Let’s face it, when it comes to building muscle, men pack it on faster than women. Not only that, they shed fat at high speed as well. (I know, it’s not fair.) The answer to why men reap faster fitness results compared to women isn’t hard to figure out: hormones.

“While testosterone is hailed as the primary muscle builder, women typically have lower concentrations, around 15-20% less than men,” explains Marlyne Perez, RD, CPT, NASM.

“Additionally, females have higher levels of estrogen and progesterone, which can affect muscle growth and recovery in different ways than testosterone,” she adds, hence, creating these hormonal hurdles that can make building muscle and shedding fat a bit of a struggle for females.
The good news is, there are simple strategies for women to overcome these hormonal hurdles to pack on muscle and shed unwanted fat. With a little patience and understanding of how the female body works, you’ll be on your way to meeting your goals

Two Hormones That Play an Important Role in Building Muscle

“Effective bodybuilding relies on optimal levels of anabolic hormones, a necessity that extends to female athletes,” explains Perez. “Alongside resistance training, these hormones, including insulin, testosterone, and growth hormone (GH), drive bone and muscle growth, enhance strength, and promote leanness.”

Here is a quick overview of these important hormones.

• Insulin: Its role in carbohydrate metabolism is pivotal, facilitating the infusion of sugars into muscle cells and aiding in post-workout recovery.
• GH (Growth Hormone): Not only contributes to muscle building and fat burning but also expedites healing after injury and repairs muscle tissue post-exercise. GH also stimulates protein synthesis, which promotes muscle growth and fat metabolism.

Fun Fact: Females inherently boast higher GH levels than males, an asset considering the decline in GH levels with age.

Top Tips To Overcome The Female Hormonal Hurdles

Despite variances in biology, Perez explains women can successfully develop and maintain muscle mass through sound nutrition and strength training. “It’s essential to highlight the importance of a well-rounded, nutrient-dense diet and incorporating strength exercises that work for all major muscle groups.”

Therefore, by emphasizing nutrition, exercise, and recovery, women can optimize their muscle-building capabilities and reach their fitness goals effectively.

Address Your Stress

Cortisol, a hormone released in response to stress, can trigger muscle breakdown when it accumulates excessively. Prolonged elevation of cortisol levels from chronic stress can result in muscle loss and disrupt muscle tone. To mitigate or prevent this, implementing stress management techniques is critical. These include:

• Deep breathing
• Meditation or Prayer
• Walking in nature
• Relaxation techniques like Tai chi, yoga, stretching, biofeedback, music and art therapy, aromatherapy, or hydrotherapy.
• Journaling

Don’t Be Afraid to Lift Heavy

To stimulate muscle growth, resistance training is essential, providing the necessary mechanical tension and metabolic stress. This concept, known as “progressive overload,” involves consistently challenging muscles with increased loads to drive adaptation and growth. Research indicates that even just three 13-minute sessions per week over eight weeks can significantly enhance strength and endurance. However, muscle hypertrophy is influenced by training volume, with higher volumes yielding greater gains.

Perform a Bit of HIIT

High-intensity exercise triggers GH release from the anterior pituitary gland, aiding muscle repair. The more muscles are fatigued, the more GH is released.

Eat Clean and Get Enough Calories

To support muscle growth effectively, it’s crucial to ensure that the extra calories come from the right sources, primarily protein—the building blocks of muscle. Skeletal muscle size hinges on the equilibrium between muscle protein synthesis (MPS) and breakdown (MPB), both influenced by exercise and amino acid intake.

MPS is particularly sensitive to the quantity and quality of amino acids, especially leucine, whereas MPB is regulated in part by dietary protein. While excessive protein consumption offers no added benefits, aiming for at least 1g per pound of body weight helps maintain a positive nitrogen balance. Besides protein, incorporating healthy fats, abundant fruits and vegetables for phytonutrients, and minimizing refined and processed foods is crucial.

Get Adequate Sleep

Growth hormone release coincides with deep sleep, and its levels correlate with the duration of this sleep stage. Inadequate deep sleep means less growth hormone, impacting muscle recovery and growth. Moreover, insufficient sleep disrupts hunger hormones, affecting appetite regulation. It lowers leptin levels while increasing ghrelin, leading to heightened hunger and food intake.

Therefore, quality sleep isn’t just crucial for muscle health but also for appetite control and weight management.

Sleep Tip

To ensure proper rest, Perez suggests aiming for seven to nine hours of uninterrupted sleep and adopting sleep hygiene practices like limiting screen time before bed, maintaining a cool environment, avoiding late caffeine consumption, ensuring darkness in the bedroom, wearing light clothing, and practicing relaxation techniques.

Dominique Columbus has been climbing the ranks in Hollywood for quite some time now. He’s taken on smaller roles on various TV and film projects, and he was even cast as Damon on the series “Ray Donovan,” but the 32-year-old actor has never been a part of a project the magnitude of “Road House.”

Columbus will be in the new reimagining of the Patrick Swayze classic film that is set to be released on March 8. The film also stars Jake Gyllenhaal, UFC great Conor McGregor, and Daniela Melchior. Columbus will have a prominent role as “Reef,” and as far as he’s concerned, he’s been ready for this moment for quite some time now.

“Honestly, it’s just preparation meeting opportunity,” he explained. “I grew up as an athlete. So, I put a lot of energy and time into this field.”

Even with his confidence in his abilities, the moment is not lost on him, neither is the expectation of the film to deliver. The original Roadhouse has been ranked as one of the elite films of all time, and it has its own massive fan base. The 2024 edition will have to deliver on its own merits while paying homage to the significance of the first if it doesn’t want to be classified as “another retread”. Columbus understands this and is optimistic about the new film’s potential.

