Dumbbell Foundational Strength

O'Brien Strength & Conditioning

General Fitness

Coach

Trevor O'Brien, MS, AT, CSCS

Dumbbell Foundational Strength will provide you with a solid base of strength all while using dumbbells and bands. This will focus on the foundational movement patterns; squat, hinge, lunge, push, pull, and carry, over a 6 week period with 2 separate blocks. Each block consists of 5 days per week, 3 full body strength, and 2 optional conditioning days.

This program is perfect for someone in a home gym with limited equipment or someone that hates bouncing around a commercial gym to different areas or waiting for equipment. The majority of these sessions can be completed in the same area which is efficient for you!

Dumbbell Foundational Strength is effective, efficient, and extremely functional. These are movements that you perform on a daily basis. Whether you're a parent picking your toddler up from the floor, or a grandpa that wants to play with his grandkids. This program can be scaled and modified for anyone and will still be extremely effective and beneficial.

$19

Get Dumbbell Foundational Strength

No special equipment

If you have a good set of dumbbells ranging from light to heavy, a few different band intensities, and maybe a bench, you'll be in good shape for this program. You can actually do a full session in the exact same location without having to move areas in the gym or bounce between a cable machine and a dumbbell rack.

Foundational Movement Patterns

Humans of every age and every walk of life perform these 6 movements every day; squat, hinge, lunge, push, pull, carry, and we'd even add rotation in there too! Life is easier if you're stronger in those patterns!

Optional Aerobic Conditioning

This program is written for 5 days a week, but the conditioning is optional. That isn't to say it's not important, but this program biases more strength. If you can even complete just 1 of the conditioning days it can still be very beneficial to bridge the gap between your strength sessions. These aerobic sessions will focus on Zone 2 work to boost recovery and make adaptations at the heart.

Sustainability & Longevity

We pride ourselves on creating programs that are sustainable long-term for a wide range of abilities. Our programs take into account people are stressed, tired and busy. These things must be considered when developing any type of program whether it is custom or for the masses. This program is repeatable and even sets builds a strong base requirement for our Sustainable Strength program.

Features

Programming 5 days per week

Programming for 5x per week including 2 optional conditioning days.

Exercise Video Guidance

Instructional videos to guide your practice and make execution easy

Delivered through TrainHeroic

All programming is delivered through an easy to follow and accessible app to track progress and keep things organized.

Equipment

Required

Good Range of Dumbbells // Bands // Adjustable Bench

Recommended

Cable Machine // Treadmill // Stationary Bike // Kettlebells

Sample Week

Week 1 of 6-week program

Sunday

Full Body - Squat Focus

Prep

DB Foundation Warm-up 1

Foam Roll spine, hamstrings, quads, calves: 3 minutes total Circuit: 2-3 sets, 10-15 reps each Glute Bridge Walking Lunge w/ Twist Banded Facepull Jumping Jacks OR Squat Jumps

Paused Goblet Squat

4 x 15

DB Floor Press

4 x 10

DB Step Up

4 x 10

1-Arm DB Row

4 x 10

Single Leg RDL

4 x 8

Toe touches

3 x 15

Monday

Aerobic Conditioning

Conditioning

Aerobic Warm-up

Worlds Greatest Stretch 3x flows each Alternating Lateral Lunge 2x10 Jump Rope 2-3min (accumulate)

Circuit

Pick 1-2 cyclical pieces for 30 minutes total, ie. bike, row, jog, incline treadmill walk, sled drag

DB Farmer's Walk

4 x 100

Tuesday

Full Body - Overhead Press Focus

Prep

DB Foundation Warm-up 1

Foam Roll spine, hamstrings, quads, calves: 3 minutes total Circuit: 2-3 sets, 10-15 reps each Glute Bridge Walking Lunge w/ Twist Banded Facepull Jumping Jacks OR Squat Jumps

KB Z Press

4 x 8

Staggered Stance DB RDL

4 x 8

DB Pullover

4 x 8

DB Lateral Lunge

4 x 8

Hammer Curl

4 x 12

Wednesday

Aerobic Conditioning

Conditioning

Aerobic Warm-up

Worlds Greatest Stretch 3x flows each Alternating Lateral Lunge 2x10 Jump Rope 2-3min (accumulate)

Circuit

Pick 1-2 cyclical pieces for 30 minutes total, ie. bike, row, jog, incline treadmill walk, sled drag

Pallof Press Iso

4 x 30

Thursday

Full Body - Hinge Focus

Conditioning

DB Foundation Warm-up 1

Foam Roll spine, hamstrings, quads, calves: 3 minutes total Circuit: 2-3 sets, 10-15 reps each Glute Bridge Walking Lunge w/ Twist Banded Facepull Jumping Jacks OR Squat Jumps

1 1/4 Hip Thrust

4 x 12

DB Thruster

4 x 10

Incline Prone T

4 x 12

DB Reverse Lunge

4 x 8

Rolling Tricep extensions

4 x 12

Standing Banded Crunches

4 x 25

Coach

More from O'Brien Strength & Conditioning

Trevor O'Brien, MS, AT, CSCS

I take pride in what I do. My programs are well thought out with specific goals in mind. I am all to familiar with what poor programming can do to people as I've been an athletic trainer in the sports medicine field for 11 years. I preach long-term sustainability, my programs will challenge you in smart methodical way, but will not crush you every day.

FAQs

Who is this program for?

Beginners but people that are familiar with exercise and movement patterns

Can this be performed in a commercial gym?

This can be performed in any gym and at home with the required equipment. A range of dumbbells from light to heavy would be appropriate if at home.

What if you miss a training session?

Life happens! If you miss a day, push things a day. This program biases more strength so technically you have 7 days to get 3 strength sessions in.