Physical Training Program II: Dumbbell Circuit

Here’s a 12-week training program you can stick to and build on long term. This combines calisthenics, cardio, core, and mental toughness exercises while maintaining recovery and injury prevention.

• Duration: 12 weeks
• Frequency: 5 days per week (1 active recovery day, 1 rest day)
• Gear needed: Several sets of dumbbells/kettlebells and a pull-up bar
• What you'll do: dumbbell strength circuit and breathing exercises
• How long it'll take: 30+ minutes for circuit workouts
• What it'll prepare you for: hitting the gym for a more intense full body workout

Explaining the Dumbbell Circuit 🛠️

Dumbbells offer the perfect balance between control and resistance, allowing you to build strength, balance, and coordination through a full range of motion. By cycling through compound movements like squats, lunges, presses, and rows, you challenge multiple muscle groups while improving joint stability and muscle symmetry.

Unlike machines, dumbbells demand more from your stabilizers and core, leading to better functional strength and injury resilience. The added load boosts hypertrophy (muscle growth) and metabolic burn, helping you build lean muscle while torching calories. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced athlete, dumbbell workouts can be scaled to meet your needs, making them a highly efficient way to get strong, sculpted, and resilient.

• Warm up before every workout (jog, jump rope, dynamic stretches, whatever gets heat in the body)
• Prioritize form first — perfect reps beat fast sloppy reps
• For pull-ups: use band assistance or negatives if needed
• If you can’t complete the reps, don’t stop — break into mini-sets and keep going
• If you're sore, take the active recovery day seriously (walk, stretch, yoga, mobility)

Weeks 1–3: Full Body

This phase consists of compound movements that activate all major muscle groups. It's designed to ease your body into training and gradually increase the overload throughout the microcycle. Advanced lifters may skip this phase and extend phases 2–4 instead.

Before Each Workout

• Jump Rope Warm-Up: 5 minutes
• Mobility Drills: 10–15 minutes
• Rest Times Between Sets: 60–90 seconds

Day 1 – Full Body

• Goblet Squats: 3 sets x 10 reps
• Bent Over Rows: 3 sets x 10 reps
• Bench Press: 3 sets x 10 reps
• Shoulder Press: 3 sets x 10 reps
• Core – Roll Outs: 3 sets x 15 reps

Day 2 – Full Body

• Farmer Squats: 3 sets x 10 reps
• Prone Rows: 3 sets x 10 reps
• Incline Press: 3 sets x 10 reps
• Seated Shoulder Press: 3 sets x 10 reps
• Core – Twisting Planks: 3 sets x 30 reps (15 each side)

Day 3 – Full Body

• Step-Ups: 3 sets x 10 reps (each side)
• Single Arm Rows: 3 sets x 10 reps (each side)
• Single Arm Press: 3 sets x 10 reps (each side)
• Single Arm Shoulder Press: 3 sets x 10 reps (each side)
• Core – Otis Ups: 3 sets x 15 reps

Rest Days x3

Note: Use these for mobility, cardio, or focusing on lagging body parts (e.g. legs).

Weeks 4–6: Full Body Plus

This phase adds isolation movements to target smaller muscle groups while continuing to emphasize compound lifts. Volume and difficulty increase, along with more training days.

Day 1 – Full Body + Isolation

• Squat Thrusters: 4 sets x 8 reps
• Commando Rows: 4 sets x 8 reps
• Floor Press: 4 sets x 8 reps
• Hang Clean Press: 4 sets x 8 reps
• Skull Crushers: 3 sets x 10 reps
• Supinating Curls: 3 sets x 10 reps
• Core – Supermans: 3 sets x 15 reps

Day 2 – Full Body + Isolation

• Overhead Split Squats: 4 sets x 8 reps
• Bent Over Row (head supported): 4 sets x 8 reps
• Close Bench Press: 4 sets x 8 reps
• Scott Press: 4 sets x 8 reps
• Pull-Overs: 3 sets x 10 reps
• Around the World (Chest): 3 sets x 10 reps
• Core – Windshield Wipers: 3 sets x 20 reps (10 each side)

Day 3 – Full Body + Isolation

• Weighted Squat Jumps: 4 sets x 8 reps
• Incline High Rows: 4 sets x 8 reps
• Twisting Incline Press: 4 sets x 8 reps
• Push Press: 4 sets x 8 reps
• Single Arm French Press: 3 sets x 10 reps
• Concentration Curls: 3 sets x 10 reps
• Core – Weighted Crunches: 3 sets x 15 reps