“This on its own is special just because of the weight that comes behind it,” he shared. “Roadhouse is iconic, and to be a part of this one is a blessing.”

Dominique Columbus Has a Fighter’s Mentality

Columbus was comfortable portraying his character because of his familiarity with fighting. He was born and raised in California, and he grew up a big fan of boxing. He was first connected to the sport through his father, who was also his coach. He actually started a boxing school called “K.O. High” that helped mentor up and coming fighters. Columbus’ own passion grew as he advanced through childhood as a result.

“Boxing was my main sport growing up. It was very big in my family, and the character I play is a boxer. He knows how to fight. There was a lot of natural synergy for me and my character.”

Doing a fight scene during any shoot can be a challenge if you don’t know what you’re doing. Imagine having someone the caliber of McGregor alongside you. Columbus embraced the opportunity and felt a great connection to the original UFC “champ champ.” The average viewer may think McGregor had to share some tips with the young actor, but he revealed that wasn’t the case.

“We both had to learn and understand camera fighting. It’s a dance. The things we may do in real life had to be adjusted for the cameras. So, we both just had to figure out the dance, which was dope. He was so fun to work with.”

Filming a ‘Notorious’ Fight Scene

Even though McGregor was built for fighting, literally and figuratively, one may think that it’s harder to coordinate a dance like that which Columbus described. When asked to compare the MMA legend’s abilities versus more experienced actors, Columbus answered with no hesitation.

“There’s no comparison because he’s Conor McGregor,” he said with a smile. “It was about the energy behind it. I can’t compare it.”

Dominique Columbus invested more than time reading lines into this role. He went all in by committing physically as well. He put on 20 solid pounds for the role while maintaining a lean physique. He attributed that to maintaining his cardio and pushing himself in the weight room while following a solid and consistent diet. His discipline as an athlete helped him with this, but having a girlfriend that works as a fitness trainer and nutrition coach certainly helped him as well. Elizabeth Bash wasn’t in front of the camera, but she played her own big role in making sure Columbus was prepared when he was.

“I was able to work with someone who was amazing in her field to help me elevate what I am doing. I am already athletic, but the biggest work I needed to do was in the kitchen. The meal prep, extra calories to take in, all of that was what I had to pay extra attention to.”

Dominique Columbus hasn’t taken too many days off since filming wrapped. He already has more irons in the fire because he focuses on what’s next instead of looking back. Among those projects are other films, TV shows, and a podcast. He didn’t want to reveal too much just yet but promises details will be forthcoming in the near future. His long goal is to do many more films in the future, and projects like this one appeal to him.

“My goal is to keep impacting the action lane.”

You can follow Columbus on Instagram @domsperspective

I want you to forget everything you know about chest training. You only need three exercises to get monster pecs – a flat press, an incline press, and a fly variation. The specific exercises have some wiggle room, but three stand out above the rest.

This article covers my favorite chest exercises: the flat barbell bench press, incline dumbbell press, and cable crossover. If you think you can’t get jacked with only three chest exercises, this article is for you. Too much exercise variation has likely been holding you back. Progressing on these three movements is the key to growth. So, if you are ready to change how you train your chest, let’s dive in.

1. The Flat Barbell Bench Press

As popular as the barbell bench press is, it’s clouded in controversy in the bodybuilding community. Some say it’s the best chest builder, while others claim it’s just an injury waiting to happen.

Early in my training career, I listened to the latter crowd. Instead of barbell benching, my chest training was all dumbbells, cables, and machines. These implements are great, but they shouldn’t replace the barbell. Ironically, my chest didn’t begin growing until I started powerlifting. My chest exploded as soon as I threw away all of the bodybuilding dogma and focused on barbell benching.

Now, it wasn’t just the bench press. It’s how I attacked it. Here is a bench press tip you don’t hear a lot of bodybuilders provide – go heavy for low reps. Yes, use the barbell bench press the way the big boys do. Research shows that you can build muscle even with low reps, so don’t be afraid to put some weight on the bar.¹ I want you to bully the weights and focus on hitting new personal records in the 3-6 rep range.

Lifting progressively heavier weights over time is the key. Keep track of your training in a notebook. Write down the weight, sets, and reps. Every time you go to bench press, try to add an extra rep or an extra 5 pounds to the bar.

Barbell Bench Press Tip: Technique

Learning how to bench press properly will keep you healthy and allow you to get the most out of the exercise. The biggest thing is tension. We want everything from your feet to your head to be tight.

During the set-up, dig your traps and upper back into the bench while squeezing your shoulder blades together. If done right, this will give you an arch. It doesn’t need to be a crazy powerlifting arch, but an arch is good. It puts your shoulders in a safer position to press and mimics a decline angle without the awkwardness of a decline bench. See, we will still sneak some lower pec work in after all.

2. The Incline Dumbbell Press

The second exercise is the incline dumbbell press. Barbells are great, but including a dumbbell chest exercise after the flat barbell bench press makes sense. Dumbbells allow for unilateral training, meaning each limb works independently, helping to address muscle imbalances and asymmetries. Plus, I’m not too fond of the incline barbell press, mainly because it’s hard to safely get the bar off the rack. It always feels like I will tear my shoulder off just getting the bar into position. So, nine times out of ten, I opt for dumbbells.

The angle is crucial in the incline bench. Research shows you only need a 30-degree angle to maximize upper chest development as displayed by the EMG graph below.² Thirty degrees is less than you think.

