Gym Rat No More: 18 At-Home Exercises to Build Muscle

Ready to build some muscle but stuck at home? Forget a gym membership or a fancy home gym, because you don’t actually need ’em.

Just the weight of your body or a pair of dumbbells is enough to get your swole on at home.

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Home workouts 101: How to build muscle

Let’s start with the basics: Your workout routine should include a mix of cardio and strength training. Strength training can involve some hand weights or just your body weight.

As you get stronger and need more of a challenge, weights will be your new best friend. But don’t sleep on cardio. It’s still a necessary (and sometimes evil) part of any exercise plan. For optimal muscle-building, focus on HIIT cardio workouts a few times a week.

So how often should you work out? According to a 2016 research review, strength training at least 2 days a week is ideal to grow your muscles. So start with 2 or 3 days of full-body weight training, 2 days of cardio, and 2 days of rest.

As you get stronger, you can add a fourth weight day and try splitting the days between upper- and lower-body workouts. And be sure to reserve at least 2 days per week to let your body rest and recover. Your plan could look something like this:

Fitness levelExercisesnewbie2–3 days a week full-body strength training + 2 days cardionovice3–4 days a week split strength training + 3 days cardiopro4–5 days a week strength training + 3 days cardio (3 days on, 1 day off)

How to build muscle at home with dumbbells

If you prefer to start with weights or you’re ready to step up your workouts, you don’t need giant gym equipment. Just a set of dumbbells will do it. But you can also switch things up with kettlebells or resistance bands.

Chest

1. Chest press: 3–6 sets of 4–8 reps

The chest press targets your chest, shoulders, and triceps — primarily your pectorals and deltoids. In a gym, you’re likely to see people doing chest presses with a barbell, but you can easily do them at home with dumbbells too.

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How-to: Lie faceup on a bench or the floor with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Hold the dumbbells at the sides of your chest, brace your core, and press the dumbbells straight up. Then lower the dumbbells nice and slow before repeating.

2. Lying dumbbell fly: 3–6 sets of 4–8 reps

Your chest strength will soar doing dumbbell flyes, which can be done on a bench or lying on the floor. You’ll hit your pectorals, deltoids, and biceps with this move.

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How-to: Lie on a bench or the floor with your knees bent. Hold the dumbbells directly above your chest, with palms of hands facing each other. Lower the dumbbells in a slow arc to your sides, bending elbows as far as feels comfortable (or until they touch the floor, if you’re not using a bench). Keeping elbows bent, raise the dumbbells back above your chest again, then repeat.

3. Pullover: 3 sets of 10–12 reps

Build up your lats, pecs, and abs like a lumberjack chopping wood (without worrying about an ax or your aim). This dumbbell exercise can be done on a bench, the floor, or a stability ball. Just be sure to keep a good grip on the dumbbell!

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How-to: Lie faceup with feet on the floor. Hold a single dumbbell in both hands and raise it above your chest. Slowly extend the dumbbell overhead while slightly bending your elbows, then bring it back to the starting position. Be sure to start this one with a low enough weight that you can manage it comfortably. Don’t risk dropping the dumbbell on your chest or head!

Arms

1. Biceps curl: 3 sets of 10–15 reps

This classic biceps exercise builds your arm strength and grows those arm muscles you want to flex in the mirror.

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How-to: While sitting or standing, hold dumbbells straight down at your sides. Bend your elbows and bring the weights up toward your shoulders, rotating your arms until palms of hands face shoulders. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat.

2. Triceps extension: 3 sets of 8–12 reps

You’ll raise your arms in triumph with this triceps-building exercise, which requires some good concentration and form. You can do this move standing or seated.

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How-to: Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell with both hands. Raise the weight overhead with arms straight, then bend elbows and lower the weight behind your head. Raise the weight back above your head, then repeat. Keep upper arms as still and steady as possible to maximize the workout.

3. Wrist curl: 3 sets of 12 reps

This move not only increases hand strength but also builds muscle in your forearms. This often-overlooked muscle group is used for everything from turning a doorknob to moving a computer mouse.

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How-to: Sit on a bench or chair, holding a light dumbbell in each hand. Place your forearms on your thighs, with wrists on top of knees and hands extended beyond knees. Palms can face up or down. Slowly curl the weights up, then lower them. Move only your hands, not your arms. Repeat.

Legs

1. Dumbbell squat: 3 sets of 12–15 reps

Squats alone work your major leg muscles, but adding weight can really help those muscles pop. You can also add dumbbells to any squat variation if you need a challenge.

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How-to: Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell at each of your shoulders. Sit down into a low seated position, keeping weight in your heels. Pressing through heels, push hips forward and up to return to a standing position.

2. Dumbbell walking lunge: 3 sets of 10 reps (each side)

Dumbbells add an extra degree of difficulty to lunges, and so does switching it up with a lunge variation. Adding dumbbells to walking lunges helps you build up your quads and glutes like your standard lunge and also works your grip strength.

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How-to: Stand, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Lunge forward with your right leg, lowering until your knee is at a 90-degree angle. Push through your front foot to stand. Repeat by lunging with the other leg.

3. Calf raise: 3 sets of 15–20 reps

Have you ever stood on your tippy-toes to grab something off the top shelf? Then you’ve done a standing calf raise—it’s really that simple. It’s also an easy desk exercise for WFH life.

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How-to: Stand, holding dumbbells at your sides, right by your hips. Lift your heels, keeping toes on the floor and the weights by your sides. Lower heels back to the floor.

Pro tip: For a seated calf raise, place the dumbbells on top of your knees and lift your heels, either one leg at a time or both together.

Your 30-day muscle-building workout plan

Take these 18 exercises and work them into a weekly routine to kick off your monthlong plan. Here’s a schedule to help you build muscle while boosting your cardio and staying limber.

Monday
upper body (arms, chest, and abs)Tuesday
lower body (legs and butt)Wednesdayrest or cardio
Thursday
upper body (shoulders, arms, and back)Friday
lower body (legs and butt)Saturday
rest or cardioSundayrest or cardio