Keeping your New Year’s fitness resolutions can be difficult if you’re too busy to regularly work out at the gym. Not need to worry! Building muscle doesn’t require an expensive membership of the town’s best gym.
The below article provides a beginner’s home workout. You can turn your living room into a gym with a few dumbbells and start growing muscle. To build muscle without a gym membership, the article includes detailed exercise recommendations.
Why Dumbbells?
Dumbbells are flexible, space-saving, and can target several muscle areas. With one pair of adjustable dumbbells, you can work your whole body.
The Workout
Personal trainer Mikey Smith created this all-level workout. It gets harder over four weeks by adding reps and sets.
Warm-Up (5 minutes):
- V-stance T-spine rotation (5 reps per side): Improves spine mobility and core strength.
- Floor slider (5 reps): Increases shoulder mobility and core stability.
- 90/90 hip opener (5 reps per side): Improves hip mobility and flexibility.
- World’s greatest stretch (5 reps per side): Enhances overall mobility and stretches the entire body.
- Lateral bound (5 reps per side): Improves agility and coordination.
The Exercises:
Each section of the workout combines three exercises into a giant set. Rest for less than 60 seconds between exercises and 90 seconds after each giant set.
Week 1 & 2 Reps/Sets:
- Beginners: 2 sets of 8 reps per exercise
- Advanced: 3 sets of 8 reps per exercise
Week 3 & 4 Reps/Sets:
- Beginners: 2 sets of 12 reps per exercise
- Advanced: 3 sets of 12 reps per exercise
Giant Set 1:
- Goblet Squat (Targets quads, hamstrings, glutes): A variation of the squat that works multiple lower body muscles.
- Half-kneeling alternating overhead dumbbell press (Targets shoulders, triceps): Strengthens shoulders and triceps while improving core stability.
- Body saw (Targets core): Engages the core muscles for better stability and posture.
Giant Set 2:
- Contralateral single-leg deadlift (Targets hamstrings, glutes): Improves balance and strengthens the hamstrings and glutes.
- Bridged alternating dumbbell floor press (Targets pecs, shoulders, triceps): Works the chest, shoulders, and triceps while challenging core stability.
- Rolling dumbbell extension (Targets triceps): Isolates and strengthens the triceps muscles.
Giant Set 3:
- Suitcase-hold split squat (Targets quads, hamstrings, glutes): A lunging variation that works the legs while improving core engagement.
- Alternating bent-over dumbbell row (Targets lats, upper back): Strengthens the back muscles and improves posture.
- Dumbbell curl (with iso hold) (Targets biceps): Isolates and builds the biceps muscles.
Cool Down:
To reduce muscular soreness and enhance flexibility, end your workout with static stretches.
Progression:
Once you’re comfortable, try harder exercises:
- Increasing weight: As you gain strength, increase dumbbell weight.
- Increase reps/sets: If the program is too easy, attempt more reps or sets per exercise.
- Minimizing rest: Reduce rest periods between sets to push your heart.
Build muscle and fitness at home with this full-body dumbbell workout. Be mindful of your body, practice appropriate form, and increase difficulty as you gain strength.
Additional Tips:
- Maintain proper form throughout each exercise to avoid injury.
- Breathe properly during each exercise. Exhale when exerting, inhale when recovering.
- Drink water before, during, and after exercise.
- Healthy eating aids muscular growth and rehabilitation.
- Consult a professional personal trainer for personalized guidance.