Figure 1: Rodríguez-Ridao, D., Antequera-Vique, J. A., Martín-Fuentes, I., & Muyor, J. M. (2020)

Typically, people use 45 degrees or higher. The problem with this is that it brings the front delts more into play, taking some of the tension off the pecs. If your gym has no adjustable bench that goes to 30 degrees, take a free-standing flat bench and put two 45-pound bumper plates under one side.

Some evidence suggests the upper chest is activated more with a narrow grip.³ With dumbbells, this translates to keeping your elbows tight versus flared out. This detail isn’t a huge deal, so do whatever feels best. That said, keeping your elbows semi-tucked is typically more comfortable on your shoulders.

A quick note on technique. Many people use too much of an arch on an incline press. You should still retract your shoulders and get yourself in a good position to press, but if you arch too much, it almost turns the incline press into a flat press, defeating the purpose.

Incline Dumbbell Press Tip: No Ego Lifting

The barbell bench press is typically called the ultimate ego lift, but in my experience, the incline dumbbell press is just as bad. I want you to push yourself to move around heavy dumbbells, but not at the expense of good technique. Use a weight you can control, especially when lowering the dumbbells.

Another advantage dumbbells have over barbells is that you can use a greater range of motion. The problem is only a few people use it. Get a good stretch at the bottom and press until your arms lock out at the top. Yes, you might have to lower the weight a bit, but it’s worth it if it leads to fuller pecs.

3. The Cable Crossover

Last but not least is the cable crossover, also known as the cable fly. The first question is, why include a fly? I love pressing movements, which is why the first two exercises are presses. That said, flies offer a safer way to emphasize the stretched position. Moreover, flies allow you to get a full contraction at the top. Anyone who has taken a set of cable crossovers close to failure knows what I am talking about. The chest pump is real.

The next question is, why a cable fly versus the countless other options?

The cable crossover is an excellent exercise for fuller pecs because it provides constant tension on the pecs for the full range of motion, maximizing muscle fiber recruitment and promoting hypertrophy. Compare this to a dumbbell fly that only provides tension at the bottom and is an easy decision. This is clearly on display in the chart below.

Figure 2: Schanke, Whitnee (2012)⁴

Now, you may look at the chart and wonder why I didn’t select the pec deck. Unlike a pec deck, which is fixed in one plane of movement, you can play with the cable adjustments up and down for variation or to find the best position on your pecs.This wide range of movement angles helps stimulate growth across the entire pectoral region for more complete development.

My favorite cable crossover position is the high to low. To do this, set the cables to the highest or near the highest setting, with D-handles attached. The movement begins with your hands at shoulder height and ends with them around waist height.

Cable Crossover Tip: Focus On The Stretch

An increasing body of research indicates that resistance training at long muscle lengths (the stretched position) enhances muscular growth.⁵ ⁶ ⁷When doing cable crossovers, focus on stretching the pecs as much as you can. Keep your arms slightly bent, and bring your elbows back as far as your mobility and flexibility allow. Here is a bonus tip. Cross your hands at the end of the movement to get a gnarly contraction. Remember to alternate which hand goes in front of the other on every other rep.

Chest Anatomy 101

Before we get into the exercises, we need to discuss chest anatomy. It’s important to know because simply changing the angle or grip of a movement can change the impact on your chest development.

The pectorals (pecs), comprised mainly of the pec major and minor, are the primary chest muscles. The larger of the two, the pec major, controls the upper arm’s internal rotation, flexion, and adduction. It has two heads: the sternocostal head, which starts at the breastbone and upper ribs, and the clavicular head, which begins at the collarbone.

Research shows the best way to target the sternocostal head is to use a flat press, and the best way to target the clavicular head is with an incline press, as you can see below.⁸ ⁹

Figure 3:Sternocostal Head Muscle Activation Trebs, A. A., Brandenburg, J. P., & Pitney, W. A. (2010)

Figure 4:Clavicular Head Muscle ActivationTrebs, A. A., Brandenburg, J. P., & Pitney, W. A. (2010)

This point is critical because it shows you must incorporate multiple pressing angles to maximize chest development. I love the bench press, but only flat benching is a common mistake people make. To build a full chest, you must also incorporate something for the upper pecs.

Beneath the pectoralis major is the smaller, triangular-shaped pectoralis minor. It enters the scapula after emerging from the third, fourth, and fifth ribs. The pectoralis minor is crucial in shoulder depression and essential for bench press strength and stabilization of the shoulder blade. That said, we can avoid paying attention to it for bigger pecs.

The Decline Bench Press Is a Waste of Time

Do we need to include a decline press, too? The short answer is no. For a brief period, the decline bench got a lot of love. Much of it stemmed from a 1997 EMG study that showed the decline bench press caused more muscle activation for the sternocostal head and the same muscle activation in the clavicular head as an incline bench press.¹⁰

Figure 5:Sternocostal Head Glass, Stephen & Armstrong, Ty. (1997)

Figure 6:Clavicular HeadGlass, Stephen & Armstrong, Ty. (1997)

Based on that, the decline bench is the perfect chest exercise. Not so fast.

A complete dissection of EMG studies is beyond the scope of the article, but their application is limited. More importantly, research does not consistently show equal muscle activation in the upper chest between the decline and incline bench press—quite the opposite, as most research shows what bodybuilders have known for decades. The incline press is the best option for the upper pecs.¹¹

Figure 7: Lauver, J. D., Cayot, T. E., & Scheuermann, B. W. (2016)

Figure 8: Lauver, J. D., Cayot, T. E., & Scheuermann, B. W. (2016)

So, what’s the deal? The decline bench is fine for targeting the sternocostal head of the pecs. The problem is that so is the flat bench press. And when comparing the decline to a flat bench press, the flat bench wins.

