Glutes & legs focus

Three lower-body-led days with a little upper body to stay balanced. Dumbbells and your own bodyweight are enough.

Level: Intermediate
Days a week: 3 days a week
Length: 8 weeks
Equipment: Dumbbells
Goal: Build muscle
Focus: Glutes

The weekly sessions

Glutes and hamstrings

Exercise	Sets × reps	Rest	Technique
Dumbbell Romanian deadlift	4 × 8	120 s	Push your hips back with soft knees, keep the weights close, stop when you feel your hamstrings stretch.
Bulgarian split squat	3 × 8	90 s	Long step, torso tall, lower straight down. Hold something steady if you need balance.
Glute bridge	4 × 12	75 s	Ribs down, drive through your heels, squeeze your glutes at the top for a second.
Calf raise	3 × 15	45 s	Light to moderate load, slow and controlled. Feel the target muscle working and stop 1-2 reps short of failure.
Side plank	2 × 30	60 s	Reps = seconds held. Body in one line, breathe steadily; stop the set when form slips.

Quads and upper body

Exercise	Sets × reps	Rest	Technique
Goblet squat	4 × 10	90 s	Brace your trunk, sit down between your hips, push the floor away.
Dumbbell step-up	3 × 10	90 s	Long step, torso tall, lower straight down. Hold something steady if you need balance.
Dumbbell row	3 × 10	90 s	Flat back, pull the elbow toward your hip, pause, lower slowly.
Dumbbell shoulder press	3 × 10	90 s	Ribs down, press straight up without leaning back, lower to shoulder height.

Glutes volume

Exercise	Sets × reps	Rest	Technique
Glute bridge	4 × 15	60 s	Ribs down, drive through your heels, squeeze your glutes at the top for a second.
Dumbbell Romanian deadlift	3 × 12	90 s	Push your hips back with soft knees, keep the weights close, stop when you feel your hamstrings stretch.
Reverse lunge	3 × 12	75 s	Long step, torso tall, lower straight down. Hold something steady if you need balance.
Dead bug	2 × 10	60 s	Low back stays gently on the floor; move slowly and exhale as the limbs extend.

How to progress

Use double progression with dumbbells: add reps within the range, then move up to the next pair of dumbbells. When dumbbells run out, slow the lowering to 3 seconds or pause for 1-2 seconds at the top of the bridge. Keep sets at RPE 7-9.

Easier weeks

Take a lighter week (about half the sets) in week 4 and week 8, or any time your legs feel unusually heavy for several days.

Start this programme in FitScore

Log every set with last time in front of you, get a suggested next load and see your progress. Weights start empty: you enter your own loads.

Start free

Free to start – no card needed.

General templates based on mainstream guidance, not personal health or training advice. Adjust to your level and talk to a professional about injuries or illness.