Simple But Effective Home Dumbbell Workout

“Here’s A Quick And Easy Dumbbell Workout You Can Do Right At Home”

Welcome to building muscle 101's home dumbbell workout routine.

Sometimes, you just can't make the gym.

Other times, the only weights you have are just dumbbells. I know because there was a time when all I had at my disposable was two dumbbells and some plastic weights.

I remember getting the two pairs of dumbbells for Christmas and it was one of the best presents I ever got.

Not that the two dumbbells were anything special, but it was the potential that those two dumbbells represented. They represented growth and power which represented respect on and off the ice (I loved hockey!).

I vividly remember my home set up. I had two dumbbells with about 80 pounds of plastic (cement filled) weight. My room was small and awkward but nonetheless, I made room for my workout space. If I remember correctly, the dumbbells were from York and at that time, they came with a workout plan from beginner to advanced. The dumbbell workout plans came in poster size so you could paste them up on your wall. I enthusiastically put up the posters, side by side with the Arnold posters and followed the dumbbell programs day in and day out for months. Want to know something? I got stronger and built some muscle.

Now, it wasn't super growth because I had no idea about nutrition or how to “properly” train. However, for a 15 year old, it was pretty good. I got stronger, more so than a lot of my peers and got closer to my goal of making the starting line up for my local hockey team (which I did). Anyways, the point I'm trying to make is that you don't need any fancy equipment or a gym in order to get stronger and build muscle. All you need is some weight, dedication, motivation, and a willingness to learn.

So, I’m going to provide you with a home dumbbell workout routine that you can perform two times per week and it should provide you with the results your looking for. This dumbbell workout routine is a basic one, however, if you're looking for something a little more advanced, try going to this dumbbell workout routine for a more challenging dumbbell routine.

I’m going to assume that you have access to a simple, adjustable bench in order to perform some of the dumbbell exercises. With that in mind, let’s get started with the home dumbbell workout routine.

First off, the workout is a full body routine and should be performed two times per week. Try doing the routine on Monday’s and Thursday’s, this way you can get the maximum amount of rest in between each weight training session. I suggest you do this dumbbell workout for at least 2 months before changing things up. Of course, if you feel you need to substitute some dumbbell exercises, or to add one or more exercises, be my guest.

The first thing you need to do is warm up. If you have access to some sort of aerobic equipment such as an exercise bike, or treadmill, try doing a light warm up for about 5 minutes. Now, don’t go overboard here because all you want to do is get the blood flowing. If you don’t have access to any aerobic exercise equipment, try jogging on the spot for 3 to 5 minutes - That should do the trick, or use a skipping rope. I'll do about 3 sets of 50 to 100 to get the blood flowing. Of course, this depends on your fitness levels. If you're just starting out, try doing a couple of sets of 20. Once you’ve completed the warm up, it’s time to do the home dumbbell workout routine. Here are the dumbbell exercises:

Exercise # 1 - The Dumbbell Dead Lift

Exercise # 2 - The Flat Bench Dumbbell Press

Exercise # 3 - The Dumbbell Pull Over

Exercise # 4 - The Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press

Exercise # 5 - The Single Arm Dumbbell Row

Exercise # 6 - The Seated Alternate Dumbbell Curl

Exercise # 7 - The Seated Triceps Dumbbell Extension

Exercise # 8 - The Dumbbell Squat

Exercise # 9 - Ab Crunches

Warm up: 1 set of 15 repetitions
3 sets of 12 repetitions

Rest about 30 to 40 seconds in between each set. Once you've completed the exercise, go to:

Warm up: 1 x 15 repetitions;
3 sets of 10 repetitions

Rest about 30 seconds in between each set. Once you've completed the exercise, go to:

Warm up: 1 x 15 repetitions;
2 sets of 12 repetitions

Since this exercise is more about control, I'd say to rest about 40 seconds in between each set. Once you've completed the exercise, go to:

Warm up: 1 x 15 repetitions;
3 sets of 12 repetitions

Rest about 40 to 50 seconds in between each set. Once you've completed the exercise, go to:

Warm up: 1 x 15 repetitions;
3 sets of 12 repetitions

Rest about 30 seconds or so in between each set. It's important to not that you should only proceed to do another set once your muscle is fully recovered. If it still feels sore or tired, rest another 20 seconds before attempting the next set. Once you've completed the exercise, go to:

Warm up: 1 x 20 repetitions;
3 sets of 12 repetitions

Rest about 40 seconds in between each set. Once you've completed the exercise, go to:

Warm up: 1 x 15 repetitions;
3 sets of 12 repetitions

Rest about 30 to 40 seconds in between each set. Once you've completed the exercise, go to:

Warm up: 1 x 20 repetitions;
3 sets of 12 repetitions

Rest about 40 to 60 seconds in between each set. Once you've completed the exercise, go to:

3 sets of 20 repetitions

There you have it, a home dumbbell workout routine that you can perform 2 times per week. I want to say that if you are looking for a more detailed resource on dumbbell exercises and routine, please check Mike Westerdal’s book called dumbbell routines. You can see the book here.

All the best,

Blake