Dumbbell + Bench Full Body
Also known as: dumbbell · dumbbell bench · db bench · dumbbell and bench · home · home gym · no barbell · minimal equipment · 3 day · three day
Add an adjustable bench to your dumbbells and a third training day, and the toolbox opens up: incline presses, flyes, chest-supported rows, Bulgarian split squats and step-ups. Three full-body sessions a week build the whole body with plenty of variety. Progress the dumbbell-friendly way — add controlled reps across the range, then step the weight up only once you own the top of the range on every set. Full range, controlled tempo, quality over load.
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What is Dumbbell + Bench Full Body?
Add one adjustable bench to a set of dumbbells and the list of exercises you can do well roughly doubles. This dumbbell and bench routine takes advantage of that: incline and flat pressing, chest-supported rows that spare your lower back, flyes, Bulgarian split squats and step-ups all enter the rotation, spread across three full-body days a week. Workout A leans on the incline press and goblet squat, B pairs flat pressing with split squats and bent-over rows, and C brings step-ups, Arnold presses and a bigger arm block.
Think of it as the step up from a dumbbell-only program — same home-gym philosophy, no barbell required, but a third weekly session and enough exercise variety that every muscle gets hit from at least two angles across the week. Each day still trains the whole body: squat or lunge pattern, hinge, press, row, then shoulders and arms.
Is Dumbbell + Bench Full Body right for you?
This is the right pick if your home gym is dumbbells plus a bench and you want a plan that uses both properly rather than a barbell program with awkward substitutions. Beginners can start here directly; lifters coming off the two-day dumbbell-only template graduate here when they can commit to a third day. It is built for muscle, not maximal strength — the rep ranges live between 10 and 20 — so powerlifting-minded lifters with barbell access should look at a linear barbell program instead.
How progression works
Everything runs on wide-range double progression, the sane way to progress when your weights only exist in fixed jumps. Presses and rows work a 10–12 range, the leg and hinge movements 12–15, and the flyes and raises 15–20. You add reps session to session, and once every set of an exercise owns the top of its range, you step up to the next dumbbell and drop back to the bottom. Durata applies that rule for you and flags when the heavier pair is due, and if your bench angle or dumbbell selection cannot cover a movement, the smart exercise swap suggests a close substitute that keeps the same muscles and rep scheme. Prioritise a full stretch and controlled lowering on every rep — with dumbbells, rep quality is the progression.
Durata runs this progression for you — every session's weights are computed automatically from your training maxes and logged AMRAP sets.
Dumbbell + Bench Full Body — every set, every session
Percentages are of your training max (TM). AMRAP = as many reps as possible on the final set.
Full Body A
| Exercise | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Goblet Squat | 3×12–15 | 2:00 |
| Incline Bench Press (Dumbbell) | 3×10–12 | 2:00 |
| Chest Supported Incline Row (Dumbbell) | 3×10–12 | 2:00 |
| Romanian Deadlift (Dumbbell) | 3×12–15 | 2:00 |
| Lateral Raise (Dumbbell) | 3×15–20 | 1:00 |
| Bicep Curl (Dumbbell) | 2×10–12 | 1:00 |
Full Body B
| Exercise | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Bulgarian Split Squat | 3×10–12 | 2:00 |
| Bench Press (Dumbbell) | 3×10–12 | 2:00 |
| Bent Over Row (Dumbbell) | 3×10–12 | 2:00 |
| Chest Fly (Dumbbell) | 3×12–15 | 1:15 |
| Seated Overhead Press (Dumbbell) | 3×10–12 | 1:30 |
| Skullcrusher (Dumbbell) | 2×10–12 | 1:00 |
Full Body C
| Exercise | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Dumbbell Step Up | 3×12–15 | 1:30 |
| Single Leg Romanian Deadlift (Dumbbell) | 3×12–15 | 1:30 |
| Incline Bench Press (Dumbbell) | 3×10–12 | 2:00 |
| Chest Supported Reverse Fly (Dumbbell) | 3×15–20 | 1:00 |
| Arnold Press (Dumbbell) | 3×10–12 | 1:30 |
| Hammer Curl (Dumbbell) | 2×10–12 | 1:00 |
| Triceps Kickback (Dumbbell) | 2×12–15 | 1:00 |
Dumbbell + Bench Full Body — common questions
What kind of bench do I need?
An adjustable one that goes from flat to roughly 30–45 degrees of incline. That covers the incline dumbbell press, chest-supported incline rows and reverse flyes, seated overhead pressing, and doubles as the platform for Bulgarian split squats and step-ups. A fixed flat bench works but costs you the incline work.
How is this different from the dumbbell-only program?
One extra training day and a bench. The bench replaces the floor press with real flat and incline pressing through a fuller range, adds chest-supported rowing so your lower back is not the limiting factor, and unlocks flyes and rear-delt work. If you own a bench, run this version.
How heavy should my dumbbells go?
Adjustables covering roughly 5–30 kg per hand serve most beginners for months. Goblet squats and rows outgrow light sets fastest; lateral raises and flyes stay light for a long time. Buy adjustable rather than fixed pairs if you can.
How long is each workout?
About 45–55 minutes: six or seven exercises per day, three sets on most, resting around two minutes on the presses, squats and rows and about a minute on arms and shoulders.
When should I move up in weight?
Only after every set of that exercise hits the ceiling of its range — for example 3×12 on the incline press or 3×15 on step-ups. Then take the next dumbbell size and rebuild from the bottom of the range. Never trade range of motion for a heavier bell.
Source: Minimal-equipment full-body template — dumbbells + an adjustable bench.
Durata is not affiliated with or endorsed by the program's author. The program structure (sets, reps, exercise selection) is presented as published methodology.
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