Who this is for
- Adults who trained before, have been off for six months or more, and have only dumbbells at home with no bench
- Can fit in three sessions a week, about 35 minutes each
- Prefer two heavier days followed by a lighter third day
Not for
- People recovering from injury, after surgery, or with clear pain or medical restrictions (consult a doctor or rehabilitation professional first)
- Advanced trainees with specific goals such as contest preparation, specialised strength work or a fat-loss push (outside the scope of this first release)
- Minors and people who are pregnant or postpartum (train under professional supervision)
Weekly schedule
Per training day: exercises, sets, reps or seconds, rest and starting load. Load basis comes from the exercise definition and is never mixed.
Day 1 · Full body A (heavy)
5-min warm-up: 2 min easy movement, joint circles, then one light set of the day's first two exercises.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / seconds | Rest | Starting load · basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dumbbell Goblet Squatwithdrawn | 4 | 8–10 reps | 90 s | — Dumbbells combined |
| Dumbbell Floor Presswithdrawn | 4 | 8–10 reps | 90 s | — Per dumbbell |
| One-arm Dumbbell Rowwithdrawn Reps per side | 4 | 8–10 reps | 60 s | — Per dumbbell |
| Plank Holdwithdrawn | 3 | 30 s | 45 s | — Timed |
Cool-down: 2 min easy walk and 20–30 s gentle stretches for the muscles trained.
At least 24 hours between training days (reviewed template rule)
Progression
Returning trainees progress in small steps of sets and load: in week 1 do 1 set fewer than prescribed with a clearly light weight; in week 2 return to the prescribed sets; in weeks 3–4, on exercises where you reach the upper end of the range with good form, move up one dumbbell step and return to the lower end. No kilogram figures are given; go by the weight you can complete with good form now, not before your layoff.
Progression notes are for reading; the system never adds load, sets or changes prescriptions automatically.
FAQ
Keep the first 3 exercises of each day (the large-muscle exercises) with 1 fewer set each, or shorten the rest between sets to the lower end of the prescription; do not merge two days into one.
Switch to a substitute exercise reviewed for this program (such as the dumbbell floor press for the dumbbell bench press, or the standing band row for the one-arm dumbbell row), choose the substitute when logging and note the reason; do not add new, unpractised exercises on the spot.
Continue from the day you missed; do not make up two sessions in one day, just shift the week's schedule. On a 3-day schedule, leave at least 24 hours between sessions and avoid three days in a row.
General muscle soreness in the 1–2 days after starting a new program or increasing load is common and usually eases within a few days. If you have joint pain, sharp pain, swelling, or soreness that keeps getting worse, stop training and consult a professional; the content on this site does not replace medical advice.
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