For one, most gyms don’t even have a decline bench press. You can’t do it if they don’t have it. In gyms with one, the bench has your feet elevated or strapped in to prevent you from sliding down the bench. It isn’t easy to be stable with your feet off the ground.

Stability is critical because it allows you to handle more weight and overload the muscle more effectively. Speaking of more weight, lifting heavier is one reason people like the decline press. However, while it is true you can lift more weight on a decline, it’s due to a reduced range of motion (ROM). Research consistently shows training with a full ROM is best for muscle growth.¹²

The Perfect Chest Workouts For Fuller Pecs

Exercise order matters when putting together the perfect chest routine for fuller pecs. If doing all three exercises in one workout, I prefer hitting the barbell bench press first when fresh to maximize performance, and I like to finish up with a cable fly. This order leaves the dumbbell incline press sandwiched in the middle.

However, starting with an incline press could be best if your upper chest is weak. Even then, the sternocostal head makes up most of the chest mass, so I still recommend starting with a flat press.

Here are two chest workout examples based on one or two weekly chest sessions.

Option 1: Training Chest Once a Week

1. Barbell Bench Press: 5 sets x 3-6 reps
2. Incline Dumbbell Press: 4 sets x 6-10 reps
3. Cable Crossover: 3 sets x 10-15 reps

Option 2: Training Chest Twice a Week

Workout 1

1. Barbell Bench Press: 3 sets x 3-6 reps
2. Incline Dumbbell Press: 3 sets x 6-10 reps

*Add exercises for the shoulders and triceps

Workout 2

1. Barbell Bench Press: 3 sets x 7-10 reps
2. Cable Crossover: 3 sets x 10-15 reps

*Add exercises for the shoulders and triceps

The Bottom Line

The TLDR version is this: You only need three exercises to train your chest effectively. The exercises are a barbell flat bench press, an incline dumbbell press, and a cable crossover. With that said, exercise selection is only part of the battle. You must still use good form, utilize progressive overload, and be consistent with your training. If you do that, you will be well on your way to a bigger, fuller chest.

Are you looking for a new workout program to start? We created what we consider the ultimate hypertrophy program to take your physique to the next level.

References:

1. Schoenfeld, B. J., Grgic, J., Van Every, D. W., & Plotkin, D. L. (2021). Loading Recommendations for Muscle Strength, Hypertrophy, and Local Endurance: A Re-Examination of the Repetition Continuum. Sports, 9(2), 32. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports9020032
2. Rodríguez-Ridao, D., Antequera-Vique, J. A., Martín-Fuentes, I., & Muyor, J. M. (2020). Effect of Five Bench Inclinations on the Electromyographic Activity of the Pectoralis Major, Anterior Deltoid, and Triceps Brachii during the Bench Press Exercise. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(19), 7339. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17197339
3. Barnett, Chris1; Kippers, Vaughan2; Turner, Peter1. Effects of Variations of the Bench Press Exercise on the EMG Activity of Five Shoulder Muscles. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 9(4):p 222-227, November 1995.
4. “Chest Isolation Exercises: 3 Most Effective Chest Exercises.”ACE Fitness, www.acefitness.org/certifiednewsarticle/2884/ace-sponsored-research-top-3-most-effective-chest-exercises/
5. Maeo, S., Huang, M., Wu, Y., Sakurai, H., Kusagawa, Y., Sugiyama, T., Kanehisa, H., & Isaka, T. (2021). Greater Hamstrings Muscle Hypertrophy but Similar Damage Protection after Training at Long versus Short Muscle Lengths. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 53(4), 825–837. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000002523
6. Maeo, S., Wu, Y., Huang, M., Sakurai, H., Kusagawa, Y., Sugiyama, T., Kanehisa, H., & Isaka, T. (2023). Triceps brachii hypertrophy is substantially greater after elbow extension training performed in the overhead versus neutral arm position. European journal of sport science, 23(7), 1240–1250. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2022.2100279
7. Sato, S., Yoshida, R., Kiyono, R., Yahata, K., Yasaka, K., Nunes, J. P., … & Nakamura, M. (2021). Elbow joint angles in elbow flexor unilateral resistance exercise training determine its effects on muscle strength and thickness of trained and non-trained arms. Frontiers in physiology, 12, 734509.
8. Trebs, A. A., Brandenburg, J. P., & Pitney, W. A. (2010). An electromyography analysis of 3 muscles surrounding the shoulder joint during the performance of a chest press exercise at several angles. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 24(7), 1925–1930. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181ddfae7
9. Chaves, S. F. N., Rocha-JÚnior, V. A., EncarnaÇÃo, I. G. A., Martins-Costa, H. C., Freitas, E. D. S., Coelho, D. B., Franco, F. S. C., Loenneke, J. P., Bottaro, M., & Ferreira-JÚnior, J. B. (2020). Effects of Horizontal and Incline Bench Press on Neuromuscular Adaptations in Untrained Young Men. International journal of exercise science, 13(6), 859–872.
10. Glass, Stephen & Armstrong, Ty. (1997). Electromyographical Activity of the Pectoralis Muscle During Incline and Decline Bench Presses. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. 11. 10.1519/00124278-199708000-00006
11. Lauver, J. D., Cayot, T. E., & Scheuermann, B. W. (2016). Influence of bench angle on upper extremity muscular activation during bench press exercise. European journal of sport science, 16(3), 309–316. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2015.1022605
12. Wolf, Milo & Androulakis-Korakakis, Patroklos & Fisher, James & Schoenfeld, Bradley & Steele, James. (2022). Partial vs full range of motion resistance training: A systematic review and meta- analysis. 10.51224/SRXIV.198.

