This Three-Day Dumbbell Plan Builds Serious Muscle and Fitness

This week we’re pairing upper/lower body EMOMs with 30-second max effort circuits to strike a balance between quality and intensity. Both of which are vital for long-term, progressive muscle growth.

For part one of the workout, you’ll work EMOM – every minute on the minute – moving back and forth between upper body and lower body compound movements in alternating minutes – continue in this fashion for 5 rounds/10 minutes. With your EMOM complete, move into a series of max effort sets, performing as many reps as possible (with good form) in 30 seconds, before moving onto the next move. After you’ve completed all three movements, rest for 90-seconds and repeat. Complete 4 total rounds.

If you have access to a selection of dumbbells, or adjustable weights, choose weights that allow you to get towards the higher end of the recommended rep range, for at least your first set. Make a note of the weights you use, and the sets/reps you achieve. You can use these as a point of reference or something to ‘beat’ next time you repeat these workouts.

DAY ONE (W44/D1)

After a thorough warm-up grab your ‘bells, start the clock and get to work.

Part A: 10-Minute Alternating EMOM

A1. Push Press x 6-10 reps

Clean your dumbbells onto your shoulders, palms facing in. Take a breath and create tension in your core. (A) Dip at the knees and use your legs to help (B) press your dumbbells overhead. Lower with a controlled tempo to your shoulders and repeat. If your weights feel a little too light, don’t use any drive from the legs and focus on a strict press from the shoulders.

A2. Front Squat x 10-15

Clean your dumbbells onto the front of your shoulders (A). From here, drop into a front squat by pushing your hips back and bending at the knees until your thighs pass parallel to the ground (B), before driving back up explosively. Keep those dumbbells secured high, with a strong, upright torso throughout. Push hard for the high end of the rep range here.

Part B: 4 Rounds/ 90-Secs Rest Each Round

B1. Renegade Row x 30-second max reps

Drop into a press-up position with your hands on your ‘bells and midline tight (A). Shifting your weight onto your left hand, row the right dumbbell towards your hip (B). Pause briefly, then lower the weight under control. Repeat on your left side (each row equals one rep). If you have slightly heavier dumbbells, use them here.

B2. Push-Ups on Dumbbells x 30-second max reps

Assume a long armed plank position with your core tight and hands gripping your dumbbells (A), bend your elbows and slowly lower your chest to the floor over a strict count of three seconds (B). Keep your elbows close to your body and pause for one second, feeling the deep stretch through your chest as you push back up explosively. Repeat

B3. Burpee x 30 second max reps

Hinge, squat and drop down, placing both hands on the floor between your feet. Jump your feet back into the top of a press-up and lower your chest to the ground (A). Straighten your arms to press back up and hop your feet back forwards (B). Jump into the air explosively, touching your hands together above your head (C).

B4. Rest x 90 seconds

After your final movement, rest for 90 seconds . Focus on your breathing and lowering your heart rate, ready to hit the next circuit with full force.

DAY TWO (W44/D2)

Part A: 10-Minute Alternating EMOM

A1. Bent-Over Row x 8-12 reps

Stand tall with your dumbbells at your sides, hinge forward until your torso is almost parallel to the ground and allow the dumbbells to hang just below your knees (A). Maintaining a flat back, row both dumbbells towards your hips (B), squeeze your shoulder blades together and lower under control to the start before repeating.

A2. Alternating Reverse Lunge x 16-20 (total)

Drop your dumbbells to your sides (A). Keeping your chest up at all times, take a step backward with one leg, bending your front knee until the back knee touches the ground (B). Stand up explosively, pause and repeat with the other leg. Alternate back and forth, aiming for 16-24 total reps, counting both legs.

Part B: 4 Rounds/ 90-Secs Rest Each Round

B1. Goblet squat x 30-second max reps

Stand tall holding a dumbbell close to your chest in the ‘goblet’ position (A). Sink your hips back and bend your knees, dropping into a deep squat (B), your elbows should be almost between your knees at the bottom. Drive back up explosively, keeping your torso upright and dumbbell steady throughout.

