Goal program
Home Iron
Dumbbells, a bench, 3 workouts a week. No gym needed.
- 3 days a week
- 10 weeks
- Any level
- For everyone
- Dumbbells
About this program
A full-body plan for home with just dumbbells, a bench and a mat: squats, lunges, RDLs, presses and rows train every major muscle two to three times a week. The key rule: end most sets 1–3 reps short of failure and add a rep or a little weight every week (new to lifting? 2 sets per exercise for the first two weeks; dumbbells too light? go to 20–30 reps or take 3 seconds to lower). In 10 weeks expect clearly more strength, firmer muscles and better fitness; fat loss comes from your diet, not from any particular exercise.
Who it’s for
- Any level: beginners start with fewer sets and lighter weights, as the notes explain.
- For everyone.
- Dumbbells and a bench, at home or in the gym.
- 3 sessions a week, about 55 minutes each.
- 8–10k steps a day on top of the workouts.
The week
Warm up for 5–7 minutes first. Rest is the pause between sets. A1 and A2 (B1 and B2) are supersets: do one set of each back to back, then rest. Rest days: walk and recover.
Monday Full Body A: Squat, Bench & Row
Quads, chest, back, glutes, side delts, biceps · about 60 min
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Goblet SquatHold one dumbbell at your chest, sit deep between your knees, heels flat. Too easy? Pause 2 s at the bottom. | 4 × 8–15 | 2 min |
| Dumbbell Bench PressLower until you feel a stretch across the chest, elbows about 45° from your body. No bench? Press on the floor. | 3 × 8–12 | 2 min |
| One-Arm Dumbbell RowKnee and hand on the bench, pull the dumbbell toward your hip; at the bottom let the shoulder blade drift forward for a full stretch. | 3 × 10–12 per arm | 90 s |
| Single-Leg Glute BridgeShoulders on the bench for more range, squeeze the glute for 1 s at the top. When 15 is easy, rest a dumbbell on your hip. | 3 × 12–15 per leg | 60 s |
| A1 Lateral RaiseLight weight, lead with your elbows, raise to shoulder height. Go straight to curls. | 3 × 12–20 | — |
| A2 Dumbbell Biceps CurlNo swinging; take 2–3 s to lower. | 3 × 10–15 | 75 s |
| Dead BugPress your lower back into the mat and breathe out as you extend the opposite arm and leg. | 2 × 8 per side | 45 s |
Wednesday Full Body B: RDL, Split Squat & Press
Hamstrings, glutes, quads, shoulders, upper back, biceps · about 55 min
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Dumbbell RDLSoft knees, push your hips back until you feel a strong hamstring stretch, dumbbells close to your legs, back flat. Light dumbbells? Do 15–20 reps with a 3 s lowering. | 4 × 8–12 | 2 min |
| Bulgarian Split SquatRear foot on the bench, dumbbells at your sides. A slight forward lean works the glutes more. Shaky balance? Start with bodyweight. | 3 × 8–12 per leg | 90 s |
| Seated Dumbbell Shoulder PressSit with back support (upright bench or your back against a wall); lower to about ear level and breathe out as you press. | 3 × 8–12 | 90 s |
| One-Arm Dumbbell RowUpper-back version: elbow flared about 45° from your body, pull toward your lower chest and squeeze the shoulder blade back. | 3 × 12–15 per arm | 90 s |
| A1 Reverse Dumbbell FlyHinge forward, elbows slightly bent, sweep your arms out wide. Go light. Go straight to hammer curls. | 3 × 12–20 | — |
| A2 Hammer CurlThumbs up, elbows pinned to your sides. | 3 × 10–15 | 60 s |
| Side PlankEasier: knees down. Harder: lift the top leg. | 2 × 20–40 s per side | 30 s |
Friday Full Body C: Lunge, Incline Press & Carry
Glutes, quads, upper chest, back, triceps, core · about 55 min
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Reverse LungeStep back, drop the back knee toward the floor, drive up through the front heel. Hold dumbbells once bodyweight is easy. | 3 × 10–12 per leg | 90 s |
| Incline Dumbbell PressBench at about 30°; get a deep chest stretch at the bottom. Flat bench only? Press flat with a 2 s pause at the bottom. | 3 × 8–12 | 2 min |
| Dumbbell RDLLighter than Wednesday: 3 s lowering and a short pause in the stretch. | 3 × 12–15 | 90 s |
| One-Arm Dumbbell RowUse the heaviest dumbbell you own and add reps every week. | 3 × 8–12 per arm | 90 s |
| A1 Push-UpHands shoulder-width, elbows close to your body for more triceps. Easier: hands on the bench. Harder: feet on the bench. Go straight to lateral raises. | 3 × max reps (stop 1–2 short) | — |
| A2 Lateral RaiseLast set: when you can no longer reach the top, finish with partial reps in the bottom half. | 3 × 15–20 | 75 s |
| Farmer's WalkHeaviest pair you can hold, stand tall with your shoulders down; walk around the room or march in place. | 3 × 30–45 s | 60 s |
How to progress
- Double progression: add reps within the range first. When every set reaches the top of the range with clean form, add a little weight (about 5–10 lb on lower-body lifts, 2.5–5 lb on upper-body lifts) and start again at the bottom.
- Stop most sets 1–2 reps short of failure. Beginners stop 2–3 reps short for the first weeks.
- Every 6–8 weeks, or when you feel run down, take an easier week: half the sets, same weights.
Food
Eat at maintenance to build strength and muscle (or a small surplus if you are lean and want size), or in a small deficit, losing 0.5–1% of body weight per week, if fat loss is the goal, with 1.6–2.2 g of protein per kg of body weight (0.7–1 g per lb) daily.
Find your numbers with the free TDEE calculator, the macro calculator and the protein calculator.