You can’t go into a gym nowadays without hearing famous quotes from great bodybuilders or movies. Whether you hear someone getting psyched up by yelling “yeah buddy” or hear a lifter joke about what the pump really feels like, these famous lines are both memorable and entertaining with a spice of inspiration when you get near the end of a set. You know you’ve said “light weight, baby” at least once.

The remake of the ‘80s classic film “Road House,” starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Conor McGregor is set to hit theaters on March 8. This film is a new vision and tribute to the original that still stands the test of time 25 years after its initial release. We realized that there are some awesome lines in the Patrick Swayze classic that could serve gymgoers well.

“I see you found my trophy room Dalton.”

Ruthless (and eventually dead) local gangster Brad Wesley (played by Ben Gazzara) said it best after Dalton paid him a visit at his sprawling compound. To handle your business in the gym, use this line to establish whose gym everyone is in as soon as you reach the free weights.

“I want you to be nice until it’s time to not be nice.”

A simple rule of advice everyone who worked under Dalton at the Double Deuce had to adhere to: At the gym, you need to set the tone for yourself and your training partners by making sure they understand the assignment. When you’re up, give the set all you got. The main character said it in a much cooler way.

“What’s the matter? Still living in the past, aren’t ya?”

As you’re warming up, one of your partners may be talking about the workout last week or something they did back in the day. Make sure to ask that person what Wade Garrett (Sam Elliott) asked Dalton about Memphis.

“You got a skinny little runt named Dalton working here?”

Sometimes a new member of the group gets hazed or the beginner in the group needs to be mentally toughened up before they get physically toughened up by the weights. When the time is right to get fired up, everyone needs to channel their inner Wade.

“You know, for that line of work I thought you’d be bigger.”

By this point you may be past the warmups and getting into the work sets. Now, it’s time to get serious. It may be around this time that you hear the calls of Coleman or the lines of other great athletes. Perhaps there is someone in the gym who is a little too proud of themselves and need to be humbled. You know, kind of like how Cody shared his first impression of Dalton during one of their first conversations.

“Pain don’t hurt.”

Now, we’re pretty deep into this training session. The plates are stacking up and we’re moving toward the big boy section of the dumbbell rack. You or your fellow gymgoers may be on the verge of reaching failure, but two more reps and they have a new PR. Do you need to encourage them to give it their all and leave nothing on the gym floor? Nah, you need to remind them what the great James Dalton infamously said to Doc in one of the most memorable scenes from the movie.

“It’s a good night. Nobody died.”

You made it through the workout, and you get to relish in both the taste of victory and the tightening of the skin from the crazy pump you’ve achieved. If only there was a great quote or line to share to truly capture the intensity and significance of this moment. Fear not, because Frank Tillman (Kevin Tighe) said it in the best way possible.

The new edition may provide more great lines for you to repeat in future workouts. Catch the 2024 edition of Roadhouse in theaters everywhere this March. For more information, follow @roadhousemovie on Instagram.

Have you ever tried a full-body dumbbell workout? Whether you have a limited home gym setup or are simply looking for a more functional routine, you can effectively train your whole body using only dumbbells. Dumbbells are one of the best pieces of gym equipment and offer several benefits to machines or barbells. It’s possible to add serious muscle mass with a full-body dumbbell workout using standard dumbbell exercises and a little creativity.

In this article, we will give you a five-day split full-body dumbbell workout and all the tips you need to trigger muscle growth. We will also show you a one-day full-body dumbbell workout to burn calories and get you ripped. So, regardless of your goal, there is a dumbbell workout for you!

Table of Contents

• Full Body Dumbbell Workout 5-Day Split
• Fat-Burning Full Body Workout
• Benefits of Using Dumbbells
• Programming Tips
• FAQs

Want to get right to the workout? Click here for a spreadsheet you can take with you on the go.

Full Body 5-Day Workout Split

The first option is a 5-day split program designed to shred those muscle fibers and build muscle with dumbbells. Feel free to adjust the reps as long as they fall in the suggested range.

Day 1: Upper Body (Strength) 5×5, or 4×6

Dumbbell Bench Press: 5 sets x 5 reps

1. Pick a pair of dumbbells and lie down on a flat bench keeping your feet flat on the ground.
2. Position the dumbbells in line with your chest so that your arms form a large U-shape and your palms face forward.
3. Press the dumbbells upwards by extending your arms and bringing them towards your center line so they lightly touch.
4. Slowly lower the weight to bring the dumbbells down to your chest or slightly past, with your upper arms parallel to the floor.
5. Repeat for 4-7 reps.

Incline Dumbbell Row: 5 sets x 5 reps

1. Place a pair of dumbbells under the head of a 30- or 45-degree bench.
2. Lie face down on the bench so your arms hang down to the dumbbells.
3. Grab the dumbbells with a neutral grip (palms toward each other). Keep your elbows close to your body and slightly bent throughout.
4. Row the dumbbells upwards towards your ribs by pulling your shoulders back.
5. Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top to feel the contraction.
6. Slowly lower the dumbbells as far as possible without locking your elbows.
7. Repeat for reps 4-8 reps.

