Workout Summary
- Main GoalBuild Muscle
- Workout TypeSplit
- Training LevelIntermediate
- Program Duration12 weeks
- Days Per Week6
- Time Per Workout45-70 minutes
- Equipment RequiredDumbbells
- Target Gender Male & Female
- Recommended Supps
- Workout PDF Download Workout
Workout Description
We cap off our dumbbell only workout series with a 6 day workout split that utilizes nothing but dumbbells.
This workout is perfect for anyone who works out at home in their home gym, travels frequently and needs a go-to program they can do in limited hotel gyms, or anyone out there who prefers training with dumbbells over other implements.
This is the final program in this particular series. Each program was written as a progression from the previous program. The main form of progression being increasing the total volume of your workouts by increasing the number of training days each week.
Prior to performing this program, it is recommended to go through the following phases:
- 3 Day Dumbbell Only Full Body Workout
- 4 Day Dumbbell Only Upper/Lower Workout
- 5 Day Dumbbell Only Workout Split
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6 Day Dumbbell Workout Split Overview
This workout can be performed for up to 12 weeks.
It follows a push/pull/legs workout scheme. As a result, you’ll train each muscle group at least twice per week. Some supporting muscle groups (especially the back and shoulders) are indirectly targeted even more than that.
The program is void of any ab work and cardio work. However, both can be easily added at a frequency that aligns with your goals.
The main goal of the program is to help you build lean muscle mass. It can also be used for those with fat loss goals as well. Both goals will heavily rely on whether or not you’re currently eating in a calorie surplus or deficit at the time of performing the workouts.
Keep rest periods between 45-60 seconds when performing each workout.
When selecting a weight, choose a weight that is challenging for each exercise. You should feel as though you have just 1 more rep left in the tank upon completing each set.
After you’ve finished this workout program’s recommended duration, you’re more than welcome to continue on with it if you are enjoying it and still seeing results from it. Alternatively, you can cycle through the other workouts in the series, attempting to get stronger at the lifts each time you perform them.
Day 1: Push Dumbbell Workout A
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Dumbbell Bench Press | 5 | 8-12 |
| Decline Dumbbell Bench Press | 3 | 8-12 |
| Dumbbell Floor Press | 3 | 8-12 |
| Seated Dumbbell Press | 4 | 8-12 |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 3 | 8-12 |
| Dumbbell Tricep Overhead Extension | 3 | 8-12 |
Day 2: Pull Dumbbell Workout A
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Dumbbell Bent Over Row | 4 | 8-12 |
| Chest Supported Dumbbell Row | 4 | 8-12 |
| Dumbbell Pull Over | 3 | 10-15 |
| Rear Delt Fly | 3 | 10-15 |
| Dumbbell Bicep Curl | 3 | 12-15 |
| Zottman Curl | 3 | 12-15 |
Day 3: Leg Dumbbell Workout A
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Dumbbell Squat | 4 | 8-12 |
| Dumbbell Stiff Leg Deadlift | 4 | 8-12 |
| Dumbbell Goblet Squat | 4 | 8-12 |
| Dumbbell Hip Thrust | 4 | 8-12 |
| Dumbbell Calf Raise | 4 | 15-20 |
Day 4: Push Dumbbell Workout B
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Dumbbell Incline Bench Press | 5 | 8-12 |
| Dumbbell Chest Fly | 3 | 8-12 |
| Standing Dumbbell Press | 4 | 8-12 |
| Arnold Press | 3 | 8-12 |
| Lateral Raise | 3 | 8-12 |
| Dumbbell Skullcrusher | 3 | 8-12 |
Day 5: Pull Dumbbell Workout B
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| One Arm Dumbbell Row | 5 | 8-12 |
| Reverse Grip Dumbbell Row | 4 | 8-12 |
| Dumbbell Pullover | 4 | 8-12 |
| Dumbbell Hammer Curl | 3 | 10-15 |
| Reverse Curl | 3 | 10-15 |
Day 6: Leg Dumbbell Workout B
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Dumbbell Deadlift | 4 | 8-12 |
| Dumbbell Split Squat | 4 | 8-12 Each |
| Dumbbell Goblet Squat | 3 | 8-12 |
| Dumbbell Hip Thrust | 3 | 10-15 |
| Dumbbell Calf Raise | 4 | 20 |
If you have any questions about this 6 day dumbbell only workout program, please feel free to ask away in the comments section below!
597 Comments
Hello, I’ve been following your program for 2.5 years now and have notice gains. However I’ve seem to have gotten to the point of plateauing. I’ve been switching it up between 5 days and 6 days workout. I can progressive overload very slowly for the first 2 or 3 compound exercises but I can’t seem to progressive overload on the last 2 or 3 isolated exercises because I’m giving it all I have to progressive overload on the compound exercises. Is this normal? Thanks in advance for the awesome program.
