Shoulders)
- Bicep Curls: 3 sets of 10-12 reps (Arms)
Day 4: Chest and Arms
- Bench Press: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
- Chest Flyes: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
- Bicep Curls: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
- Tricep Kickbacks: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
- Hammer Curls: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Day 5: Legs and Abs
- Goblet Squats: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
- Dumbbell Lunges: 3 sets of 10 reps per leg
- Romanian Deadlifts: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
- Step-ups: 3 sets of 10 reps per leg
- Russian Twists: 3 sets of 15-20 reps per side
- Dumbbell Side Bends: 3 sets of 12-15 reps per side
You may adjust the exercises or the active recovery days according to your fitness level and comfort.
Structuring Your Routine
A balanced workout plan should feature a variety of exercises that work multiple muscle groups. To achieve a full-body workout, include moves that engage your chest, back, legs, and triceps. Adding isolation exercises can help you focus on specific areas, such as using dumbbell lunges to strengthen your legs or triceps extensions to isolate and target the triceps. By blending compound exercises with isolation movements, you can create a well-rounded routine that supports muscle growth and enhances strength.
Precautions
Be sure to warm up by doing some dynamic stretches before exercising. If you just started working out, you may experience some delayed onset muscle soreness from the first day. Be sure to include enough active recovery days and not over-exert yourself in these strength training sessions.
Conclusion
We hope that this article has given you all the info you need to get out there and begin your dumbbell workout plan. For more resources and tips for bulking up and how to curate your fitness journey, check out the JustFit app!
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Farias, D. A., Willardson, J. M., Paz, G. A., Bezerra, E. S., Miranda, H. (2017) Maximal Strength Performance and Muscle Activation for the Bench Press and Triceps Extension Exercises Adopting Dumbbell, Barbell, and Machine Modalities Over Multiple Sets [online]. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 31(7):p 1879-1887. Available at: https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/fulltext/2017/07000/maximal_strength_performance_and_muscle_activation.15.aspx [Accessed 7 Mar 2024].
Harvard Health Publishing (2024) Strength training builds more than muscles [online]. Available at: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/strength-training-builds-more-than-muscles [Accessed 7 Mar 2024].