Do you want a push, pull, leg workout routine that utilises only body weight and dumbbells? Here it is for you.
Previously, here at BOXROX, I have dived into different push, pull, leg workouts. I have created one using only kettlebells and another one that is suitable for people who want to use only the barbell for their workout.
And now it’s time for the ultimate dumbbell-only push, pull, leg workout.
Push, Pull, Leg Methodology
If you don’t know what is the push, pull, leg training methodology, it isn’t difficult to understand.
In simple terms, you will be dividing your exercises depending on what type of movement they are and what area of your body it targets.
Exercises that have you pushing away an object from your body will be in the “push” category. In the other direction, if you are pulling the handle of a machine or dumbbell towards your body, these exercises would be categorised as “pull.” Both of these nomenclatures are, for the purpose of push, pull, leg workout, only described for upper-body exercises. Any exercise that focuses on your lower body, be it pushing or pulling, is in the “leg” category.
In other words, push exercises typically focus on your chest, shoulder and triceps, while pulling exercises target your back, biceps and forearms. What about the abs? These exercises are typically added to leg training sessions, but you can do them any time you want, as long as you take at least 24 hours of recovery between training days. You can also reserve a specific day to do only core exercises, instead of push, pull, or leg.
Some benefits of this modality of training include:
Balanced Training: The push, pull, leg workout is a balanced training program that ensures that all muscle groups are worked out. This workout includes pushing exercises that work the chest, triceps, and shoulders, pulling exercises that work the back, biceps, and forearms, and leg exercises that work the quads, hamstrings, and glutes.
Time-Efficient: Push, pull, leg workouts are time-efficient, which means you can get a full-body workout in a shorter period of time. This type of training allows you to work multiple muscle groups at once, which saves time and allows you to maximize your training sessions.
Prevents Overtraining: Push, pull, leg workouts can help prevent overtraining by providing adequate rest and recovery time for each muscle group. This is because each muscle group is only worked out once or twice a week, which prevents excessive strain and allows your body to recover fully between workouts.
Improves Strength and Muscle Growth: Push, pull, leg workouts can help improve your overall strength and muscle growth. This is because this type of workout targets multiple muscle groups, which can help you build more muscle mass and improve your overall fitness level.
Versatile: Push, pull, leg workouts are versatile, which means you can modify them to meet your specific fitness goals. For example, you can adjust the number of sets and reps, the weight used, and the exercises performed to match your fitness level and goals.
How Heavy Should Your Dumbbells Be?
We previously talked about what is the best weight to train with if you could afford only one piece of fitness equipment.
While having multiple varying weights of dumbbells at your disposal is the best outcome, we know that is not achievable for most people who work out at home.
According to Adam Sinicki, the guy behind the YouTube Channel The Bioneer, if you can afford only one pair of dumbbells, make sure they are around 30% of your bodyweight.
With a 30% bodyweight pair of dumbbells, you can improve strength, athleticism, explosiveness and endurance. You might need to tweak the workout I’m about to show you (especially regarding the number of sets and reps depending on your goals), but it is a good place to start.
Push, Pull, Leg Workout Only Using Dumbbells
For this workout, you will only need dumbbells as fitness equipment to perform the exercises. In fact, some movements you won’t even need that as your body weight will be enough resistance to build muscle.
So here it is our dumbbell-only push, pull, leg workout and how it is divided:
- Day 1 – Push
- Day 2 – Pull
- Day 3 – Leg and Abs
- Day 4 – Push and Abs
- Day 5 – Pull and Leg
This workout is split into five days and you need only dumbbells for your weight training. Follow this workout for 6-8 weeks and switch to a different workout after so that your body doesn’t get accustomed to it.
If possible, change to a normal push, pull, leg workout routine such as this one.
Day 1 – Push
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Bench Press | 4 | 8-12 |
| Military Press | 3 | 8-12 |
| Lateral raise | 3 | 6-10 |
| Tricep extension | 4 | 6-12 |
| Push-up | 3 | To failure |
Day 2 – Pull
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Dumbbell High Pull | 4 | 6-12 |
| Dumbbell Bent-Over Row | 3 | 8-10 |
| Dumbbell Reverse Fly | 3 | 6-12 |
| Biceps Curl | 4 | 6-8 |
| Dumbbell Shrug | 3 | 5-8 |
| Dumbbell Deadlift | 3 | To failure |
Day 3 – Legs and Abs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Bulgarian Split Squat | 4 | 8-12 |
| Lateral Lunge | 4 | 10-15 |
| Farmer’s Walk | 4 | 25-metre walk |
| Weighted Crunch | 3 | 12-15 |
| Plank Pull Through | 3 | 10-12 |
Day 4 – Push and Abs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Incline Bench Press | 4 | 8-12 |
| Dips | 3 | 10-15 |
| Turkish Get-Up | 3 | 6-8 |
| Burpees | 4 | 10-20 |
| Triceps Kickback | 2 | To failure |
Day 5 – Pull and Legs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Pull-Up | 3 | 8-15 |
| Romanian Deadlift | 4 | 12-15 |
| Zottman Curl | 3 | 8-10 |
| Renegade Row | 3 | 8-12 |
| Goblet Squat | 4 | 10-15 |
| Reverse Lunge | 3 | 12-15 |
Who Should Do This Push, Pull, Leg Dumbbell Workout?
Although it might sound sophisticated, the push, pull, leg kettlebell workout can benefit any person.
Beginners will be taxing their bodies the right amount, as long as they leave enough time to recover from one training session to the other. The best thing about the push, pull, leg methodology is that you can perform exercises on two days in a row, as the exercises complement each other and train different muscles.
Intermediate lifters can also improve their fitness level with this push, pull, leg kettlebell workout by shifting away their focus on full-body workouts and targeting specifically their muscles more regularly.
Since the push, pull, leg dumbbell-only workout from above is divided into 5 days, you can choose when to rest. Just make sure to target muscles that are not sore from the previous day. However, the abs you can train every day, as Bruce Lee used to.
The Best Dumbbell Exercises to Hit Every Muscle
20 Dumbbell Workouts for Time to Build Strength and Transform your Body
The Best 30 Dumbbell Exercises for Building Muscle (GET JACKED)
