4-day dumbbell upper/lower split at home
Two upper and two lower sessions a week for 8 weeks, for intermediates training at home with dumbbells and an adjustable bench.
This is the 4-day upper/lower split rebuilt for a home setup: dumbbells and an adjustable bench that goes flat and incline, nothing else. You train the upper body on Monday and Thursday and the lower body on Tuesday and Friday, so every big muscle group works twice a week. With no pull-up bar or cable, the back gets a bench-supported one-arm row, a chest-supported incline row and the dumbbell pullover. With no leg curl machine, the dumbbell Romanian deadlift comes on both lower days to cover the hamstrings and glutes. The big muscle groups get 9-12 sets a week, as in the gym version, 76 working sets in all, and the 8 weeks end with a deload.
| Split | Days a week | Level | Weeks | Minutes | Sets a week | Equipment | In the app |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper/lower | 4 | Intermediate | 8 | ≈40–45 | 76 | Dumbbells, Bodyweight, Adjustable bench | Upper/Lower · 4 days · Dumbbells |
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The same exercises, sets, reps and RIR, ready in the app. Logging, rest timer and history are free. Automatic progression suggestions: Premium.
In the app: Plans → Upper/Lower · 4 days · Dumbbells
Good fit if
- You train at home with dumbbells and an adjustable bench, and your weights go up every week or two, not every session.
- You can train four days a week, about 40-45 minutes each time.
- Your dumbbells are heavy enough that 12 reps of the Romanian deadlift or the dumbbell squat still feel hard; adjustable dumbbells suit this plan best.
Take another plan if
- You are in your first months of training, or can train only three days a week: take the 3-day dumbbell full body plan.
- You train in a gym: the 4-day upper/lower plan does the same with barbells, cables and machines.
Weekly schedule
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper A | Lower A | Rest | Upper B | Lower B | Rest | Rest |
Missed a day? Do the next session in order: the app runs the sessions in sequence.
Other days work too, for example Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat. Upper and lower alternate and both rows are supported, so two days in a row are fine; just don't train all four days in a row.
The plan, week 1
Week 1 is calibration: pick a weight for the bottom of each range with one more rep in reserve than later. The RIR column shows week 1 → week 2 onwards; the grid below shows what changes in weeks 2-8.
Tempo 3-0-1-0: 3 s lowering, 0 s pause in the stretch, 1 s lifting, 0 s pause in the squeeze. X: lift as fast as you can while staying in control.
What RIR means →How to read tempo →How supersets work →
| Exercise | Sets × reps | RIR | Tempo | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WUWarm-up sets | 2 × 8 | – | – | 1:00 | |
A Dumbbell Bench Press | 4 × 8–12 | 3 → 2 | 2-0-X-0 | 2:00 | Rest the dumbbells on your knees, lie back and kick them up into place; lower them the same way. |
B Dumbbell Bent Over Row | 4 × 8–12 | 3 → 2 | 2-0-1-1 | 1:30 | Knee and hand on the bench, so your lower back stays fresh for Tuesday's Romanian deadlift. |
C Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 3 × 8–12 | 3 → 2 | 2-0-1-0 | 2:00 | |
D Dumbbell Pullover | 2 × 10–15 | 3 → 2 | 3-0-1-0 | 1:30 | Takes the place of the lat pulldown: arms nearly straight, lower until you feel the stretch in your lats. |
E1 Dumbbell Lying Triceps Extension | 3 × 10–15 | 2 → 1 | 3-0-1-0 | → | |
E2 Dumbbell Biceps Curl | 3 × 10–15 | 2 → 1 | 2-0-1-0 | 1:00 |
19 working sets · ≈40 min · → Superset: go straight to the next exercise, rest after the pair
| Exercise | Sets × reps | RIR | Tempo | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WUWarm-up sets | 2 × 8 | – | – | 1:00 | |
A Dumbbell Goblet Squat | 4 × 10–15 | 3 → 2 | 3-0-1-0 | 2:00 | One dumbbell held at the chest limits the load, hence 10-15 reps. |
B Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift | 3 × 8–12 | 3 → 2 | 3-0-1-0 | 2:00 | One lighter feeler set first (not a plan set). Hips back, dumbbells close to the legs; stop before your back rounds. |
C Dumbbell Walking Lunges | 3 × 8–12 | 3 → 2 | 2-0-1-0 | 1:30 | 8-12 reps per leg. No room to walk? Take the rear lunge from the substitutions. |
