A decoupled adaptive scheme is proposed for the trajectory control of robots. Under moderate constraints, the scheme is stable and robust in the presence of feedback delay and signal hold due to digital computation in the control loop. The design procedure involves a search for compensators with the aim of minimizing a quadratic performance index in order to minimize the maximum tracking error. Stability analysis of the proposed control law (the selected compensators) then provides stability bounds of disturbances, control and adaptation gains, and desired trajectories and their time-derivatives. The region of attraction is local due to unmodelled dynamics.