Beginner

Dumbbell Upper / Lower Workout Routine

A dumbbell upper/lower split trains the upper body one session and the lower body the next, using a pair of dumbbells and a bench. Four days a week, six exercises a session, and no rack or cable stack anywhere in it. It is where to go after Dumbbell Only.

4 days a week · 12 exercises · Dumbbells · free, no account needed to read

  • glutes
  • quads
  • shoulders
  • abs
  • biceps
  • calves
  • chest
  • hamstrings
  • triceps
  • upper back
Try Upper free
Clay illustration of an adjustable bench

Upper

6 exercises · ~40 min

  1. 13 × 8-10
  2. 23 × 10 each
  3. 33 × 8-10
  4. 42 × 12-15
  5. 52 × 10-12
  6. 62 × 10-12
Customize this day

Lower

6 exercises · ~55 min

  1. 1
    Goblet SquatDumbbell
    3 × 10
  2. 23 × 8-10
  3. 33 × 8 each
  4. 43 × 10-12
  5. 53 × 12-15
  6. 6
    PlankBodyweight
    3 × 30s
Customize this day

Sets and reps are the beginner defaults: heavy compound lifts at 3 × 5-8 with two to three minutes of rest, everything else at 3 × 8-15 with about a minute. Change them to suit you.

Dumbbell Upper / Lower questions, answered

Can you build muscle with dumbbells?

Yes. Muscle responds to hard sets taken close to failure, and dumbbells get you there as well as a barbell does.

What dumbbell weight do I need?

A pair of adjustables reaching at least 50 lbs each covers a beginner's first year. Fixed pairs work if you own several weights.

How do I train legs without a rack?

Goblet squats, Bulgarian split squats, Romanian deadlifts and hip thrusts. Single leg work makes lighter dumbbells feel heavy.

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