Are you looking for an effective way to work out your legs at home? When you think of a leg workout, squat racks, leg presses, and Smith machines probably come to mind. These tools are fundamental for training the lower body, offering varied resistance levels to develop your quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, and calves. However, they aren’t your only choices for leg day—and when you’re short on space or equipment, they might not be available. On such days, consider using a pair of dumbbells for your leg exercises.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to do twelve easy-to-follow exercises that will help you build strength and tone your legs. From squats and lunges to step-ups and calf raises, these leg exercises with dumbbells will give you an effective leg workout you can do in the comfort of your own home. So grab a set of dumbbells and get ready to feel the burn!
What are the benefits of training legs with dumbbells?
When you want to make your legs stronger and build muscle, big equipment like machines, barbells, and trap bars are great for lifting heavy weights. But, using dumbbells for your leg workouts has its own set of perks. Let’s break down why dumbbells can be a smart choice for your leg days.
- It makes your workouts more balanced: If you notice one leg is stronger than the other, using a dumbbell in one hand (this is called working out “unilaterally”) can help even things out. When you use big bars, sometimes one side of your body does more work, which isn’t what we want. Dumbbells help make sure both sides are doing their fair share.
- Easy to use: Dumbbells are user-friendly, especially when you’re tired but still want to push a little more in your workout. You just grab them and start your exercise, no complicated setups needed.
- You can move freely: Unlike the big bars that make you move in a specific way, dumbbells give you the freedom to change how you hold them and how you stand. This means you can work your muscles in different ways by holding the dumbbells at your sides, between your legs, or up by your chest. Changing up how you use them can lead to better muscle growth.
- Beginner-friendly: If you’re trying out a new leg exercise, starting with dumbbells is usually easier. Take front squats, for example. Holding dumbbells up near your shoulders or in front of you is simpler than figuring out how to hold a heavy barbell. This makes it a great way to learn new moves before possibly moving on to more complex equipment.
- Adds more safety: Dumbbells let you do more exercises without overloading your back and joints. After heavy lifts like barbell squats, you can use dumbbells for lunges or goblet squats to focus on specific areas like your quads, giving them extra work to help them grow without added stress.
Twelve Best Leg Exercises with Dumbbells
Before we dive into today’s leg day workout, it’s crucial to get our bodies properly warmed up to prevent injury and enhance performance. I highly recommend checking out these dynamic warm-up exercises designed specifically for leg day. These warm-ups will get your blood flowing, loosen up your muscles, and ensure you’re fully prepared to tackle squats, lunges, deadlifts, and more with maximum efficiency. After a thorough warm-up, it’s time to dive into the best leg exercises with dumbbells.
1. Bulgarian Split Squat
Targets: Glutes, quads
Steps:
- Positioning: Start by standing about two feet in front of a bench or a sturdy elevated surface. Hold a dumbbell in your right hand and place your right foot on the bench behind you. Your toes should be on the bench, and your left foot firmly on the ground in front.
- Performing the Squat: Lower your body by bending your left knee, aiming to get your thigh parallel to the floor. Ensure your left knee doesn’t push out over your toes. Lower until the knee of your right leg is close to or almost touches the ground.
- Returning to Start: Push through your left heel to lift your body back up to the starting position.
Repeat the exercise for your desired number of reps, then switch the dumbbell to your left hand and repeat with your left leg extended back.
2. Curtsy Lunge
Targets: Quads, glutes, core
Steps:
- Starting Position: Stand up straight with your feet hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand by your sides, palms facing inward. Engage your core by tightening your abdominal muscles.
- Lunge Movement: Take a large step diagonally backward with your right leg, crossing it behind your left leg. Lower your body by bending both knees, aiming to bring your right thigh parallel to the floor. Your front knee should remain above the ankle, and make sure it doesn’t go beyond your toes. The heel of your back foot will naturally lift as you lower down.
- Return to Start: Push off your right foot to return to the starting position.
Repeat the exercise for your desired number of reps, then switch to step back with your left leg.
