Adjustable Dumbbell Workout Program
This is a 4-day upper/lower workout program built entirely around an adjustable dumbbell set, for an intermediate lifter ready to move past full body training. Every exercise below only requires dumbbells and bodyweight, no barbell or machines required.
Equipment needed
An adjustable set that goes high enough for compound lower body work (goblet squats, Romanian deadlifts, lunges) matters more here than for a beginner program, since intermediate volume runs heavier before reps get too easy.
The program
Four or five days gives you enough room to separate upper and lower body without dropping below twice-a-week frequency for any muscle group, while keeping each session more focused than a full body workout.
Day 1: Upper body
Warm-up
5 minutes of light cardio to raise your heart rate, then arm circles and band pull-aparts to open up your shoulders. Finish with 2-3 ramp-up sets on your first exercise before your working weight.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dumbbell Floor Press | 5 | 8-12 | 60-90 sec |
| Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 4 | 8-12 | 60-90 sec |
| Overhead Dumbbell Tricep Extension | 5 | 10-15 | 45-60 sec |
| Dumbbell Shrug | 5 | 10-15 | 45-60 sec |
| Rear Delt Dumbbell Fly | 4 | 10-15 | 45-60 sec |
| Dumbbell Bicep Curl | 5 | 10-15 | 45-60 sec |
Cool-down
A few minutes of static stretching for your chest, shoulders, and triceps, holding each stretch for 20-30 seconds.
Day 2: Lower body
Warm-up
5 minutes of light cardio to raise your heart rate, then bodyweight squats and leg swings to open up your hips. Finish with 2-3 ramp-up sets on your first exercise before your working weight.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goblet Squat | 4 | 8-12 | 60-90 sec |
| Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift | 5 | 8-12 | 60-90 sec |
| Bodyweight Hip Thrust | 5 | 8-12 | 60-90 sec |
| Dumbbell Lunge | 4 | 8-12 | 60-90 sec |
| Dumbbell Calf Raise | 5 | 10-15 | 45-60 sec |
| Farmer's Carry | 5 | 10-15 | 45-60 sec |
Cool-down
A few minutes of static stretching for your quads, hamstrings, and calves, holding each stretch for 20-30 seconds.
Day 3: Upper body
Warm-up
5 minutes of light cardio to raise your heart rate, then arm circles and band pull-aparts to open up your shoulders. Finish with 2-3 ramp-up sets on your first exercise before your working weight.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knee Push-Up | 5 | 8-12 | 60-90 sec |
| Diamond Push-Up | 5 | 8-12 | 60-90 sec |
| Dumbbell Front Raise | 4 | 10-15 | 45-60 sec |
| Superman | 5 | 10-15 | 45-60 sec |
| Rear Delt Dumbbell Fly | 4 | 10-15 | 45-60 sec |
| Dumbbell Bicep Curl | 5 | 10-15 | 45-60 sec |
Cool-down
A few minutes of static stretching for your chest, shoulders, and triceps, holding each stretch for 20-30 seconds.
Day 4: Lower body
Warm-up
5 minutes of light cardio to raise your heart rate, then bodyweight squats and leg swings to open up your hips. Finish with 2-3 ramp-up sets on your first exercise before your working weight.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bodyweight Squat | 4 | 8-12 | 60-90 sec |
| Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift | 5 | 8-12 | 60-90 sec |
| Walking Lunge | 4 | 8-12 | 60-90 sec |
| Single-Leg Calf Raise | 5 | 10-15 | 45-60 sec |
| Glute Kickback | 5 | 10-15 | 45-60 sec |
| Plank | 5 | 10-15 | 45-60 sec |
Cool-down
A few minutes of static stretching for your quads, hamstrings, and calves, holding each stretch for 20-30 seconds.
How to progress week to week
Once you can hit the top of the rep range for every set on this upper/lower split plan, add weight on your Dumbbells the next session and expect reps to dip back toward the bottom of the range. That cycle of adding reps, then adding weight, is what steadily builds size over time. At an intermediate level, progress typically settles into something closer to this pattern, a small jump every week or two rather than every session.
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Keep the tools free →Frequently asked questions
Why switch to an upper/lower split instead of staying with full body?
Four training days is enough to separate upper and lower body without dropping either below twice-weekly frequency, and each session ends up more focused than a full body workout trying to cover everything at once.
How heavy of an adjustable dumbbell set does this program actually need?
A set that adjusts up to at least 50 lbs per hand covers most intermediate lifters comfortably for pressing and rowing movements; lower body compound lifts like Romanian deadlifts and goblet squats tend to need more weight sooner than upper body pressing does.
When does it make sense to add a barbell on top of dumbbells?
Once an adjustable set's top weight stops being genuinely challenging for compound lower body lifts specifically, a barbell and squat rack usually unlock the next real jump in loadable weight.