Day 1: Push
about 50 min| Exercise | Sets | Reps | RPE | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dumbbell Bench Press | 4 | 8-12 | 8 | 2.5 min |
| Dumbbell Overhead Press | 4 | 8-12 | 8 | 2.5 min |
| Dumbbell Fly | 4 | 12-20 | 9 | 75s |
| Lateral Raise | 4 | 12-20 | 9 | 75s |
| Dumbbell Close-Grip Press | 4 | 8-12 | 8 | 2.5 min |
Dumbbell Push Pull Legs Workout Plan
A six-day push, pull, legs week built from a pair of dumbbells and an adjustable bench, with every set, rep range and rest written out.
- Workouts / week
- 6
- Per workout
- 20-50 min
- Level
- Advanced
Equipment: Dumbbells and an adjustable bench
The workouts
Built by the same generator a MuscleBuddy account uses, for exactly this equipment.
Day 2: Legs
about 38 min| Exercise | Sets | Reps | RPE | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goblet Squat | 4 | 10-15 | 8 | 2.5 min |
| Seated Calf Raise | 4 | 12-20 | 9 | 75s |
| Crunch | 4 | 15-25 | 9 | 75s |
| Bulgarian Split Squat | 4 | 8-12 | 8 | 2.5 min |
Day 3: Pull
about 39 min| Exercise | Sets | Reps | RPE | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dumbbell Row | 4 | 8-12 | 8 | 2.5 min |
| Dumbbell Pullover | 4 | 12-20 | 9 | 75s |
| Dumbbell Curl | 4 | 10-15 | 9 | 75s |
| Wrist Curl | 3 | 12-20 | 9 | 75s |
| Dumbbell Shrug | 4 | 12-20 | 9 | 75s |
Day 4: Push
about 27 min| Exercise | Sets | Reps | RPE | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Incline Dumbbell Press | 3 | 10-15 | 8 | 2.5 min |
| Single-Arm Dumbbell Overhead Press | 3 | 8-12 | 8 | 2.5 min |
| Diamond Push-Up | 3 | 8-15 | 8 | 2.5 min |
Day 5: Legs
about 50 min| Exercise | Sets | Reps | RPE | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift | 4 | 10-15 | 8 | 2.5 min |
| Slider Leg Curl | 4 | 8-15 | 9 | 75s |
| Dumbbell Hip Thrust | 3 | 8-12 | 8 | 2.5 min |
| Standing Dumbbell Calf Raise | 4 | 12-20 | 9 | 75s |
| Decline Crunch | 3 | 15-25 | 9 | 75s |
| Walking Lunge | 3 | 8-12 | 8 | 2.5 min |
Day 6: Pull
about 20 min| Exercise | Sets | Reps | RPE | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chest-Supported Dumbbell Row | 3 | 8-12 | 8 | 2.5 min |
| Hammer Curl | 3 | 10-15 | 9 | 75s |
| Superman | 3 | 12-20 | 9 | 75s |
Notes from the generator
- Pull has no vertical pull movement your equipment supports, so it was built without one.
Times are estimates: the prescribed rest plus about 30 seconds per set. RPE is effort on a 10-point scale, so RPE 8 leaves about two reps in the tank.
Why these movements
Push, pull, legs splits the week by what a muscle does, so each day trains muscles that work together and each one gets two sessions a week. That works the same with dumbbells as with a barbell. What changes is how the load gets in.
Every slot keeps its movement pattern. A press stays a press, a row stays a row, a hinge stays a hinge. Where a gym lift needs a barbell, cable or machine, the closest dumbbell or bodyweight movement for the same muscle takes the slot.
Dumbbells run out of weight sooner than a barbell does. That is why the leg days include single-leg work: a split squat or a lunge lets a light dumbbell do a heavy job.
How to run it
- Six days on, one off. If six is too many right now, the dumbbell full-body plan covers the same equipment in three days.
- Pick a weight that lands inside the rep range with a couple of reps left. When every set reaches the top of the range, go up to the next pair.
Want this progressed from what you log each workout?
MuscleBuddy builds this week around your own equipment, then moves the weight up when your logged sets earn it and adjusts when you stall.
Create your free accountFrequently asked questions
- Can you build muscle with only dumbbells?
- Yes, as long as the sets are hard and the load keeps going up over time. The limit is the heaviest pair you own, so higher rep ranges and single-leg movements do more of the work as you get stronger.
- Why is there no pull-up or pulldown?
- Neither one is possible with dumbbells and a bench. Rows and pullovers train the back from other angles instead. Add a pull-up bar and the app adds a vertical pull.