Image credit: Sidereal

You want to build muscle & lose fat? Get on StrongLifts 5×5. But what if you don’t have access to barbells or you haven’t finished building your home gym yet? Here’s StrongLifts Dumbbell 5×5: same approach but using dumbbells.

Benefits of StrongLifts Dumbbell 5×5. This routine takes 3 x 40mins/week. Here’s what you can expect of this strength training program:

• More Strength. You’ll start light, adding weight every workout. You’ll get stronger as the weight gets heavier.
• More Muscle. The stronger you become, the more muscles you’ll have. Your muscle mass will increase as you lift heavier weights.
• Less Fat. Muscle burn calories. The more muscles you build, the more calories you’ll burn. Your body fat will decrease.
• Better Health. Increased testosterone levels, increased cardiovascular fitness, increased flexibility, stronger joints, etc.

Required Equipment. Shouldn’t be a problem to find the necessary equipment for StrongLifts Dumbbell 5×5.

• Dumbbells. If you train in a commercial gym, you have access to dumbbells. I have adjustable dumbbells at home.
• Pull-up bar. Power Rack with a Pull-up bar or Doorway Pull-up bar. Any surface where you can hang from at arm’s length works.
• Dip Bars. Parallel bars that are 55cm/22″ apart. Or 2 chairs back to back, stable enough so you don’t fall.

Exercises. Front Squats & Deadlifts work legs. Bench Press & Dips work triceps & chest. Overhead Press work shoulders, triceps & abs. Pull-ups/Chin-ups work back & biceps. And the Dumbbell Snatch works everything.

Exercise technique is same as for the Barbell versions unless otherwise specified.

• Dumbbell Front Squat. Hands facing each others. Dumbbells resting on your shoulder muscles. Elbows high & pointing in.
• Dumbbell Bench Press. One dumbbell in each hand. Do them lying back on the floor if you don’t have a Bench.
• Dumbbell Overhead Press. Using the hammer grip: palm facing each others. Clean or cheat curl the dumbbells on your shoulders.
• Dumbbell Snatch. Much easier than you might think. This article on T-nation will help you with the technique.
• Pull-ups, Chin-ups & Dips. Read the articles on Pull-up & Chin-up technique & on Dips technique.
• 1 Leg Dumbbell Deadlift. Right leg on the floor, dumbbell in left hand. Chest up, look forward. Unlock knee, lower dumbbell until mid-shin level. Switch side after 5 reps: left leg on the floor, dumbbell in right hand.

One Leg Dumbell Deadlifts. Image credit: Mike Boyle

Program Template. Most train Monday/Wednesday/Friday. Tu/Th/Sa or Su/Tu/Th works too. Keep at least 1 day rest between 2 workouts. Alternate A & B every workout. Week1: A/B/A, week2: B/A/B, week3: A/B/A, etc.

• 5×5. 5 sets of 5 reps with the same weight after you have warmed up properly. 5×5 20kg means 5 reps with 20kg on all 5 sets.
• 3 x F. 3 sets until failure. Do as many reps as you can do with proper technique. Try to do more reps the next workout. Once you can do 10 reps on the first set, switch to weighted Pull-ups/Chin-ups/Dips doing 5×5 & adding 1.25kg every workout.
• Pull-ups/Chin-ups. Alternate Pull-ups (palms away) with Chin-ups (palms facing) every workout A. If you can’t do 1 rep: increase your Pull-up strength first.
• Rest Between Sets. Take 1min rest between sets. When the weight get heavier & you struggle to get 5 reps, try 2-3mins rest between sets.
• Lift Tempo. Once your technique is ok, lift fast. Apply maximal force to the dumbbell while controlling it. Control the dumbbell on the way down, but don’t make it slow.

Starting Weight & Progressing. Start with light dumbbells. Mine are 6kg/13lbs. Add weight every workout.

• Dumbbell Exercises. Add 2.5kg/5lbs every workout. If you have smaller increments of 2kg or 1kg available, use them.
  
• Pull-ups, Chin-ups & Dips. Switch to weighted Pull-ups/Chin-ups/Dips when you can do +10 reps on the first set with your own body-weight.

Stalling. You’ll stall on the Overhead Press first. Grip will be a limiting factor on Deadlifts & Front Squats. If you stall for 3 consecutive workouts, deload by lowering the weight by 10-20% & restart from there.

You will stall because you can’t apply strength, rather than lacking strength. You might have the leg strength to Front Squat more, but holding a heavy dumbbell in that position will get impossible. Solution is simple: switch to StrongLifts 5×5.

Nutrition on StrongLifts Dumbbell 5×5. Eat your body-weight in lbs x 18kcal daily. Add/remove 500kcals from there if you want to gain weight or lose fat.

• Protein. 1g/lbs daily. Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, whey, etc.
• Whole Carbs. Oats, rice, pasta, breads, yams, potatoes, etc
• Fruits & Veggies. All kinds. Eat veggies and/or fruits with every meal.
• Fat. Fish oil, flax seeds, olive oil, etc.
• Water. 1 liter per 1000 calories you expend. 1US gallon a day will do.

Cardio. StrongLifts Dumbbell 5×5 builds cardiovascular fitness. If you need to lose fat, do cardio 3x/week post strength training. This gives you 4 days to rest & do other things. For fat loss:

• 3 x 30 Mins. Work yourself up to 4 x 45 mins a week. Do the cardio post strength training. You won’t lose muscle if you eat post workout.
• Moderate Intensity. Your goal is to lose fat, not exhaust yourself. You should breathe heavier than when at rest, but not gasping.
• Elliptical Trainer. I prefer the elliptical trainer for cardio. Feel free to try other cardio machines.

Limitations of StrongLifts Dumbbell 5×5. Understand this strength training routine builds muscle and decreases your body fat. But it’s not as effective as StrongLifts 5×5.

• Squats. Leg strength is the limiting factor on Barbell Squats. With Dumbbell Squats holding the weight on your shoulders is. You won’t be able to go all out on the Db Front Squats.
• Progressive Loading. Adding 2.5kg every workout leads to stalling sooner on upper-body exercises. Use smaller increments of 1.25kg or less if you have access to these.

Try StrongLifts Dumbbell 5×5 if you don’t have access to barbells. Switch to StrongLifts 5×5 after 6-10 weeks.

Question? Click here to post them in the comment section. With enough questions I’ll make a list of frequently asked questions.