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Start here: Review the Exercise Instruction Sheet before beginning this workout.
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| Workout Type | Equipment Needed | Duration | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Body | Dumbbells | 30 min | Intermediate |
This template hits every major upper body muscle group — chest, back, shoulders, and arms — through compound lifts stacked with targeted isolation work. You're training progressive overload with dumbbells, so each session should push load or reps slightly beyond last time. Expect real time under tension in the back half, and don't be surprised by some upper-body DOMS the next day. That's neural adaptation doing its job, not something to fear.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Weight | RPE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dumbbell Bench Press | 4 | 8-10 | ___ | ___ |
| Single-Arm Dumbbell Row | 4 | 8-10 per side | ___ | ___ |
| Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 3 | 10-12 | ___ | ___ |
| Incline Dumbbell Chest Fly | 3 | 12-15 | ___ | ___ |
| Renegade Row | 3 | 8-10 per side | ___ | ___ |
| Dumbbell Hammer Curl to Press | 3 | 10-12 | ___ | ___ |
| Tricep Kickback (slow tempo) | 3 | 12-15 | ___ | ___ |
<aside> 💡 Form Tip: On the Renegade Row, keep your hips dead still as you row — if your torso twists, you're letting your core off the hook. Brace like someone's about to poke you in the stomach, then row with mind-muscle connection, not momentum.
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<aside> 🍗 Protein Pairing: Upper body sessions chew through muscle protein fast, so hitting your daily protein target matters more than people think. Try Cheddar Chicken post-workout — it's a simple, high-protein plate that supports recovery without overcomplicating your day.
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Once every set here feels solid at RPE 8, add 2.5-5 lbs per dumbbell or layer in a sixth working set on your two compound lifts. Consistency over perfection — small jumps compound fast.