When performing lunges with weights, make sure to keep your form strict by keeping your chest up and your core engaged. Start with a lightweight to ensure you have proper form, and gradually increase the weight as you become more comfortable with the exercise. Also, make sure to keep your movements slow and controlled, and to keep your weight balanced between both legs.
3. Step-Ups
Targets: Glutes, quads, and hamstrings
Steps:
- Find Your Step: Choose a sturdy bench, step, or platform that is knee height or slightly lower. Ensure it’s stable and won’t move during your exercise.
- Starting Position: Stand facing the bench with your feet hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand by your sides, palms facing in towards your body for added resistance, or place your hands on your hips if not using weights.
- Perform the Step-Up: Step up with your right foot, placing it firmly on the bench. Press through your right heel to lift your body up, bringing your left foot to meet your right foot on the bench. Keep your back straight and chest up during the movement.
- Return to Start: Step down with your left foot, returning to the floor, followed by your right foot, coming back to the starting position.
- Repeat: Perform the desired number of reps with the right leg leading, then switch to lead with your left leg.
Tips for Success:
- Keep your core engaged throughout the exercise to maintain balance and stability.
- Focus on a slow and controlled movement, especially when stepping down, to maximize muscle engagement and prevent injury.
- Ensure your stepping leg’s knee doesn’t extend beyond your toes to maintain proper alignment and reduce strain on the knee joint.
4. Deadlifts
Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, lower back, and core
Steps:
- Starting Position: With knees slightly bent, hinge at your hips to bend forward and grasp the dumbbells. Ensure your spine is in a neutral position, shoulders back, and look forward or slightly downward to maintain a straight neck.
- Perform the Deadlift: Engage your core and keep your back flat. Lift the dumbbells by extending your hips and knees to a fully upright stance. The dumbbells should travel straight upward, close to your legs, ending in front of your thighs at standing position.
- Lowering Phase: Reverse the motion by hinging at the hips and slightly bending the knees to lower the dumbbells back to the starting position. Ensure the movement is controlled and your back remains neutral.
- Repeat: Perform the desired number of reps, keeping the movement fluid and controlled. Focus on using your glutes and hamstrings to power the lift, rather than pulling with your back.
Tips for Success:
- Keep the dumbbells close to your body throughout the movement to reduce strain on your lower back.
- Avoid rounding your back; maintain a neutral spine from start to finish.
- Breathe in on the way down and exhale as you lift, using your breath to help power the movement.
- Start with lighter weights to perfect your form before progressing to heavier dumbbells.
5. Calf Raises
Targets: Calves (gastrocnemius and soleus muscles)
Steps:
- Find Your Position: Stand upright with your feet hip-width apart. If you’re using weights, hold a dumbbell in each hand by your sides. You can also perform this exercise without weights for beginners.
- Choose Your Platform (Optional): For an increased range of motion, stand with the balls of your feet on the edge of a raised surface (like a step or a calf raise machine), with your heels hanging off the edge. If you’re not using a raised surface, you can perform this exercise on the flat ground.
- Lift Your Heels: Slowly lift your heels as high as possible by pushing through the balls of your feet and contracting your calf muscles. Keep your legs straight and avoid bending your knees. Ensure your core is engaged, and your back is straight throughout the movement.
- Hold the Top Position: Pause for a moment at the top of the movement with your heels lifted off the ground, maximizing the contraction in your calf muscles.
- Lower Slowly: Slowly lower your heels back down below the level of the step or to the ground, feeling a stretch in your calf muscles.
- Repeat: Perform the desired number of reps, maintaining a controlled and deliberate pace to maximize muscle engagement.
Tips for Success:
- Focus on maintaining balance and control throughout the exercise, especially if you’re standing on a raised surface.
- To increase intensity, perform the exercise on one leg at a time or hold the top position for a longer period.
- Breathe in as you lower your heels and exhale as you lift them, keeping your movements smooth and rhythmic.
- For the best results, you should aim to do 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps, depending on your fitness level. You can also increase the weight or reps as you progress in your workouts.
