Intermediate4 days/weekDumbbells

4-Day Dumbbell Upper/Lower

An intermediate home program for dumbbells and a bench.

Days per week: 4
Session length: ~50 min
Equipment: Dumbbells
Experience: Intermediate
Goal: Build muscle
Run it for: 10–12 weeks

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Overview

For home lifters who have outgrown a beginner routine. Four sessions a week split between upper and lower body give you the volume to keep building muscle with only dumbbells and an adjustable bench.

Single-leg exercises and controlled tempo keep the lower-body days challenging, even if your dumbbells top out at a moderate weight.

Who it's for

Home lifters with dumbbells and an adjustable bench
Anyone with 3+ months of training experience
People who can train four days a week

Not ideal if…

Beginners, who should start with the 3-Day Home Dumbbell Workout
People without a bench; the floor versions in the 3-day program work better

Weekly schedule

Upper A Monday, Lower A Tuesday, rest Wednesday, Upper B Thursday, Lower B Friday.

MonUpper A
TueLower A
WedRest
ThuUpper B
FriLower B
SatRest
SunRest

The workouts

Upper A

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Dumbbell bench press	4	10
One-arm dumbbell row	4	10 per side
Seated dumbbell shoulder press	3	10
Dumbbell pullover	3	12
Dumbbell lateral raise	3	15
Dumbbell curls	3	12

Lower A

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Dumbbell goblet squat	4	12
Dumbbell Romanian deadlift	4	10
Dumbbell walking lunges	3	10 per leg
Single-leg glute bridge	3	12 per leg
Standing calf raise	3	15

Upper B

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Incline dumbbell press	4	10
Chest-supported dumbbell row	4	12
Arnold press	3	10
Dumbbell fly	3	12
Overhead dumbbell triceps extension	3	12
Hammer curl	3	12

Lower B

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Dumbbell Bulgarian split squat	4	8 per leg
Single-leg dumbbell Romanian deadlift	3	8 per leg
Dumbbell step-up	3	10 per leg
Dumbbell hip thrust	3	12
Plank	3	45 sec

How to run it

Warm up: 5 minutes of light cardio, then 2–3 lighter warm-up sets of the first exercise, building up to your working weight. Later exercises usually need just one lighter set.
Choosing a weight: Use a weight you could lift for 2–3 more reps than the target. The last set should feel hard, but your form shouldn't break down. Spend the first week or two a little lighter while you learn the movements.
Rest between sets: About 90 seconds between sets; 60 seconds on raises, flyes and arm work.
Progression: Use double progression: stay at a weight until you hit the top of the rep range on every set, then move up a dumbbell. Once you reach your heaviest pair, slow the lowering to 3–4 seconds or add a pause before adding reps. In Progress, Progressive Reps is already on for single-leg glute bridge: each time you hit the target on every set, the next session's target goes up by one rep.
How long to run it: Follow it for 10–12 weeks, as long as you keep making progress. If most of your lifts stall for two weeks in a row, take an easier week at about 60% of your usual weights, then keep going.
Track every session: Write down the weight and reps for every set. You need last session's numbers to know what to do today, and seeing them climb is the best motivation there is.

Tips

Adjustable dumbbells that go up to 50+ lb (25+ kg) will keep this program challenging for a long time.
For chest-supported rows, set the bench to about 30° and lie face down. It takes your lower back out of the movement.
Single-leg work is hard, so do your weaker side first and match the reps with the other.

Questions

What if my dumbbells are too light for squats?

Use the Bulgarian split squat on both lower days. Splitting the load across one leg doubles the challenge.

Can I do this without a bench?

Swap the bench and incline press for floor presses, and the chest-supported row for a bent-over row.

How is this different from the 3-day home program?

More weekly volume, a dedicated bench, and more upper/lower focus. It is the next step after the 3-Day Home Dumbbell Workout.

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