Heavy Dumbbell Training for Massive Bulk and Power

 Make Fantastic Strength, Power, and Mass Gains by Utilizing Heavy Dumbbell-Only Workouts!

The great "old-time" strongman Arthur Saxon lifting a heavy pair of 'bells!

When most lifters think of building tons of mass, power, and strength (either all at one time or in some combination), they usually think about heavy barbell training.  And when the same lifters think about dumbbell training, they usually think of it in terms of traditional "bodybuilding-style" workouts (3 to 4 sets of 10-12 reps - that sort of thing) or in terms of really light, higher-rep workouts.  But this shouldn't be the case.  The same way that a barbell-only workout can be geared toward traditional bodybuilding workouts and mega-high-rep training, dumbbell-only workouts can be great for building mass, strength, bulk, and power!

Of course, every single workout of your program doesn't have to be a dumbbell-only regimen, but it does make for a nice change of pace and dumbbells in many cases are better than barbells when it comes to serious mass-building.  Below is an example of a heavy dumbbell-only workout for you to try on your massive bulk and power quest!  Maybe -for the first week or two - stick with the program exactly as it's written.  After that, you can add in some barbell-only workouts, and even some bodyweight sessions if needed/wanted.

"Basic", Full-Body Program:

Monday:

Dumbbell Front Squats: 5 sets of 5 reps.  Using a single dumbbell held high on your chest (below your neck), work up to a heavy set of 5 reps through progressively heavier 5s.

Dumbbell Bench Presses: 5 sets of 5 reps.  Perform these as you did the dumbbell squats, working up over 5 progressively heavier sets of 5 reps.

Two-Arm Dumbbell Power Cleans: 5 sets of 3 reps.  As with the two previous exercises, work up to a heavy set of 3 reps a la progressively heavier sets of 3 reps on the other 4 sets.

Alternating Dumbbell Curls: 3 sets of 8 reps.  If you need it, then perform a warm-up set or two.  Otherwise, jump straight into 3 sets of 8 reps (using the same weight on each set).

Lying Dumbbell Triceps Extensions: 3 sets of 8 reps.  Perform these on either a flat bench or on the floor.  (I prefer floor to minimize cheating - the tougher the better in my book.)  As with the curls, you are going to perform 3 "straight" sets of 8 reps.

Wednesday:

One-Arm Dumbbell Thick Bar Deadlifts: 4 sets of 5 reps (each arm).  In reality, you will be performing 8 sets total, since you will be doing a set for each arm.  Work up over 4 progressively heavier sets until you reach your max weight for 5 reps.  (If you train in a commercial gym, it might be a good idea to invest in a pair of "fat-grips" that you can take with you and insert onto your dumbbells.)

One-Arm Dumbbell Clean and Press: 4 sets of 3 reps (each arm).  Work up over 4 progressively heavier triples until you reach your max triple for each arm.

Two-Arm Dumbbell Power Snatches: 5 sets of 3 reps.  Finish off the mid-week workout with 5 progressively heavier "snatches", holding a dumbbell in each hand.

Friday:

Dumbbell Front Squats: 5 sets of 5 reps.  This is the only exercise that you are going to repeat for the week.  As with Monday's session, work up to a max set of 5 reps via 5 progressively heavier sets.

Incline Dumbbell Bench Presses: 5 sets of 5 reps.  Perform these as you did the dumbbell squats, working up over 5 progressively heavier sets of 5 reps.

One-Arm Dumbbell Rows: 5 sets of 5 reps.  As with the previous two exercises, work up over 5 progressively heavier sets of 5 reps until you reach your max set of 5.

Two-Arm Dumbbell Deadlifts: 5 sets of 3 reps (straight sets).  Unlike most of the heavy training in this program, for this exercise, I want you to use the same weight on all 5 sets.  Pick a weight where you would reach failure on the 5th or 6th repetition.  Now attempt to perform 5 sets of 3 reps on each set.