Dumbbell Strength Starter (3 day)

Strength with dumbbells only: fives and sixes on the big dumbbell lifts, going up a pair each session while the reps hold. For a home gym with a decent set of dumbbells and a bench.

  • Beginner
  • 3 days a week
  • About 40 min
  • Dumbbells
  • Get stronger

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Free in Platesmith. Start this program in the app and it fills in your weights, times your rests and moves the weight up for you. No subscription needed for any program.

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How it progresses

The first barbell lifts each day go up a little every session while every set hits its reps. The other exercises work up a rep range, then add weight. The 2 workouts rotate across your 3 training days, so each week starts where the last one finished.

The workouts

Every exercise can be swapped in the app for one that works the same muscles, so missing equipment never stops you.

Day A

ExerciseSets × reps
Goblet Squat3 × 5-6
Dumbbell Bench Press3 × 5-6
Single-Arm Dumbbell Row3 × 6-8
Farmer's Carry3 × 30-45s

Day B

ExerciseSets × reps
Dumbbell RDL3 × 6-8
Standing Dumbbell Press3 × 5-6
DB Bulgarian Split Squat3 × 6-8
Plank3 × 30-60s

Similar programs

General guidance, not medical advice. Start lighter than you think, and check with a doctor first if you have a health condition or injury.