Whether you are new to training or a seasoned veteran using dumbbells in your training program is an absolute must. Training with dumbbells provides a variety of advantages. You are able to isolate and work on specific muscle groups more than with a barbell. The variety of exercises that you can perform is far superior to using machines or barbells.
Perhaps one of the most significant benefits to dumbbell training is that you have to control two independent implements rather than controlling a barbell with both arms simultaneously. This makes dumbbell training a more complex motor activity when performing many exercises.
Because you are working with two independent implements, you have the opportunity to perform either alternating movements (e.g., alternating bench press, with one arm pressing a dumbbell up while the opposite arm is lowering a dumbbell) or single-arm movements (e.g., one-arm bench press, doing all the repetitions with the same arm). For many athletes, alternating-arm exercises and single-arm exercises provide a more sport-specific way to train because many activities in sports involve single-arm movements (e.g., throwing a punch, spiking a volleyball, swinging a racket) rather than both arms moving simultaneously through the same movement pattern.
Now that I have explained why I like using dumbbells in my training route, let’s get onto why total body workouts are an absolute must for muscle growth/stimulation and fat loss.
One of the key factors I like most about total body workouts is that you get to train each body part multiple times a week and that you can keep your workout intensity high. Most people don’t have the luxury of being able to hit the gym 5-7 days a week or may they do a lot of traveling and don’t have access to a big gym. Hotel gyms are generally not very equipt so being able to do a full body workout with dumbells can be the magic ingredient into keeping in tip-top shape while traveling.
If you are going to the gym your goal has to be to put on lean muscle mass. The more muscle you have the easier fat loss is, with that being said you do not need to have huge muscles just have lean muscle mass for your body type. In order to put on lean muscle mass, the amount of testosterone you have flowing through your body is really going to make a significant difference. The higher the levels of testosterone you have in your body, the faster you’re going to be able to build muscle-mass tissue.
The fact that this program gets you training every muscle group 3 times a week will fire a lot more testosterone around your body and will get your metabolism firing on all cylinders. Leg and back exercises especially are known for this being the larger muscle groups, and in a full body workout, you will have at least 1-2 exercise per workout.
You could perform this program on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. This will give your body enough rest to recover in between workouts. On Tuesday and Thursday, you could throw in some cardio and abs. LISS on one day and HIIT on the other day.
Be sure to track your rest periods during your workouts. The rest time in between sets for this program should be between 30-60 seconds.
Day 1
Exercise | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
1. Dumbbell Squat | 3 | 15,12,10 |
2. Dumbbell Stiff Legged Deadlift | 3 | 15,12,10 |
3. Bent Over Dumbbell Row | 3 | 15,12,10 |
4. Dumbbell Bench Press | 3 | 15,12,10 |
5. Lateral Raises | 3 | 15,12, 10 |
6. Standing Dumbbell Curl | 3 | 15,12,10 |
7. Lying Dumbbell Extension | 3 | 15,12,10 |
Day 2
Exercise | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
1. Dumbbell Lunge | 3 | 15,12,10 |
2. Dumbbell Hamstring Curl | 3 | 15,12,10 |
3. Dumbbell Deadlift | 3 | 15,12,10 |
4. Dumbbell Military Press | 3 | 15,12,10 |
5. Dumbbell Flys | 3 | 15,12, 10 |
6. Hammer Curl | 3 | 15,12, 10 |
7. Seated Dumbbell Extension | 3 | 15,12, 10 |
Day 3
Exercise | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
1. Dumbbell Step Up | 3 | 15,12,10 |
2. Dumbbell Stiff Legged Deadlift | 3 | 15,12,10 |
3. One Arm Dumbbell Row | 3 | 15,12,10 |
4. Reverse Grip Dumbbell Press | 3 | 15,12,10 |
5. Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly | 3 | 15,12, 10 |
6.Close Grip Dumbbell Press | 3 | 15,12, 10 |