That is normal to plateau and see this issue come up, Dameon. It may be time for a new program. Check this out and see if any of them interest you.
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/how-to-choose-your-next-train...
Hi,
I have more time on Wednesdays, and less time on the weekends, could I fit another session in one day? That make the weekly program look something like the following:
Mony: Push A
Tue: Pull A
Wed: Leg A (morning), Push B (evening)
Thu: Pull B
Fri: Leg B
Sat/Sun: Light cardio sessions
Thanks for coming up with this awesome program!
Taking one complete day off is recommended. So, if you took off Saturday or Sunday as a complete rest day, I would give this a thumbs up.
I've been using this workout for a while and the results are fantastic. I've recently invested in an Inspire FT2 functional trainer. Do you have a similar split that incorporates more cable exercises?
I don't think we do, but that is not a bad idea, Aiden. I will make a pitch to my editor.
hi, wanted to ask 2 questions.
1- what is the reason for 5 sets at the begging of push a push b and pull b?
2- what do you mean by 8-12 EACH on dumbbell split squat
Can't explain the higher sets at the beginning, Adam. Perhaps the author felt the extra volume would help or it is counting warmup sets.
8-12 each means each leg.
This looks great, thank you! I apologize if this has already been asked, but I currently only have a flat bench. If i'm already doing bent over rows, what would a good sub be for the chest supported rows? Wide bent over row, etc?
Wide rows could be a good alternative, Cole. That would actually be my choice. Thanks for reading M&S!
Its a good workout!!.I hope maybe you can make a dumbell workout plan without a bench.
Hi, Joe. We have one in the works because we realized that it was needed.
In the meantime, use the floor for flat exercises, and you can lie on a stack of pillows or blankets to elevate your shoulders for incline. Not perfect, but it beats nothing. Hope this helps!
Is it ok to change the rep ranges to include some possible more strength? I.E instead of 8-12, 6-8? And could we replace some of the dumbbell exercises with barbell ones if we have it?
Yes and Yes, John.
How much rest per set on each excersise?
Is it different for every excersise?
60 seconds for all exercises. Hope this helps!
Also, is there a Dumbbell Pullover alternative? Thanks.
If you're using dumbbell only, not really. Got any other equipment besides dumbbells, or can you do pullups?
When doing these dumbbells only workouts should we do all the sets of one exercise before moving to the next exercise, or should we do one set of all of the exercises, then start back at exercise one and do another set of all until completion?
Most readers should do all sets of one exercise before moving on to the next. If you're advanced in training, then you could do the style that you described. Those are called circuits. Hope this helps!
Week 9 of the 6 day dumbbell workout and looking for the next workout to continue the body building dumbbell workouts. I started at 3 day, then 4, then 5 and now completing the six day. How do I mix this up and maintain the effectiveness? I have seen massive improvements and want to continue. Excellent programs!
I would suggest taking parts of all four workouts and combining them to make your own. That will work for a while. Eventually, I do suggest adding some other form of equipment into the equation, even if it's bands. You will need some new form of challenge eventually,
Hello. I want to include some grip training. I did the 5 day dumbbell split and find that my grip is super weak and it's impacting some of my lifts. Can you please recommend some grip training exercises and what days I should plug them in/where in the workout?
Take your heaviest dumbbells and do a standing hold with them for as long as possible. Once you reach failure or 60 seconds, take a tennis ball in each hand and squeeze them repeatedly until failure. Do this at the end of every workout, and you will see grip improvement in a few weeks.
How about abs. When do I introduce ab exercise in this workout?
Plug them in on any day you wish, Gabi. Here are several programs to choose from that can work along with this training program.
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/abs
First off thank you for these workouts! I have been alternating between the 5 day split and 6 day PPL for about 18 months and have seen some good results. I have a general question about training. I gained about 15 lbs and looked noticeably bigger since starting training, so I started reducing my calories in January to burn off some fat. I have taken about 10 lbs off but honestly, I look a lot smaller but definitely more toned. I'm back down to about 15% body fat and want to start putting on more muscle again. Is this the right approach? Should I keep following this rhythm of putting on weight and then cutting it again when I hit about 17-18% body fat or should I spend more time building muscle? I'm 44, male and a hard gainer. I have typically been cutting the cardio during bulking and then adding it during cutting phases but I intend to keep up a few days of cardio during the next phase of bulking. I just feel better generally with some cardio thrown in. Any advice is appreciated.