Dumbbell Overhead Press: 5 sets x 5 reps

1. Sit on a bench with your back flat and feet shoulder-width apart planted on the floor.
2. Grip a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level with your palms facing outward. Your elbows should be at around a 90-degree angle.
3. Exhale and slowly push the dumbbells overhead, extending your arms up without locking your elbows.
4. Slowly lower the dumbbells down to the original position.
5. Repeat for reps 4-8 reps.

Single-Arm Dumbbell Row: 5 sets x 5 reps

1. Grab a single dumbbell in your right hand with your palm facing inward.
2. Place your left arm on a bench or sturdy surface for support.
3. Bend your knees slightly, hinge your hips forward, and keep your back straight so your torso is parallel to the ground.
4. Keep your arm close to your body and slowly retract your shoulder blade to pull the dumbbell towards your hip.
5. Your elbow will move back behind your body upwards to pull the weight.
6. Slowly lower the dumbbell back down on the same path.
7. Finish the reps with the right arm before doing the left arm.
8. Repeat for reps.

Day 2: Lower Body (Strength) – Quad Focus

Dumbbell Squat: 4 sets x 10, 8, 6, 4 or 5×5

1. Start standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointed slightly outward. Grab dumbbells with each hand.
2. Drop your hips down to a squat position so your upper legs are slightly below parallel. The dumbbells should almost touch the ground.
3. With your eyes forward, chest up, and core engaged, explode through your heels to return to the original position.
4. Repeat for 4-8 reps.

Dumbbell Step-Ups: 4 sets x 5-8 reps



1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms by your side.
2. Stand facing towards a bench or elevated surface. Step up onto the bench with one foot until your entire foot is on the bench.
3. Push through the heel of the front foot (elevated) to lift your body onto the bench.
4. Slowly step back down to the floor.
5. Do all reps for one leg, then repeat for the other leg.

Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squats – 4 sets x 8-12 reps



1. Stand about 2-3 feet in front of a bench or elevated platform with a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Place one foot behind you on the bench so your shoelaces are resting on the bench and your toe is pointing down.
3. Lower your body straight down by bending your front knee as you keep your back leg secured on the bench. Your front thigh should be parallel to the ground.
4. Keep your front knee in line with your ankle, and make sure it does not extend past your toes.
5. Press through the heel of your front foot to return to the beginning position.
6. Repeat for 8-12 reps.

Tip: Try a longer stance to emphasize the hamstrings and a shorter stance to focus on the quads.

Standing Calf Raises – 4 sets x 12-15 reps



1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your feet flat on the ground.
2. Grab a dumbbell in each hand.
3. Slowly push your heels off the ground as high as possible. To get an even better stretch, try standing on something slightly elevated.
4. Slowly lower back down to the ground.
5. Repeat for 12-15 reps.

Day 3: Push (Hypertrophy)

Incline Dumbbell Bench Press: 4 sets x 8-15 reps



1. This is a similar movement as day 1, except the bench is placed at a 30- or 45-degree angle to emphasize the upper chest.
2. Push straight up keeping in line with your chin and squeeze your upper chest at the top of the movement.
3. Repeat for 15, 12, 10, and 8 reps, increasing weight each set.

Arnold Press: 4 sets x 8-15 reps



1. Sit on a bench (or stand) with your feet shoulder-width apart. Grab a pair of dumbbells.
2. Hold the dumbbells in front of you, around shoulder height, with your palms facing in, like you’re at the top of a biceps curl.
3. Slowly extend your arms straight upwards above your head like a shoulder press, but rotate your wrists as you lift so your palms are facing away from you at the top of the movement.
4. Slowly lower the dumbbells down to starting height while rotating your wrists back to the original position with palms facing towards you.
5. Repeat for 8-15 reps.

Dumbbell Fly: 3 sets x 10-15 reps



1. Lay on a flat bench, feet flat on the floor, with one dumbbell in each hand.
2. For the starting position, extend your arms into the air with a slight elbow bend, holding the weights so your palms face each other.
3. Slowly lower the weights to your side, like a letter T, with your arms slightly bent.
4. Open your arms as wide as possible and focus on stretching the chest muscles.
5. Squeeze your muscles and focus on the chest contraction as you slowly bring the dumbbells back to the starting position.
6. Repeat for 10-15 reps.

Dumbbell Lateral Raise: 3 sets x 10-15 reps



1. Stand straight with feet hip-width apart, holding the dumbbells with a neutral grip at your sides.
2. Raise your arms laterally outward, maintaining a slight bending in the elbow. Bring the weights up to shoulder level or slightly past.
3. Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the beginning position,
4. Repeat for 10-15 reps.

Lying Dumbbell Tricep Extension: 3 sets x 10-15 reps



1. Lie on a flat bench with your back fully supported and your feet flat on the ground.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing inward (towards your head), and extend your arms straight up towards the ceiling.
3. With your elbows close to your body, bend your elbows to lower the dumbbells towards your shoulders until they are parallel to the ground.
4. Press the dumbbells back up to the starting position by extending your elbows and squeezing your triceps.
5. Be sure to keep your arms steady throughout the exercise.
6. Repeat for 10-15 reps.

