FitBuddyDumbbell Home Workout: A 3-Day Full Body Plan
A pair of dumbbells and some floor space are enough to train seriously at home. Dumbbells let you raise the load gradually, which is hard to do with body weight alone. Below is a plan of three full body workouts a week.
Who this program is for
Beginners and people returning to training who have at least one pair of dumbbells at home. Adjustable dumbbells with plates are ideal because you can change the weight in small steps. No bench is needed: the pressing is done lying on the floor.
The weekly schedule
Three sessions a week with a rest day between them, for example Monday, Wednesday and Friday, cycling through A, B and C. Rest between sets is 60 seconds in every exercise.
Day A
- Dumbbell Squat: 3×12
- Dumbbell Floor Press: 3×10
- Dumbbell Bent-Over Row: 3×10
- Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 3×10
- Front Plank: 3×30 s
Day B
- Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift: 3×10
- Push-Up: 3×8
- One-Arm Dumbbell Row: 3×10
- Dumbbell Lateral Raise: 2×12
- Dumbbell Biceps Curl: 2×12
- Superman Hold: 2×20 s
Day C
- Dumbbell Lunge: 3×10
- Dumbbell Floor Press: 3×12
- Dumbbell Reverse Fly: 3×12
- Overhead Dumbbell Triceps Extension: 2×12
- Dumbbell Calf Raise: 3×15
- Side Plank: 2×20 s
Warm up for 5 minutes: marching in place, circles with the shoulders and hips, and one or two light sets of the first exercise.
Choosing the weight
Pick dumbbells that make the last 2–3 reps of a set hard while you still control the movement. Legs (squats, Romanian deadlifts, lunges) need heavier dumbbells than shoulders and arms. If you have only one pair, adjust the difficulty with tempo and pauses: lower more slowly and hold for a second at the bottom.
Progression
Use double progression. The listed rep count is the bottom of a range. For the floor press, the range might be 10–12. When you reach the top of the range in every set with clean form, move up by 1–2 kg next time and start again at the bottom. If you have no heavier dumbbells, make the exercise harder in other ways: slow the lowering phase, add a pause or add 2–3 reps. For planks and Superman holds just add 5 seconds.
Technique notes for the main lifts
Dumbbell squat. Hold the dumbbells at your shoulders, or one in each hand at your sides. Feet shoulder-width apart, toes turned out slightly. Hips go back and down, knees track over the toes, back stays neutral. Stand up through the whole foot.
Dumbbell floor press. Lie on your back with your knees bent. Lower the dumbbells until your elbows touch the floor, pause briefly and press up. The floor limits the range of motion, which keeps your shoulders in a safer position. Elbows stay at roughly 45° to your torso.
Bent-over row. Hinge forward with a flat back and soft knees. Pull the dumbbells toward your lower stomach, driving the elbows back and squeezing the shoulder blades together. Do not swing your torso. For the one-arm row, brace your free hand on a chair or sofa and pull toward your waist.
Standing shoulder press. Brace your core and squeeze your glutes so your lower back does not arch. Press the dumbbells up and slightly inward until your arms are straight. If your lower back arches, reduce the weight.
Romanian deadlift. Soft knees; the movement comes from pushing the hips back. The dumbbells slide along your thighs and your back stays flat. Lower until you feel a stretch in the back of your thighs, and no further than you can keep your back flat.
Lunge. Step far enough that both knees bend to roughly a right angle. Torso upright, front heel down. Do all reps on one leg and switch, or alternate legs.
Logging the workouts in FitBuddy
With dumbbells it is easy to forget what you lifted last time. In FitBuddy’s workout log, create a workout manually, set the location to home, add exercises from the library and record the weight and reps of each set. The rest timer (60 seconds by default) sends a notification when the break is over, and library exercises come with a video or animation and instructions. Workout history and per-exercise progress with personal records show when it is time to move to heavier dumbbells.
Final note
A single pair of dumbbells and three sessions a week are enough to move forward slowly but steadily. This article is not a substitute for medical advice or a qualified coach. If you have an injury or a health condition, talk to a professional first.
The program card is below.