Program
8 Week Stronger Challenge
Get measurably stronger in 8 weeks with just dumbbells.
- 8 weeks
- 5 workouts a week
- 30–43 min
- Beginner to Intermediate
- Dumbbells, Bench (optional), Yoga block
- With Dan & Tiff
Who it's for
This is for beginners and intermediates who want more strength and muscle, and who can give 29 to 43 minutes, five days a week, for eight weeks. If you want three shorter sessions a week, try the 6 Week Full Body Series. If you'd rather train four days with push, pull, HIIT and full body, the 4 Day Split: Strength & Hypertrophy fits better.
What you need
You need dumbbells, ideally two or three pairs, with a light and a heavy pair as the minimum. A bench is optional, and a chair works for some moves. A yoga block (or a book) raises your heels on lower body days. The HIIT days need no equipment.
How it works
You train five days a week, 40 workouts in all. A typical week mixes upper body, lower body, a full body or core session, and a HIIT day with no equipment. Weeks 1 to 3 build the base. Weeks 4 to 6 go heavier. Weeks 7 and 8 are the peak, with sessions like Full Body Strength: Heavy Dumbbells. Intervals are mostly 30 seconds work and 30 seconds rest, with some 40 on, 20 off. Every video has two levels: Tiff shows lower impact and Dan shows harder.
- Pick heavy for rows, presses and deadlifts, and go lighter for raises, extensions and single-leg work.
- Go lighter than you think on curls, so the last reps still look clean.
- Write down your weights in week 1 so you can see you're stronger by week 8.
Try week 1, day 5: Dumbbell Strength: Full Body + Abs Finisher
Press play and do it with us. If you like it, the rest is waiting in the app.
Check with your doctor before starting any workout, and stop if anything hurts. You take part at your own risk.
The schedule
Every workout, week by week. In the app it's scheduled around your days, with timers, music you can turn off, and your progress saved.
Week 1
- Day 1Upper Body Strength: Supersets · 39 min
- Day 2Lower Body Strength: Tabata · 37 min
- Day 3Chest, Shoulders & Triceps · 43 min
- Day 5Dumbbell Strength: Full Body + Abs Finisher · 35 min
- Day 6Total Body HIIT · 36 min
Week 2
- Day 1Lower Body Power · 41 min
- Day 2Back, Biceps & Abs Strength Workout · 36 min
- Day 3Lower Body Compound · 41 min
- Day 5Full Body Strength: 4 Rounds · 41 min
- Day 6Total Body Strength + Sweat: No Repeat HIIT · 40 min
Week 3
- Day 1Upper Body Strength: Circuits · 41 min
- Day 2Lower Body Strength: Circuits · 41 min
- Day 3Dumbbell Upper Body Workout: Chest, Triceps & Core · 41 min
- Day 5Full Body Strength Workout: Get Strong, Stay Lean · 41 min
- Day 6Full Body Cardio HIIT: No Equipment, No Repeats · 37 min
Week 4
- Day 1Upper Body Hypertrophy: Chest & Back · 40 min
- Day 2Lower Body Hypertrophy: Quads & Glutes · 40 min
- Day 3Arms & Shoulders Dumbbell Workout · 40 min
- Day 5Abs & HIIT · 40 min
- Day 6Total Body Workout: Muscle Pairs · 42 min
Week 5
- Day 1Lower Body Build & Burn: Mini-Circuits · 40 min
- Day 2Upper Body Build & Burn · 40 min
- Day 3Abs & Core: Weighted · 29 min
- Day 5Cardio HIIT Workout for Fat Loss · 34 min
- Day 6Full Body Supersets: Burnout · 40 min
Week 6
- Day 1Isolateral Upper Body · 41 min
- Day 2Isolateral Lower Body · 40 min
- Day 3Low Impact Full Body Strength · 40 min
- Day 5Full Body AMRAP & EMOM HIIT · 33 min
- Day 6Abs & Full Body Strength · 35 min
Week 7
- Day 1Lower Body Tempo Workout · 30 min
- Day 2Upper Body Tempo Workout · 30 min
- Day 3Full Body Strength Training with Dumbbells · 33 min
- Day 5No Equipment HIIT: Pyramid · 32 min
- Day 6Total Body Workout: Unilateral · 32 min
Week 8
- Day 1Upper Body Strength & Hypertrophy · 35 min
- Day 2Lower Body Strength & Hypertrophy · 33 min
- Day 3Full Body Strength: Heavy Dumbbells · 33 min
- Day 5Fat Burning HIIT Workout: No Equipment · 33 min
- Day 6Full Body Dumbbell Strength & HIIT · 33 min