Build muscle all over with light weights and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s full-body workout

When most people think of building muscle, they picture heavy barbells, max-out sets, and pushing your limits under a heavily loaded squat rack. But according to Arnold Schwarzenegger – who knows a thing or two about muscle – lifting heavy isn’t the only pathway to gains. In his most recent Pump Club Newsletter, he’s shared a full-body workout using a pair of dumbbells, using one of his favourite training techniques that can help build serious muscle.

“Intensity is the name of the game for results – but that doesn’t mean you need to go heavy every workout or even require a lot of equipment,” he writes. "Mechanical drop sets allow you to hit failure without changing weights – just by tweaking the movement. This keeps intensity high and prioritizes efficiency so you can work hard, feel accomplished, and get on with your day.”

The workout

For this workout you’ll have three blocks to work through. “Each block is a mechanical drop set: 3 back-to-back variations of one movement pattern, going from hardest to easiest,” says Arnold. Perform all three exercises in the block one after the other, resting for as little as possible (or not at all). Once you’ve completed one round, rest for 60-90 seconds, then repeat the block one to two more times before moving on to the next block of exercises. Here’s your workout:

Block 1 (lower body)

• Dumbbell front foot elevated lunge – 6 reps per leg
• Dumbbell alternating reverse lunge – 8 reps per leg
• Dumbbell goblet squat – 10 reps

Block 2 (upper body)

• Feet-elevated push-up – 10-20 reps
• Regular push-up – 10 reps
• Incline push-up (hands supported on a surface) – as many reps as possible

Block 3 (glutes)

• Dumbbell single leg hip thrusts – 8 reps per leg
• Single leg hip thrusts – 10 reps per leg
• Hip thrusts – 12 reps

If you haven't trained in a while or don't use mechanical dropsets in your training, you may experience some DOMS. This is nothing to worry about and should subside in a couple of days, but consider foam rolling, doing some stretches, or using a massage gun to help ease muscle soreness. Make sure you get enough protein to help with muscle repair too.