Hi, Ben. It's actually a good rhythm. The only thing I suggest is after your next build program, you focus on getting down to 13 or even 12% bodyfat. Every time you take that turn to get leaner, shoot to get that percentage down a little lower. Other than that, I think you have a solid plan. Hope this helps!
Ben, the website won't allow me to approve comments with external links. So, I am pasting part of your question here and answering it.
it comes back with 12-13% BF but I have a Renpho 'smart' scale that puts me at 15%. The smart scale seems to vary too much day to day to be accurate but would taking an average of these numbers seem like a good approach? Or is one method more likely to be reflective of actual body fat percentage? Thank you again for taking the time to respond and for the great workouts.
I would suggest picking one and sticking to it. Doing multiple calculators is like multiple scales in different places. Very hard to get a concise and clear number. I personally would use the scale since it said 15% and use that as motivation to get it down to 13. But, if you trust the links you shared more, then go with what you trust.
Is it okay for a beginner to start with this program, or wouldn’t it really benefit compared to the 3 day split for example? I have a lot of spare time in the coming few months, and want to gain as much muscle asap (trying to bulk).
Hey Thomas, I would suggest starting with the 3-day, but work your way up to the six day within a couple of weeks if you can handle it. Also, eat big so you can get big. Good luck, and thanks for reading M&S!
Is this a good workout for aesthtics? Will I achieve a v taper in 3 months or will it take longer, I have average genetics
This is a good one for aesthetics. There is no way I can predict how you will look precisely, but I can say that with a proper nutrition plan, recovery, and giving your best effort to this, then you will at least be closer to those goals in three months.
Hi, I’m just curious if this work out is good for fat loss and muscle building? I’m 5’ 9” and weigh 208lbs I’ve already lost 80lbs from diet but now I want to get in shape and build muscle and lose another 25lbs. Also, how much rest between sets and exercises? Thank you so much!
I can't promise it will do both at a very high rate, but you could notice some muscle building as well as fat loss, Jordan. Rest time should be around 90 seconds between sets and exercises. Hope this helps, and thanks for reading M&S!
Hey, I was using this split for a little while and I had a few questions. If I continued with this split, how long would it take me to raise my 135 bench to 225? Also, if I had access to a commercial gym, what routine should I use that can replace this? Finally, will this split be only focused on size, or will this help build strength as well? Thanks a lot!
You're likely looking at a long time to get from 135 to 225 on this plan, to be honest. This is more for size and overall shape than strength. If you go to a commercial gym and are focusing on bench, we have quite a few bench programs here on M&S to consider. Here's one that can get you moving forward.
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/8-week-bench-press-builder
Hi, I was wondering if it is equally okay to do the first set of PPL, rest, then do the second set of PPL and rest again? rather than 6 days straight workout then 1 day of rest?
If you're wanting to do all three days in one workout, then take a day off, that is going to be a lot of volume and time in one day you're committing to. Am I understanding your intent correctly?
Got it! That should be okay if you've been training for a while. If you're new to working out, you may need that day off after three days.
Ah sorry, I should have worded it better - I was wondering if I should do all 6 PPL workouts monday-saturday then rest on Sunday, or do push day A, pull day A, leg day A, then have a rest day?
I noticed that from recovery point of view I can train 3 days in a row and then I require a rest day. Which program would you recommend? This (completed over 8 days) or the 5-day dumbbell workout?
If getting bigger is your goal, then go with the five day. If you want to get leaner, take on the six. Hope this helps.
Thanks. I'll go with the 6 Day in that case. Because PPL gives me better focus. I'll go with your suggestion in other comment (one rest day after a cycle till I can build stamina for 6 consecutive days).
Would this be a good program to follow to fix skinny fat? Also to fix skinny fat would I want to be in a cut/maintenance/bulk?
Shoot for cut first, but yes, this program will help you. Keep the protein high so you can feed those muscles.
I am begginer and I am skinny fat. Can i start with this workout plan & can I take one day break after after every 3 days. Like 1st Day Push, 2nd Pull, 3rd Leg and then 4th day break. Again starts from 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th day break?? Thanks
I would suggest starting by training every other day for the first couple of weeks. Then, training two days in a row before taking a day off for a couple of weeks, then if you feel capable, upping it to three in a row. So, a sample schedule may look like this.
Weeks 1 and 2 - Every other day
Weeks 3 and 4 - Two days on, one day off.
Beyond that (if you can) - Three days on, one day off.
Hope this helps.
I want to know if this workout on its own is enough for me to cut or if I need to add anything else. Is there anything I need to add to this routine for it to be best?
If all you have is dumbbells, then you can do this along with a cardio program and eat properly to get results. If you can train at a gym or with more equipment, then that would be the preferred route. Hope this helps.