2 VARIANTS

Plans

Full Body 3 days/week ~42 min–1h 4min

Dumbbell Foundation

A straightforward full-body plan for three training days per week, using the same session each day. You need dumbbells and a stable bench. Compact contains five core exercises; Standard adds a second row plus work for the side delts, abs, and calves. Every dumbbell exercise uses double progression.

Who is this plan for?

Beginners and returning trainees who want to train the full body three times per week
Trainees with dumbbells and a stable bench, but no barbell or rack
Anyone who wants to repeat a small exercise selection and progress it consistently
Trainees who want a choice between a compact and a longer session

How it works

Five core exercises: The dumbbell goblet squat, Romanian deadlift, bench press, one-arm bent-over row, and seated shoulder press make up every session.
Progress the core exercises: Each core exercise starts at 3×8. After every successful session, the rep target increases by one until 12; the load then increases by 2 kg/4 lb and the target resets to 8.
Standard accessories: Incline rows (2×10–12, 2 kg/4 lb steps), lateral raises (2×12–15, 1 kg/2 lb steps), and standing calf raises (3×12–20, 2 kg/4 lb steps), all with dumbbells. Compact ends after the five core exercises.
Ab progression: The crunch (hands overhead) starts at 2×15. After every successful session, the target increases by one rep; external load is not used.
After repeated misses: For each dumbbell exercise, two unsuccessful sessions in a row reduce the load by 10% and reset the target to the lower end of its rep range. For the crunch, three unsuccessful sessions in a row reduce the target by two reps.

Pros & Limitations

+ The identical daily structure makes progress easy to compare

+ A squat, hip hinge, presses, and a row are included in every session

+ Compact and Standard keep the same core exercises and progression rules

− No vertical pulling movement is included

− The prescribed exercise selection requires a stable bench

− Available dumbbell load may limit long-term lower-body progression

Muscles trained

Avg. hits per week · Primary 1.0 · Secondary 0.5

Front

Back

Upper Back

Front Delts

13.5

Side Delts

10.5

Quads

Glutes

Hamstrings

Chest

Triceps

Calves

Biceps

7.5

Lats

7.5

Rear Delts

7.5

Core

Adductors

4.5

Lower Back

4.5

Forearms

4.5

Upper Traps

4.5

Variant

Plan Structure

Day 1

9 exercises · 24 sets · ~1h 4min

dumbbell goblet squat

Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 8–12 repsRest 2 min

3 × 8

sets × reps

dumbbell romanian deadlift

Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 8–12 repsRest 2 min

3 × 8

sets × reps

dumbbell bench press

Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 8–12 repsRest 90 sec

3 × 8

sets × reps

dumbbell one arm bent-over row

Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 8–12 repsRest 90 sec

3 × 8

sets × reps

dumbbell seated shoulder press

Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 8–12 repsRest 90 sec

3 × 8

sets × reps

dumbbell incline row

Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 10–12 repsRest 90 sec

2 × 10

sets × reps

dumbbell lateral raise

Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 12–15 repsRest 60 sec

2 × 12

sets × reps

crunch (hands overhead)

Rep ProgressionRest 60 sec

2 × 15

sets × reps

dumbbell standing calf raise

Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 12–20 repsRest 60 sec

3 × 12

sets × reps