Dumbbells are great workout tools to add to your strength-training arsenal. They make it possible to perform a wide variety of exercises that engage all the major muscle groups in the body. Below we’ll be focusing on the lower body and providing you with highly effective lower body dumbbell workout that works all the muscles in your legs.
To avoid injuries and get the maximum benefit from each of the five exercises in this workout, use the advice below when choosing dumbbells:
- For Muscle Size & Strength: Select dumbbells that you can curl, lift or press for between 4-8 reps.
- For Muscle Endurance & Tone: Select dumbbells that you can curl, lift or press for between 12-16 reps.
- For A Combination Of The Above: Select dumbbells that you can curl, lift or press for between 8-12 reps.
Exercise 1 – Dumbbell Goblet Squat
Equipment Required:
- 1 dumbbell
Instructions:
The dumbbell goblet squat is much more than a lower body exercise. It not only works your glutes, quads and hamstrings but also engages your core, shoulders and spinal erectors. To perform this exercise safely and effectively, follow these steps:
- Stand upright with your feet positioned about shoulder-width apart while holding a dumbbell close to your chest and just below your chin. Your palms should grasp one plate of the dumbbell on the underside, your elbows should be bent and your shoulder blades should be tight. For heavy dumbbells, you can have a spotter hand you the weight, or you might find it easier to lift the dumbbell from a seated position.
- Once you have the dumbbell held against your chest, get into a squatting position while keeping your spine straight by bending your knees and lowering your torso down until your butt is parallel with your knees.
- Once your butt is parallel to your knees, straighten your knees and lift your torso back up to the starting position.
- Repeat steps 2-3 for your chosen number of reps, then slowly place the dumbbell on the ground.
- Rest for between 30 seconds and one minute.
- Repeat steps 1-5 two more times and then move onto the next exercise.
Exercise 2 – Dumbbell Stepping Lunge
Equipment Required:
- 2 dumbbells
Instructions:
The stepping lunge with dumbbells works your hamstrings, quads and glutes. To perform this lower body exercise, follow the instructions below:
- Pick two dumbbells and hold them by your side while standing upright with your feet spread hip-width apart.
- While maintaining a neutral spine and keeping both arms fully extended, step forward about two feet with your left foot. Then bend your legs and lower your body down, stopping just before your right knee touches the ground and making sure that your left knee does not go past your toe.
- Use the heel of your left foot to push back up and get into a standing position.
- While maintaining a neutral spine and keeping both arms fully extended, step forward about two feet with your right foot. Then bend your legs and lower your body down, stopping just before your left knee touches the ground and making sure that your right knee does not go past your toe.
- Use the heel of your right foot to push back up and get into a standing position.
- Repeat steps 2-5 for your chosen number of reps, then slowly place the dumbbell on the ground.
- Rest for between 30 seconds and one minute.
- Repeat steps 1-7 two more times and then move onto the next exercise.
Exercise 3 – Dumbbell Deadlift
Equipment Required:
- 2 dumbbells
Instructions:
The dumbbell deadlift allows you to work many of your major muscle groups. This exercise primarily targets the glutes, quads, hamstrings and erector spine muscles. However, it also works your abs, wrist flexors and traps. To perform this dumbbell exercise, follow the instructions below:
- Grab a dumbbell in each hand, hold them by your side and stand upright with your feet a shoulder width apart.
- Bend your knees and lower your torso down into a squatting position, making sure you bend and move your hips back as you squat.
- Straighten your knees and lift your torso back up to a standing position, making sure you push through the heels, straighten your hips and move them forward as you squat.
- Repeat steps 2-3 for your chosen number of reps, then slowly place the dumbbell on the ground.
- Rest for between 30 seconds and one minute.
- Repeat steps 1-5 two more times and then move onto the next exercise.
Exercise 4 – Dumbbell Step Up
Equipment Required:
- 2 dumbbells
- 1 flat bench
Instructions:
The dumbbell step up is a lower body exercise that mimics walking up a staircase and stepping back down. The main muscles engaged in this exercise are your front and rear thigh muscles but it also works your calves and inner thigh muscles. To perform dumbbell step ups, follow the instructions below:
- Stand up straight in front of a flat bench or raised platform while holding a dumbbell in either hand by your side, making sure that your palms are facing your thighs.
- Place your left foot on the flat bench or platform while keeping your right foot on the ground.
- Step onto the flat bench or platform with your right foot, making sure you use your right heel to push up the entire weight of your body.
- Step off the flat bench or platform with your left foot and place it on the ground.
- Step off the flat bench or platform with your right foot and place it on the ground.
- Place your right foot on the flat bench or platform while keeping your left foot on the ground.
- Step onto the flat bench or platform with your left foot, making sure you use your left heel to push up the entire weight of your body.
- Step off the flat bench or platform with your right foot and place it on the ground.
- Step off the flat bench or platform with your left foot and place it on the ground.
- Repeat steps 2-9 for your chosen number of reps, then step off the bench.
- Rest for between 30 seconds and one minute.
- Repeat steps 1-11 two more times and then move onto the next exercise.
Exercise 5 – Dumbbell Calf Raise
The dumbbell calf raise is a simple but effective exercise for strengthening and toning your calves. To perform the dumbbell calf raise, follow the steps below:
- Stand up straight with your feet a hip width apart and hold two dumbbells by your side.
- While maintaining a neutral flat spine, raise your heels and stand on your toes while keeping the dumbbells held by your side.
- Lower your heels and flatten your feet.
- Repeat steps 2-3 for your chosen number of reps, then step off the bench.
- Rest for between 30 seconds and one minute.
- Repeat steps 1-5 two more times to complete the workout.
Summary
If you want to strengthen and tone your legs, this workout is perfect. However, as with all dumbbell workouts, it’s important that you maintain the correct form as you perform these five exercises to prevent injuries and increase the benefit you get from the workout sessions. If you’re struggling to maintain proper form, reduce the weight of your dumbbells until you can perform each exercise for your chosen number of reps without compromising your form.