Day 4: Pull (Hypertrophy)

Single-Arm Dumbbell Row: 4 sets x 15, 12, 10, 10 reps

1. Same exercise as day 1, but use a lighter weight for more reps. Start with a lighter weight and increase each set.

Dumbbell Prone Row: 3 sets x 10-15 reps



1. The DB Prone Row is essentially the same exercise as the incline dumbbell row on day 1, except the bench is flattened instead of at an incline. This creates a more direct horizontal pull than the angled pull from the incline bench.
2. Not every gym has an extra tall bench like this, the same effect can be accomplished by putting a bench on top of two plyo boxes.
3. Lay down flat on a bench in the prone position and grab one dumbbell in each hand.
4. Squeeze the lats, retract your shoulders, and flex the elbows (roughly a 30-degree angle) to row the weights upwards toward the bench.
5. Your upper arms should be just above your back at the top of the concentric part of the lift.
6. Slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the original position.
7. Repeat for 10-15 reps.

Renegade Row: 3 sets x 10-15 reps



1. Grab two dumbbells and get into a plank/push-up position with your hands on the dumbbells.
2. Keep your legs straight and feet slightly wider than hip-width.
3. Pull one dumbbell towards your ribs with a rowing motion in the plank position, keeping your elbow close to your body.
4. Slowly lower the dumbbell back down to return to the plank position, then repeat the movement for the opposite arm.
5. Alternate between arms until you complete all reps for each side.

Bent Over Reverse Fly (Rear Delt): 4 sets x 10-15 reps



1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, dumbbell in each hand.
2. Hinge forward at your hips to bend your upper body until it is almost parallel to the floor. Keep your back straight, chest up, and knees slightly bent. Your arms should hang straight down beneath your shoulders, with your palms facing each other.
3. With your elbows slightly bent, exhale and lift both dumbbells out to the sides until your arms parallel the ground.
4. Inhale and lower the dumbbells in a controlled manner back to the beginning position.
5. Repeat for 10-15 reps.

Seated Dumbbell Curls: 3 sets x 10-15 reps



1. Sit on a bench/chair with your back firmly against the back and feet flat on the ground.
2. Grab each dumbbell with an underhand grip (palms out) and let your arms hang straight down.
3. With your elbows tight to your body, exhale and slowly curl the dumbbells towards your shoulders by bending your elbows.
4. Squeeze your biceps at the top of the lift to maximize the contraction.
5. Inhale and slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position in a controlled manner.
6. Repeat for 10-15 reps.

Day 5: Legs (Hypertrophy) – Hamstring Focus

Romanian Dumbbell Deadlift – 4 sets x 8-12 reps



1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs, palms facing your body.
2. Hinge at your hips and slowly lower the dumbbells, keeping them close to your legs while keeping your back flat and chest up. The weights should pass below your knees but not touch the ground.
3. Keep your knees bent and spine neutral, and avoid rounding your back during the lift. Your back should be flat, your chest up, your core tight, and your shoulders pulled back.
4. Activate your hamstrings and glutes to raise your torso to the beginning position.
5. Squeeze your glutes to fully extend your hips at the top of the lift.
6. Repeat for 8-12 reps. You don’t want to go much higher than eight reps because the back muscles will fatigue before your legs, which can lead to injury.

Tip: Try single-leg if your dumbbells are too light.

Dumbbell Front Squat – 4 sets x 8-15 reps



1. Stand tall with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height, palms facing each other. Rest the bottoms of the dumbbells on the front of your shoulders.
3. With your chest up and your shoulders pulled back, slowly bend at the hips and knees to lower yourself, like sitting down on a chair. Try to go until your thighs are parallel to the ground or beyond.
4. Keep your elbows lifted to prevent the dumbbells from dropping.
5. Push through your heels, then extend your hips and knees to stand back up.
6. Repeat for 8-15 reps.

Tip: This exercise is great for people with bad knees, as it places less force on the knees than regular squats. Goblet squats are a great alternative if this movement feels too awkward.

Dumbbell Walking Lunges: 4 sets x 8-15 reps



1. Stand tall with your feet together, holding a dumbbell in each hand by your sides.
2. Step forward with your right foot so your heel hits the ground first.
3. Lower your body by bending both knees until your front thigh is parallel to the ground and your back knee is just above the floor.
4. Lower your body straight down. Make sure your front knee is in line with your ankle and doesn’t go past your toes. Both of your legs should form a 90-degree angle at the knee.
5. Push through the heel of your front foot to straighten your front leg and return to a standing position.
6. Repeat for the left leg, alternating until all reps are finished.
7. Repeat for 8-15 reps.

Tip: Take long strides to emphasize the hamstrings and create a greater range of motion for the hips/glutes.

Dumbbell Leg Curl – 3 sets x 10-15 reps



1. Lie on a flat bench with your legs extended and your toes pointing towards the floor.
2. Place a dumbbell between your feet, gripping it securely with your feet.
3. Keep your hips pressed into the bench to maintain proper spine alignment.
4. Use your hamstrings to lift the dumbbell towards your glutes, keeping your knees close together and your feet flexed.
5. Be sure not to arch the lower back – squeeze the glutes and contract your core to keep the focus on the hamstrings.
6. Slowly lower the dumbbell back to the original position, extending your knees and straightening your legs.
7. Repeat for 10-15 reps.

Dumbbell Hip Thrust – 3 sets x 10-15 reps



1. Sit on the ground with your upper back against a bench or elevated surface and feet flat on the ground, hip-width apart.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand on your hips, ensuring they’re secure and stable.
3. Press through the heels of your feet and squeeze your glutes to thrust your hips toward the ceiling.
4. Drive your hips upward until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knee.
5. Slowly lower your hips back down towards the ground to the original position.
6. Repeat for 10-15 reps.

Tip: Try a lower bench and experiment with positions until you find a comfortable one. Your lower leg should be roughly perpendicular to the floor.

