Advent calendars have come a long way from a square of chocolate behind a cardboard door. This year there are calendars for gin, cheese, candles and dog treats. Ours has something better behind each door: one move a day from 1 to 24 December, building from a goblet squat with a 9 kg kettlebell to a barbell deadlift in the garage. Every door also names the BrainGain kit that move needs and what it costs today. Use it as a December training plan, as a Christmas gift list, or both.

All kit in this calendar comes from the BrainGain UK range of adjustable dumbbells, adjustable kettlebells, stands and benches, the Olympic range and bundles. Prices are live on braingain.fit as of 28 October 2026. Black Friday falls on 27 November, which gives you a month to get the kit in before door 1. Our Black Friday or Boxing Day guide explains how to judge any offer before then.

Week one: the kettlebell doors (1 to 6 December)

One kettlebell is enough for the first week. The 9 kg runs from 2 to 9 kg and suits beginners. The 18 kg runs from 4 to 18 kg, seven kettlebells in one, and lasts much longer. Both change weight with a turn of the handle. BrainGain's own video shows how.

BrainGain's own video of the 18 kg adjustable kettlebell behind doors 3, 5 and 6.

Week two: dumbbells and a bench (7 to 14 December)

Week two brings in the dumbbells. The 24 kg SmartBells Evo replaces 15 pairs of fixed dumbbells, runs from 2.5 to 24 kg per hand, and won a T3 Recommends award in June 2026. T3 wrote that "one pair replaces an entire rack of weights". From door 11 you need a bench. The Pennywise Pundit compares the 24 kg and 40 kg sets below.

The Pennywise Pundit on the 24 kg and 40 kg SmartBells pairs, the dumbbells behind doors 7 to 18.

A chocolate is gone in a second. A goblet squat on 1 December is still paying off in March.

Week three: heavier dumbbells (15 to 18 December)

If the 24 kg set already feels light on rows and lunges, these four doors go to 40 kg per hand. The Original turns a dial on the end of the dumbbell. The Evo uses a push-down-and-twist handle, which is faster for supersets and drop sets. Both have 17 settings from 5 to 40 kg. Our guide to the 40 kg round adjustable dumbbells covers the difference.

Week four: the barbell and the big box (19 to 24 December)

The last week moves into the garage. A squat rack, a 7 ft bar, collars and bumper plates make a barbell setup that handles the big lifts. Our garage gym guide covers space and flooring, and dumbbells vs barbells explains why you want both.

The calendar as a gift list

Every door doubles as a gift idea, so here is the same calendar sorted by budget.

How to use this calendar

Open one door a day and add the move to whatever you did the day before. By door 24 you have a full-body plan. If you are new to training, repeat the first two weeks in January instead of moving on. If you already lift, start at door 7 and run the calendar twice. Our survey of 73 verified BrainGain customers in 2026 found that most train at least three times a week, months after buying. A plan like this is how that habit starts.

The verdict

Twenty-four doors, twenty-four moves, and the kit behind each one. If you only buy one thing from this calendar, buy the 24 kg SmartBells Evo at £159.99: it opens more doors than anything else in the range. Add the Core Bench and the stand for the full dumbbell gym, or go straight to the SmartBells Pro Gym Bundle and open almost every door at once. For a room-by-room view of the same range, read a home gym for every British home.

Frequently Asked Questions

24-month warranty on BrainGain dumbbells, kettlebells and benches in the UK store. Prices checked 28 October 2026.

This article is for general information and is not medical advice. Check with a professional before starting a new exercise programme. Prices checked on braingain.fit on 28 October 2026.