6. Reverse Lunge with Twist
Targets: Quads, glutes, hamstrings
Steps:
- Starting Position: Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell with both hands in front of your chest. Keep your chest up and gaze forward.
- Lunge and Twist: Step back with one foot about two feet, lowering your knee towards the ground (ensure your front knee does not extend beyond your toes). As you lower into the lunge, twist your torso to the side of the front leg, holding the dumbbell steady in front of you. Engage your core and glutes throughout the twist.
- Return: Reverse the movement by stepping your back foot forward to meet the front foot, untwisting your torso to face forward again.
- Repeat on one side for your desired number of reps, then switch legs and repeat the sequence.
7. Forward Lunge
Targets: Quads, glutes, core
Steps:
- Prepare: Stand upright with your back straight, core engaged, holding a dumbbell in each hand by your sides.
- Lunge Forward: Take a large step forward with your right foot, bending both knees to lower your body until your right thigh is parallel to the floor. Ensure your front knee doesn’t go beyond your toes and keep your back heel lifted.
- Return: Push through your front foot to step back to the starting position.
8. Front Racked Squat
Targets: Quads, core, glutes
Steps:
- Starting Position: Stand with feet wider than shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out. Hold two dumbbells at shoulder height, allowing them to rest on your shoulders if comfortable.
- Squat Down: Bend your knees and lower your body as if sitting back into a chair, keeping your weight in your heels and your back straight. Make sure your knees stay aligned with your toes and do not cave inward.
- Rise: Drive through your heels to return to the starting position, keeping your core engaged and back straight throughout the movement.
9. Glute Bridge
Targets: Glutes, core, hamstrings
Steps:
- Position: Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Place a dumbbell on your lower stomach/hips, holding it with both hands to keep it in place.
- Lift: Pressing your heels into the floor, lift your hips towards the ceiling, squeezing your glutes at the top. Ensure your spine remains neutral. Hold at the top for three seconds.
- Lower: Slowly lower your hips back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of reps.
10. Goblet Pulse Squat
Targets: Glutes, thighs, calves, core, shoulders
Steps:
- Prepare: Stand with feet wider than shoulder-width, toes slightly turned out. Hold a dumbbell vertically in front of your chest with both hands.
- Lower: Bend your knees to lower your body into a squat, keeping your weight in your heels and chest up. Ensure your knees don’t go beyond your toes.
- Pulse: At the bottom of the squat, with thighs parallel to the floor, pulse slightly up and down by moving your pelvis no more than six inches. Keep your core engaged and back straight.
- Return: Drive through your heels to stand back up to the starting position.
11. Hip Thrust
Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, quads
Steps:
- Starting Position: Sit on the floor with your upper back resting against a bench or step. Place a dumbbell horizontally across your hips for added resistance. Keep your chin slightly tucked towards your chest to maintain a neutral neck position.
- Thrust Upward: Plant your feet flat on the floor, about shoulder-width apart. Push through your heels and thrust your hips upwards as high as you can, squeezing your glutes tightly at the top of the movement. Your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to your knees at the peak.
- Lower Down: Gently lower your hips back to the floor in a controlled manner, keeping the tension in your glutes and hamstrings.
- Repeat for the desired number of reps, ensuring to maintain the form and controlled movement throughout the exercise.
12. Lateral Lunge
Targets: Glutes, thighs
Steps:
- Prepare: Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell with both hands in front of your chest to keep your upper body engaged.
- Lateral Movement: Take a big step out to the side with your left leg. Bend your left knee, push your hips back, and lower your body until your left knee is bent at about 90 degrees, ensuring your right leg stays straight. The descent should be controlled, taking about two seconds.
- Return to Start: Push off with your left foot to return to the initial standing position.
Achieve Stronger, Sculpted Legs with Dumbbell Exercises
You don’t need to be a gym rat to get a great leg workout. All you need is a set of dumbbells and a few of these exercises. Squats, lunges, deadlifts, and calf raises are all great leg exercises with dumbbells that will strengthen your legs and help you build muscle. Plus, you can do them in the comfort of your own home. So don’t wait any longer, grab a set of dumbbells and get to work.