Fat-Burning Full-Body Dumbbell Workout

While the first workout plan is designed to build muscle, this full-body workout is designed to burn calories. Full-body workouts are commonly used in the CrossFit world and circuit training programs as a way to burn calories and sculpt lean muscle. This full-body workout uses exercises from above that are combined to train everything in one day. Since full-body workouts are extremely draining, you should limit yourself to twice a week, with a minimum of 72 hours of rest between.

You should use a weight that you can comfortably complete for ten reps. Limit rest time to 90 seconds between sets. Unlike a circuit routine, you should complete all three sets for each exercise before moving on to the next exercise.

Warm-Up:

• 5 minutes of dynamic stretching
• 5 minutes of light walking

Workout: 3 sets x 10 reps each exercise

• Dumbbell Deadlift
• Dumbbell Goblet Squat
• Dumbbell Bench Press
• Dumbbell Overhead Presses
• Dumbbell Lunges with Bicep Curl
• Renegade Row

Cool-Down:

• 5 minutes of static stretching
• 5 minutes of light walking

Programming The Workout Plan

For the bodybuilder/strength training workout, we will use a five-day split, but not the one you’re thinking about. This workout will be split as follows:

• Upper Body (Strength)
• Lower Body (Strength) – Quad Focus
• Rest
• Push (Hypertrophy)
• Pull (Hypertrophy)
• Legs (Hypertrophy) – Hamstring Focus
• Rest

While most people do split workouts that are divided by specific muscle groups (chest, back, arms, etc.), the scientific evidence shows that training each muscle group twice weekly is ideal for maximum growth.¹ To learn more about this, check out our articleWhy You Should Train Each Muscle Group Twice A Week.

It’s important to have a thorough warm-up for these workouts because dumbbells activate so many accessory muscles to maintain stability. Try doing dynamic stretches (active movements) and a few minutes of light cardio to warm up properly.

After the warm-up, all workouts should (unless you are doing a pre-exhaust) start with compound exercises that work for multiple muscle groups. When training multiple muscle groups on the same day (which we will be), you should always start with large muscle groups then move on to the smaller muscle groups or accessory muscles.

The first two workouts (upper body and lower body) are strength training days and target all the major muscle groups. These two workouts use a lower volume with high intensity to increase muscle strength. The goal is to lift as much weight as possible while maintaining correct form.

The second half of the split, the hypertrophy days, use higher volume to build muscle and create a pump. This workout is designed scientifically to increase volume and manage fatigue. Simply put, you need to increase the volume over time to continue to make gains. The goal is to perform 10-20 weekly sets per muscle group.

If you do have access to more than dumbbells, you should check out our SFS Hypertrophy Program.

If you’re looking for a comprehensive strength program, you’re in luck we are extremely proud of our SFS Strength Program.

Benefits of Using Dumbbells

While you may be doubting the effectiveness of a full-body dumbbell workout, there are actually several benefits. Some of the top benefits of dumbbells include:

1. Core Activation

One major benefit of using dumbbells compared to other workout equipment is they keep the core engaged. Most dumbbell exercises activate the core and other stabilizer muscles in a way that machines can’t.

2. Greater Range of Motion

Another major advantage of using dumbbells is the greater range of motion they allow. The dumbbell bench press is one of several examples where you can get a far greater stretch compared to a machine or barbell. With a barbell bench press, your chest gets in the way – with dumbbells, you can go as far as you can stretch. A greater range of motion will improve gains, mobility, and flexibility.

3. Improved Balance

Lifting with dumbbells requires balance and coordination. You may not realize it, but your body works extra hard to keep everything stable during free-weight exercises.

4. Fix Muscle Imbalance

Dumbbells ensure you lift the same amount to help prevent muscle imbalances. With machines or barbell exercises, your body often overcompensates for a lacking muscle group by using other body parts or momentum. This can lead to muscle imbalances, whereas dumbbells correct this.

5. More Versatile

We understand that not everyone has access to full gyms with unlimited equipment. If you are working out at home or traveling, dumbbells can be used for countless exercises that target every muscle group.

FAQs

What should I do if my dumbbells are too light for my strength level?

If you only have light dumbbells, you can try increasing the number of reps or superset with other exercises. For leg exercises, you can also do higher reps to failure or do the exercises with one leg rather than two.

Can you get big from a full-body workout using only dumbbells?

Yes! You may have to get creative if you have limited weight options, but you can train every muscle group just as effectively with dumbbells.

Is it possible to train the lower body muscles with a dumbbell workout?

Yes, there are several excellent exercises that can help build muscle in the legs and lower body. Exercises like the single-leg deadlift, goblet squat, lunges, or front squat can all be done using dumbbells.

Outro

As long as you do the exercises correctly and follow an effective routine, full-body dumbbell workouts can be just as effective as an entire gym. Nearly every exercise can be performed with just dumbbells; it just requires extra balance and a little creativity. If you have a limited amount of dumbbells to work with that you’ve outgrown, try doing higher reps or train to failure to ensure a good workout. You can also play around with various hand positions or angles to make things more challenging.

If you are a beginner and wish to try this routine, simply cut back a few sets or reps if you are struggling. A personal trainer can be helpful to show you proper form and keep you motivated.

If you want more dumbbell workout options, check out our article,The Ultimate Upper Body Dumbbell Workout. If you are sold on this concept and are in the market for a new set of dumbbells for the home gym, check out our article9 Best Dumbbell Sets (2024 Edition).

References

1. Schoenfeld, Brad J., et al. “Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Sports Medicine, vol. 46, no. 11, 21 Apr. 2016, pp. 1689–1697, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27102172/, https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-016-0543-8.