D Dumbbell Lying Leg Curl | 3 × 10–15 | 2 → 1 | 3-0-1-0 | 1:30 | Dumbbell squeezed between your feet. The app counts it as half a hamstring set, so the chart shows 9 sets; counted in full it would be 12. |
E Dumbbell Standing Calf Raises | 3 × 10–15 | 2 → 1 | 2-2-1-0 | 1:00 | |
F Incline Bench Leg Raises | 2 × 10–15 | 2 → 1 | 3-0-1-0 | 1:00 |
18 working sets · ≈45 min · → Superset: go straight to the next exercise, rest after the pair
| Exercise | Sets × reps | RIR | Tempo | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WUWarm-up sets | 2 × 8 | – | – | 1:00 | |
A Incline Dumbbell Bench Press | 4 × 8–12 | 3 → 2 | 2-0-X-0 | 2:00 | |
B Dumbbell Neutral Grip Incline Bench Row | 4 × 8–12 | 3 → 2 | 2-0-1-1 | 2:00 | Chest on the incline bench: no lower-back load the day before Lower B. |
C Dumbbell Chest Fly | 2 × 10–15 | 2 → 1 | 3-0-1-0 | 1:00 | |
D1 Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 4 × 10–20 | 2 → 1 | 2-0-1-0 | → | |
D2 Dumbbell Incline Rear Lateral T Raise | 4 × 10–20 | 2 → 1 | 2-0-1-1 | 1:00 | |
E1 Standing One Dumbbell French Press | 3 × 10–15 | 2 → 1 | 3-0-1-0 | → | |
E2 Seated Incline Biceps Curl | 3 × 10–15 | 2 → 1 | 3-0-1-0 | 1:00 |
24 working sets · ≈45 min · → Superset: go straight to the next exercise, rest after the pair
| Exercise | Sets × reps | RIR | Tempo | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WUWarm-up sets | 2 × 8 | – | – | 1:00 | |
A Dumbbell Squat | 4 × 8–12 | 3 → 2 | 3-0-1-0 | 2:00 | |
| BDumbbell Romanian Deadlift | 3 × 8–12 | 3 → 2 | 3-0-1-0 | 2:00 | One lighter feeler set first (not a plan set). Hips back, dumbbells close to the legs; stop before your back rounds. |
| CDumbbell Lying Leg Curl | 3 × 10–15 | 2 → 1 | 3-0-1-0 | 1:30 | Dumbbell squeezed between your feet. The app counts it as half a hamstring set, so the chart shows 9 sets; counted in full it would be 12. |
D Single-Leg Seated Calf Raise with Dumbbell | 3 × 10–15 | 2 → 1 | 2-2-1-0 | 1:00 | Dumbbell on the working knee, toes on a step or a plate; one leg, then the other. |
| EIncline Bench Leg Raises | 2 × 10–15 | 2 → 1 | 3-0-1-0 | 1:00 |
15 working sets · ≈40 min · → Superset: go straight to the next exercise, rest after the pair
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Week by week
| W1 | W2 | W3 | W4 | W5 | W6 | W7 | W8 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase | Calibration | Build | Build | Build | Build | Build | Build | Deload |
| RIR | 3 / 2 | 2 / 1 | 2 / 1 | 2 / 1 | 2 / 1 | 2 / 1 | 2 / 1 | 4 |
| Working sets | 76 | 76 | 76 | 76 | 76 | 76 | 76 | 44 |
| What to do | Find your weights | Reps, then weight | Reps, then weight | Reps, then weight | Reps, then weight | Reps, then weight | Reps, then weight | Same weights, half the sets |
| Done: Upper A | ||||||||
| Done: Lower A | ||||||||
| Done: Upper B | ||||||||
| Done: Lower B |
Week 8 is a deload: about 60% of the sets (4→2, 3→2, 2→1), the same weights and rest, stop at RIR 4. Why a deload helps →
Saved only in this browser. The app keeps your weights and reps.
Worked example: Dumbbell Bench Press
Sample numbers of a simulated lifter, worked through with the manual rule on this page.
| Week | Weight | Reps per set | RIR | Next session |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 24 kg | 8 · 8 · 8 · 8 | 3 | Calibration done: add reps |
| 2 | 24 kg | 9 · 9 · 9 · 9 | 3 | Add reps |
| 3 | 24 kg | 10 · 10 · 10 · 10 | 2 | Add reps |
| 4 | 24 kg | 11 · 11 · 10 · 10 | 2 | Add reps |
| 5 | 24 kg | 11 · 11 · 11 · 10 | 2 | Add reps |
| 6 | 24 kg | 11 · 11 · 11 · 11 | 2 | Add reps |
| 7 | 24 kg | 12 · 12 · 11 · 11 | 2 | Next week: deload |
| 8 | 24 kg | 10 · 10 | 4 | Next run starts at 26 kg |
How to progress on this plan
The simplest method that works on any plan: double progression. Keep the weight and add reps while you finish your sets with the reserve in the RIR column. When every set reaches the top of the range, add one step and build the reps up again.
- Dumbbell Bench Press 4 × 8–12 at RIR 2: when all 4 sets reach 12 reps at RIR 2 or easier, add 2 kg next session.
- Dumbbell Bent Over Row 4 × 8–12 at RIR 2: when all 4 sets reach 12 reps at RIR 2 or easier, add 2 kg next session.
- Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 × 8–12 at RIR 2: when all 3 sets reach 12 reps at RIR 2 or easier, add 2 kg next session.
