In today’s busy world, finding time to work out can be a challenge, especially if you’re juggling work, family, and other commitments. But what if I told you that you can achieve significant strength gains and muscle development with just two home workouts a week? Yes, it’s possible! The key lies in volume training, focusing on sets of 10-15 reps with medium-heavy dumbbells and a flat weight bench. This is because it’s often hard to have enough heavy weights at home to train within the 5-8 rep range. This combination can help you build strength and endurance while maximizing your workout efficiency.

Why Volume Training?

Volume training emphasizes performing more repetitions per set, typically in the 10-15 rep range. This approach is perfect for building muscle endurance, enhancing overall muscle size, and improving cardiovascular health. When paired with medium-heavy weights, volume training creates a solid foundation for strength, making it ideal for people who want to:

Increase muscle definition
Build lean muscle mass
Improve muscle endurance

If you can only commit to two days a week, focusing on volume ensures you’re maximizing your time and effort. This program is designed for individuals with access to a flat weight bench and medium-heavy dumbbells (typically 8kg to 20kg, depending on your current strength level).

Benefits of a Twice-a-Week Program

Training twice a week is enough to stimulate muscle growth and maintain strength. Here are some benefits:

Recovery: With two sessions a week, your body has ample time to recover, reducing the risk of overtraining.
Consistency: A two-day plan is sustainable even with a busy schedule.
Adaptability: It allows you to adjust intensity based on your progress without feeling burned out.

The Home Gym Setup

For this program, you’ll need:

Flat Weight Bench: Perfect for upper body exercises like presses, rows, and dips.
Medium-Heavy Dumbbells: Adjustable or fixed dumbbells in the 8kg-20kg range, ideal for achieving the desired 10-15 rep range while maintaining proper form.

Why Push-Pull-Legs?

Push-pull-legs home workout allow you to target different muscle groups in a structured way:

Push exercises target the chest, shoulders, and triceps.
Pull exercises focus on the back and biceps.
Leg exercises work the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves.

By combining these movements in each session, you get a balanced workout that stimulates each muscle group with enough volume to promote growth, even with limited training days.

Workout A (Push-Pull-Legs #1)

Dumbbell Bench Press (Push)

- 4 sets of 10-15 reps
- Targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps. Lower the dumbbells slowly for a controlled movement and press explosively.

2. Bent-Over Dumbbell Row or Barbell Row (Pull)

- - 4 sets of 12-15 reps
  - Targets the back and biceps. Hinge forward until your torso is roughly parallel with the floor. Drive your elbows behind your body while retracting your shoulder blades.

3. Goblet Squat (Legs)

- 4 sets of 10-15 reps
- Hold a dumbbell at chest height and perform a deep squat, focusing on driving through your heels to engage your quads and glutes.

4. Dumbbell Lateral Raise (Shoulders)

- 3 sets of 12-15 reps
- Targets the lateral deltoids. Raise the dumbbells to your sides until your arms are parallel to the ground, then lower slowly.

5. Dumbbell Bicep Curl (Pull)

- 3 sets of 12-15 reps
- Focus on controlled curls to engage your biceps without swinging the weights.

6. Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift (Legs)

- 3 sets of 12-15 reps
- Targets hamstrings and glutes. Keep your back straight as you hinge at the hips, lowering the dumbbells down your legs.

7. Dumbbell Skull Crushers (Push)

- 3 sets of 12-15 reps
- Lie on a bench, lower the dumbbells toward your forehead by bending your elbows, then press back up, focusing on your triceps.

Workout B (Push-Pull-Legs #2)

1. Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press (Push)

4 sets of 10-12 reps
Sit on the bench and press the dumbbells overhead, focusing on a full range of motion to engage your shoulders and triceps.

2. Single-Arm Dumbbell Row (Pull)

4 sets of 12-15 reps
Place one knee and hand on the bench, hold a dumbbell in the other hand. Pull the weight toward your hip, squeezing your back.

3. Bulgarian Split Squat (Legs)

4 sets of 12-15 reps (each leg)
With one foot on the bench behind you, hold dumbbells and perform a deep squat on the front leg.

4. Dumbbell Chest Fly (Push)

3 sets of 12-15 reps
Lie on the bench and hold dumbbells above your chest. Lower them out to your sides, focusing on a deep stretch in your chest.

5. Dumbbell Hammer Curl (Pull)

3 sets of 12-15 reps
Curl the weights with your palms facing each other. This movement targets the brachialis and forearms.

6. Dumbbell Step-Ups (Legs)

3 sets of 10-12 reps (each leg)
Step onto the bench while holding dumbbells. This movement works the quads, glutes, and hamstrings.

7. Weight Bench Triceps Dips (Push)

3 sets of 10-15 reps
Sit on the edge of a bench with hands beside your hips. Lower your body by bending your elbows, then push back up, focusing on your triceps..

Key Focus Points:

Progressive Overload: Gradually increase your dumbbell weight or the number of reps each week to keep challenging your muscles and promote growth.
Focus on Form: Prioritize controlled, slow movements. This will engage the target muscles more effectively and reduce the risk of injury.
Recovery: Since you’re hitting each muscle group twice a week, it’s important to get adequate rest between sessions. Make sure to sleep well, eat a protein-rich diet, and stay hydrated.

We also recommend the Legionathletics website as a great source of knowledge for workouts!

Conclusion

This twice-a-week push-pull-legs home workout is perfect for building muscle, strength, and endurance, even if you’re short on time. With volume training in the 10-15 rep range and proper progression, you’ll see steady gains in muscle size and overall conditioning. By incorporating the MightyRock foldable weight bench and medium-heavy dumbbells, you can create an effective home gym routine that fits into your busy schedule.

Twice-a-Week Push-Pull-Legs Home Workout Program