Day 4 – Full Body + Isolation

• Box Squats: 4 sets x 8 reps
• Bent Over Alternating Rows: 4 sets x 8 reps
• Alternating Incline Press: 4 sets x 8 reps
• Alternating Shoulder Press: 4 sets x 8 reps
• Bent Over Shoulder Extensions: 3 sets x 10 reps
• Underhand Flys: 3 sets x 10 reps
• Core – Reverse Crunches: 3 sets x 15 reps

Rest Days x3

Note: Use these for mobility, cardio, or focusing on lagging body parts (e.g. legs).

Weeks 7–9: Upper/Lower Split

Before Each Workout

• Jump Rope Warm-Up: 5 minutes
• Mobility Drills: 10–15 minutes (e.g. yoga)
• Rest Times Between Sets: 60–90 seconds

Day 1 – Lower Body

• Sumo to Goblet Squat: 4 sets x 10 reps
• Elevated Hip Thrusts: 4 sets x 10 reps
• Walking Lunges: 4 sets x 10 reps
• RDLs: 4 sets x 10 reps
• Standing Calf Raises: 4 sets x 10 reps
• Core – Russian Twists: 3 sets x 50 reps (25 each side)

Day 2 – Upper Body

• Commando Row: 4 sets x 10 reps
• Wide to Close Bench Press: 4 sets x 10 reps
• Hang Clean and Press: 4 sets x 10 reps
• Pull-Over: 4 sets x 10 reps
• Man Makers: 3 sets x 10 reps
• Core – Weighted Otis Ups: 3 sets x 30 reps

Day 3 – Lower Body

• Bulgarian Split Squats: 4 sets x 10 reps
• Dumbbell Swings: 4 sets x 10 reps
• Superset: Farmer Squat 4 sets x 10 reps + Farmer Walks (50m)
• Single Leg RDLs: 4 sets x 10 reps (each side)
• Seated Calf Raises: 4 sets x 10 reps
• Core – Supermans: 3 sets x 20 reps

Day 4 – Upper Body

• Low to High Incline Row: 4 sets x 10 reps
• Floor Press: 4 sets x 10 reps
• Single Arm Snatch: 4 sets x 10 reps
• Around the Worlds (Chest): 4 sets x 10 reps
• Core – Side Planks: 3 sets x 60 sec (each side)

Rest Days x3

Note: Use these for mobility, cardio, or focusing on lagging body parts (e.g. legs).

Weeks 10–12: Classic Split

Day 1 – Legs

• Squats (DB on shoulders): 4 sets x 12 reps
• Sumo Deadlifts: 4 sets x 12 reps
• RDLs: 4 sets x 12 reps
• Jumping Bulgarian Split Squats: 4 sets x 12 reps
• Lying Hamstring Curls: 4 sets x 12 reps
• Single Leg Seated Calf Raises: 4 sets x 12 reps
• Core – Accordion Crunches: 3 sets x 30 reps

Day 2 – Back & Biceps

• Bent Over Low Row: 4 sets x 12 reps
• Incline High Row: 4 sets x 12 reps
• Single Arm Close to Wide Row: 4 sets x 12 reps
• Pull-Overs: 4 sets x 12 reps
• Hammer Curls: 3 sets x 12 reps
• Circular Curls: 3 sets x 12 reps
• Core – Twisting Planks: 3 sets x 50 reps (25 each side)

Day 3 – Chest & Triceps

• Twisting Bench Press: 4 sets x 12 reps
• Incline Close Press: 4 sets x 12 reps
• Single Arm Floor Press: 4 sets x 12 reps
• Underhand Fly: 4 sets x 12 reps
• Skull Crushers: 3 sets x 12 reps
• Kickbacks: 3 sets x 12 reps
• Core – Roll Outs: 3 sets x 25 reps

Day 4 – Shoulders & Traps

• Hang Clean Press: 4 sets x 12 reps
• Scott Press: 4 sets x 12 reps
• Windmill Press: 4 sets x 12 reps
• Superset (4 sets x 10 reps each):
  • Front Raise
  • Lateral Raise
  • Reverse Fly
• Seated Shrugs: 4 sets x 12 reps
• Core – Weighted Crunches: 3 sets x 25 reps

Rest Days x3

Note: Use these for mobility, cardio, or focusing on lagging body parts (e.g. legs).

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