B2. Alternating snatch x 30-second max reps

Hinge down and grab a dumbbell from on the ground between your feet, keep your knees soft and back flat (A). Explosively drive up through your hips and knees, generating momentum to help pull the dumbbell directly overhead in one fluid movement (B). Quickly return the dumbbell to the ground, switching hands as the dumbbell is descending or once its on the ground. Repeat alternating arms each rep

B3. Butterfly sit-up x 30-second max reps

Lay flat on your back with your legs bent, the soles of your feet together and your hands behind your head (A). Tense your abs as you sit up and forward, touching your hands to your feet (B). Reverse the move, touching the floor behind your head on each rep.

B4. Rest x 90 seconds

After your final movement, rest for 90 seconds . Focus on your breathing and lowering your heart rate, ready to hit the next circuit with full force.

DAY THREE (W44/D3)

Part A: 10 Minute Alternating EMOM

A1. Dumbbell Floor (or Bench) Press x 8-12 reps

Lay flat on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. Press the weights above you, locking out your elbows (A). Lower them slowly until your upper arms are resting on the floor (B), close to your body. Pause here before explosively pressing back up. If you have a bench, use it.

A2. Dumbbell Deadlift x 10-15

With your dumbbells on the floor just outside of your feet, hinge down and grip them with a flat back and neutral spine (A). Engage your lats and stand upright, pushing the ground away with your feet, keeping your chest up and black flat throughout (B). Lower them back to the ground in a hinging motion and repeat. Avoid excessive rounding in your lower back, keeping your form tight throughout. Don’t rush these — in the race to build muscle, slow and steady always wins.

Part B: 4 Rounds/ 90-Secs Rest Each Round

B1. Single dumbbell tricep extension x 30-second max reps

Lay flat on a bench or the floor holding a single dumbbell with both hands, gripping the outer ‘heads’, locked out above your chest (A). Bend at the elbows, slowly lowering the dumbbell towards your head while keeping your upper arms locked in place. Stop just short of the bell touching your head (B) before extending back up explosively. Repeat.

B2. Single Dumbbell Bicep Curl x 30-second max reps

Grip the dumbbell with both hands, holding the outer ‘heads’ with palms facing each other (A). With minimal momentum, curl the dumbbell upwards until it’s beneath your chin (B). Squeeze and lower the weight under control, fighting it all of the way. Perform as many reps as you can before you have to drop the weights, then take a few breaths and perform a few more.

B3. Split Squat Jump x 30-second max reps

Step one foot backward and sink into a deep lunge with your rear knee lightly touching the floor (A). Explode upwards into a jump, switching legs mid-air (B) to land in a lunge position with the opposite leg forward. Repeat the movement, alternating legs each rep and aiming to jump as high as possible.

B4. Rest x 90 seconds

After your final movement, rest for 90 seconds . Focus on your breathing and lowering your heart rate, ready to hit the next circuit with full force.

With almost 18 years in the health and fitness space as a personal trainer, nutritionist, breath coach and writer, Andrew has spent nearly half of his life exploring how to help people improve their bodies and minds.    

As our fitness editor he prides himself on keeping Men’s Health at the forefront of reliable, relatable and credible fitness information, whether that’s through writing and testing thousands of workouts each year, taking deep dives into the science behind muscle building and fat loss or exploring the psychology of performance and recovery.   

Whilst constantly updating his knowledge base with seminars and courses, Andrew is a lover of the practical as much as the theory and regularly puts his training to the test tackling everything from Crossfit and strongman competitions, to ultra marathons, to multiple 24 hour workout stints and (extremely unofficial) world record attempts.   

 You can find Andrew on Instagram at @theandrew.tracey, or simply hold up a sign for ‘free pizza’ and wait for him to appear.