- Dumbbell Pullover 2 × 10–15 at RIR 2: when both sets reach 15 reps at RIR 2 or easier, add 2 kg next session.
- Dumbbell Goblet Squat 4 × 10–15 at RIR 2: when all 4 sets reach 15 reps at RIR 2 or easier, add 2 kg next session.
- Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift 3 × 8–12 at RIR 2: when all 3 sets reach 12 reps at RIR 2 or easier, add 2 kg next session.
- Isolation exercises (10–20 reps) follow the same rule. With light dumbbells, the next pair can be too big a jump: use the in-between weight, or stay and go 1-2 reps above the range for a week or two.
- The rules above count in 2 kg steps, but your dumbbells set the real step: take the next pair you own, and after a big jump build back up from near the bottom of the range.
- When your heaviest pair reaches the top of the range at the target RIR, keep it and go 1-2 reps above the range, or lower it over 3 seconds. In the next 8-week run, swap the Romanian deadlift for the B-stance version from the substitutions, which puts most of the load on one leg.
- The Romanian deadlift, the leg curl and the leg raise are written the same on both lower days, so each carries on from its last session, whichever day that was. Every other exercise is compared with the same day a week earlier.
- The lateral and rear-delt raises run at 10-20 reps because the next light dumbbell can be a third heavier: with it you start again near 10 reps.
What to do next session
| You logged | Next session |
|---|---|
| All sets at the top of the range with the planned reserve | One weight step up |
| Below the top, with the planned reserve | Same weight, +1 rep on the sets that allow it |
| One rep less in reserve than planned | Same weight and reps: repeat the session |
| Sets below the range, or RIR 0 when the target was 2 | Keep the weight; if sets fell below the range, one step down |
| No progress for 2 sessions | Check rest and honest RIR; after a 3rd session, about −10% and build back up |
Your starting weights
Enter a recent set of the exercise: weight, reps and how many reps you had left. You get the week-1 weight for the bottom of the range with one rep more in reserve, from the widely used RPE chart (RTS).
Weekly volume per muscle
Working sets per muscle in a regular week, counted the way the app counts them: a set is 1 for a muscle the exercise trains directly and 0.5 for one it trains indirectly. Warm-ups don't count.
- Chest11 · 2×/wk
- Back10 · 2×/wk
- Quadriceps11 · 2×/wk
- Hamstrings9 · 2×/wk
- Gluteus11.5 · 2×/wk
- Side delts7 · 2×/wk
- Rear delts8 · 1×/wk
- Biceps6 · 2×/wk
- Triceps11 · 2×/wk
- Front delts9 · 1×/wk
- Calves6 · 2×/wk
- Abs4 · 2×/wk
- Trapezius8 · 1×/wk
- Lower Back6 · 2×/wk
Abs and calves are optional. From 10 sets a week the app labels a muscle "High volume": above its default target and still productive.
Substitutions
Choose your substitute in week 1 and keep it for all 8 weeks: the app tracks progress per exercise. Each substitute trains the same muscles directly, so the volume above stays the same.
Adapt the plan
- Short on time
- Drop the chest fly on Upper B, the longest session at about 45 minutes, and the leg raises on both lower days; on Upper A, do two rounds of the triceps and curl superset instead of three. Each cut saves about 2-4 minutes, and every compound lift stays.
- Bulking or cutting
- Keep the plan as it is in both. On a cut, aim to hold your weights: reps that drop by one or two are normal, and you can skip the last set of the isolation exercises if recovery suffers.
- Bringing up one muscle
- Add 2-3 weekly sets for that muscle only, spread over the sessions that already train it. The app's priority setting shows which zone it moves into.
- Over 40
- Warm up a little longer, keep one more rep in reserve on the presses, squats and Romanian deadlifts, and take the full rest. After a heavy press, bring the dumbbells back to your knees instead of dropping them out to the sides.
The same plan in the app
The app opens exactly this plan: all 8 weeks, the same targets, week 1 calibration included. Its description in the app:
An upper/lower split for intermediates training at home with dumbbells and an adjustable bench only: Upper A, Lower A, Upper B, Lower B (Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri), about 55-65 minutes per workout, every big muscle group twice a week. 8 weeks: week 1 is calibration (one more rep in reserve than the target), weeks 2-7 at RIR 2 on compound lifts and RIR 1 on isolations, week 8: deload, about half the sets, RIR 4. Progression: add reps first; once every set reaches the top of its range at the target RIR, take the next heavier dumbbells you have.
Free: the plan, logging weight, reps and RIR, the rest timer, history, previous results and the calculators.
This page teaches the manual method. With Premium, the app suggests the weight and reps for every set after each workout, from the weights, reps and RIR you logged, including week-1 calibration and the deload. Its suggestions can differ from this simple rule because it uses more of your data.
Track this plan for free in SmartWorkout
The same exercises, sets, reps and RIR, ready in the app. Logging, rest timer and history are free. Automatic progression suggestions: Premium.
In the app: Plans → Upper/Lower · 4 days · Dumbbells