6 Week Beginners Dumbbell Workout Plan

Dumbbells are up there with the best exercise equipment there is. No matter your fitness goals, dumbbells can help you get there... with the right dumbbell workout plan, of course. We’ve put together a 6 week dumbbell workout plan for beginners, helping you to get fitter and stronger. Let's go.

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Want to move fast? Jump to the right section below.

1. Why Dumbbells?
2. The Workout Structure
3. The Dumbbell Workout Plan
4. Sign up for discount and more content!

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Why Dumbbells?

Dumbbells are one of the most versatile pieces of home gym equipment. They follow your body’s natural path of motion, which means you can exercise in a way that works for you. Dumbbells will improve your strength, balance and coordination at the same time, making them seriously effective.

Dumbbells can be used for a variety of movements. Common exercises include bicep curls, tricep extensions, chest presses, lateral raises, reverse flyes and upright rows. They can also be used to target the lower body, with exercises such as squats and lunges. Or why not introduce dumbbells to your ab workout for a bigger burn?

Most dumbbells are made from cast iron or stainless steel with a coating. Some have additional features like a triangular of hexagonal head shape. They will either be fixed or adjustable; fixed weights come in pairs between 1kg and 10kg, and are a great piece of equipment for beginners. But if you plan to use a variety of weights, adjustable dumbbells could be more cost effective.

So should you choose light or heavy dumbbells? Lighter dumbbells are great for compound movements and improving coordination between different parts of your body. Meanwhile, heavier dumbbells will activate one specific muscle or muscle group, giving you a more intense workout. It all comes down to your goals and preferred workout style.

As a starting point, take a look at our workout plan for beginners using dumbbells. We recommending starting out with a lighter set of dumbbells so you can perfect your technique. Once you've got to grips with this plan, you can decide if it's time to level up with heavier weights!

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The Workout Structure

This dumbbell workout plan is structured with the push-pull legs split in mind. That's the case for a lot of workout plans, as it's one of the single most effective ways to hit all of the necessary muscle groups, maximising progress in the minimum time period.

For a quick break down, there are three different workouts for each type of workout, spanning over the course of six weeks. That’s three-push, three pull and three leg workouts. They tend to advance every two weeks to keep you on your toes and encourage as much progress as possible. Once the six weeks are up, change up the weights and go again. This workout grows with you!

The Dumbbell Workout Plan

The exercises in this dumbbell workout plan change every two weeks for maximum progress. They get a little harder each time!

Click on the exercise for a video demonstration!

Pull

Muscle group	Exercise	Reps	Rest
Week 1 & 2
Back	Single Arm Rows	3x10	45 Seconds
	Dumbbell Deadlift	3x10	45 Seconds
	Shrugs	3x10	45 Seconds
Biceps	Hammer Curl	3x10	45 Seconds
	Standard Curls	3x10	45 Seconds
Week 3 & 4
Back	Bent Row	3x10	45 Seconds
	Dumbbell Deadlift	3x10	45 Seconds
	Rear Delt Flyes	3x10	45 Seconds
	Farmers Walk	3x10	45 Seconds
Biceps	Hammer Curl	3x10	45 Seconds
	Concentration Curl	3x10	45 Seconds
Week 5 & 6
Back	Renegade Rows	3x10	45 Seconds
	Dumbbell Deadlift	3x10	45 Seconds
	Farmers Walk	3x10	45 Seconds
	Rear Delt Rows	3x10	45 Seconds
Biceps	Hammer Curl	3x10	45 Seconds
	Concentration Curls	3x10	45 Seconds

Push

Muscle group	Exercise	Reps	Rest
Week 1 & 2
Chest	Chest Press	4x12	45 Seconds
	Dumbbell Flyes	4x12	45 Seconds
	Straight Arm Pullover	4x12	45 Seconds
Shoulders	Shoulder Press	4x12	45 Seconds
	Front Raise	4x12	45 Seconds
	Lateral Raise	4x12	45 Seconds
Triceps	Overhead Extensions	4x12	45 Seconds
	Close Grip Bench	4x12	45 Seconds
Week 3 & 4
Chest	Decline Bench Press	4x12	45 Seconds
	Incline Bench Press	4x12	45 Seconds
	Flyes	4x12	45 Seconds
	Incline Flyes	4x12	45 Seconds
Shoulders	Shoulder Press	4x12	45 Seconds
	Front Raise	4x12	45 Seconds
	Lateral Raise	4x12	45 Seconds
Triceps	Mule Kicks/Kickbacks	4x12	45 Seconds
	Close Grip Bench	4x12	45 Seconds
Week 5 & 6
Chest	Decline Bench Press	4x12	45 Seconds
	Incline Bench Press	4x12	45 Seconds
	Flyes	4x12	45 Seconds
	Pullovers	4x12	45 Seconds
Shoulders	Arnold Press	4x12	45 Seconds
	Front Raise	4x12	45 Seconds
	Lateral Raise	4x12	45 Seconds
Triceps	Skull Crushers	4x12	45 Seconds
	Close Grip Bench	4x12	45 Seconds

Legs

	Exercise	Reps	Rest
Week 1 & 2
	Goblet Squats	4x12	45 Seconds
	Deadlifts	4x12	45 Seconds
	Lunges	4x12	45 Seconds
	Lateral Lunges	4x12	45 Seconds
	Calf Raises	4x12	45 Seconds
Week 3 & 4
	Goblet Squats	4x12	45 Seconds
	Single-Leg Deadlifts	4x12	45 Seconds
	Reverse Lunges	4x12	45 Seconds
	Lateral Lunges	4x12	45 Seconds
	Seated Calf Raises	4x12	45 Seconds
Week 5 & 6
	Split Squats	4x12	45 Seconds
	Single-Leg Deadlifts	4x12	45 Seconds
	Lunges W/ Pass	4x12	45 Seconds
	Lateral Lunges	4x12	45 Seconds
	Seated Calf Raises	4x12	45 Seconds

Find the full exercise playlist here:

Download the plan here:

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Before beginning any exercise or nutrition program, consult your physician, doctor or other professional. This is especially important for individuals over the age of 35 or persons with pre-existing health problems. Exercise.co.uk assumes no responsibility for personal injury or property damage sustained using our advice.

If you experience dizziness, nausea, chest pain, or any other abnormal symptoms, stop the workout at once and consult a physician or doctor immediately.