Dumbbell Leg Exercises
Dumbbell Leg Exercises
Whether you want to grow your calves, get stronger hamstrings, or build bigger quads, you can't go wrong with these dumbbell leg day exercises.
Back to All Exercises | Back To Dumbbell Exercises | Back To Leg Exercises
B Stance Romanian Deadlift
• Stand staggered, with your front foot flat and your back heel raised.
• Hold a Dumbbell in each hand and slightly bend your knees.
• Hinge at the hips and lower the dumbbells towards the floor.
• When you start to feel tension in your hamstrings, reverse the movement.
WHY IT WORKS: A B stance places most of your weight in your front leg, targeting your strength and stability.
Bridge Chest Press
• Lay on an exercise mat with your hands on your chest, holding two dumbbells.
• Lift your core and hips off the floor, keeping your feet flat.
• Press the dumbbells until your arms are extended.
MULTIPLE MUSCLES: By combining the glute bridge and chest press, you can work both your chest and legs.
Bulgarian Split Squat
• Stand in front of a split squat stand, holding two dumbbells.
• Place one leg on the stand, resting the front of your ankle on the pad.
• Squat down, keeping your chest upright.
REGRESSION: You can make this exercise easier by practicing the movement without the dumbbells.
Cossack Squat
• Hold a dumbbell in a goblet position, feet as wide as possible.
• Bend one knee and sink to that side, making your opposite leg straight.
GET GOOD FORM: Both heels should remain on the floor at all times.
Forward Lunge
• Hold a Dumbbell in each hand, standing up straight.
• Step forwards on one leg.
• Lower your back knee until it is near to the floor.
• Stand up.
TOP TIP: Keep the dumbbells by your side throughout the exercise.
Front Squat
• Hold two dumbbells in a front rack position, resting a head on each shoulder.
• With your knees shoulder width apart, squat down before driving back up.
VARIATION: Perform with light weights for a fast cardio exercise. Or use heavy weights for a slower, strength building exercise.
Glute Bridge
• Lay on your back, with your feet planted on the floor and a dumbbell held at your hips.
• Lift your glutes and lower back off the floor, pausing at the top of the movement.
GET GOOD FORM: Your legs should form a pyramid shape.
Goblet Squat
• Hold one dumbbell with both hands, in front of your body, at chest height.
• Stand tall, with your feet hip width apart, toes turned out.
• Brace your core and squat down.
• Drive through your heels to stand up.
TOP TIP: Your thighs should be at least parallel with the floor before rising.
Lateral Lunge
• Hold a dumbbell against your chest with both hands.
• Step to the side with one leg, until it is straight.
• Squat down slightly before rising up.
GET GOOD FORM: Keep both feet planted. If one starts to raise, you’ve gone too far and should narrow your stance.
Leg Curl
• Lay on your front, holding a dumbbell between your feet.
• Keeping your quads on the ground, curl the dumbbell up and down.
VARIATION: You can increase the range of motion by using a weight bench.
Overhead Lunge
• Hold a dumbbell with one hand, feet together.
• With the dumbbell held above your head, step forward with one leg and lower your back knee to the floor.
• Stand up and step/lunge on the other leg.
TOP TIP: Keep your dumbbell raised throughout all of your reps.
Overhead Squat
• Hold a dumbbell in one hand, with your feet wide.
• Raise the dumbbell overhead and squat down, until your thighs are parallel with the floor.
• Stand back up, keeping the weight overhead.
PROGRESSION: When you have mastered this movement, you can lower the weight and perform this with two lighter Dumbbells.
Pistol Squat
• Stand tall, feet facing forwards, holding a dumbbell in a goblet position.
• Lift your right leg off the floor, holding it straight and squat down.
• Get as low as possible before pushing through your left foot to reverse the movement.
• Repeat on the other side.
REGRESSION: This is an advanced exercise. Check the blog below to learn how you can build up to it.
Quarter Squat
• Hold a pair of dumbbells in a front rack position.
• With your feet hip width apart and pointed slightly outwards, bend at the knees until you are at 1/4 of your squat depth.
• Stand back up.
GET GOOD FORM: Keep a neutral spine throughout, with a straight back and your chest up.
Reverse Lunge
• Hold two dumbbells by your side, feet together.
• Step back with one foot and drop the knee towards the floor.
• Stand up and repeat on the other side.
TOP TIP: To keep your torso straight, imagine you’re balancing a glass of water on your head.
Romanian Deadlift
• Stand, holding two dumbbells.
• With a slight bend in your knees, hinge at the hips, lowering the dumbbells to your shins.
• Stand back up.
WHY IT WORKS: A dumbbell RDL will highlight any side imbalances more, compared to a barbell RDL.
Seated Calf Raise
• Sit on a plyo box with the ball of your left foot on an Exercise Step and a dumbbell resting just above your left knee.
• Lower your left heel and raise it up.
VARIATION: You can perform this with one or use two dumbbells to work both legs at once.
Seated Leg Extension
• Sit on a weight bench, with your knees bent, holding a light dumbbell between your feet.
• Extend your knees, squeezing your quads at the top of the movement.
• Lower the dumbbell with control.
TOP TIP: Hold onto the bench behind you for stability.
Single Leg Deadlift
• Place a pair of dumbbells on the floor in front of your legs.
• Shift your weight into your left leg and lift your right foot off the ground.
• Bend your knees and push your hips back to lower your chest towards the floor, grabbing the the dumbbells.
• Reverse the movement to stand up.
GET GOOD FORM: Keep the dumbbells close to your body at each stage of the exercise.
Single Leg Deadlift With Knee Raise
• Stand with your feet hip width apart, a pair of dumbbells on the floor in front of you.
• Hinge forward, pushing your left leg behind you as you grab hold of the dumbbells.
• Lift the weights to your knee level.
• When your left leg is straight, pull it into your torso.
• Lower the weights to the floor as you extend your leg back out.
WHY IT WORKS: Adding the knee raise will increase the resistance on your glutes and hip flexors.
Snatch
• Place a dumbbell on the floor, between your feet.
• Standing wide, squat down and grab the dumbbell in one hand.
• Explode upwards, sending the weight into the air as you rise.
TOP TIP: You can hold your free arm out to the side, this can increase your balance.
Dumbbell Split Squat
• Stand with your legs together and holding two dumbbells in your hands.
• Take a wide step back with one foot.
• Lower your back knee down until it almost touches the floor.
• Stand up and repeat.
VARIATION: You can hold a pair of lighter dumbbells by your sides or hold one heavier dumbbell in the goblet position.
Squat and Clean
• Hold a dumbbell in one hand, with your other arm extended for balance. Your feet should be shoulder width apart.
• Squat, sending your hips back, and touch the dumbbell to the floor, outside your foo.
• Explosively send the dumbbell in a front rack position.
• Stand up, keeping the dumbbell in place.
PROGRESSION: Once you have mastered this move, you can perform it with two dumbbells.
Step Up
• Stand in front of a Flat Weight Bench and hold two dumbbells by your sides.
• Step onto the bench and step off again, trying to keep your core stable.
VARIATION: You can also perform this on an exercise step or a plyo box.
Stiff Leg Deadlift
• Stand in front of two dumbbells.
• Push your hips back and, keeping your legs as straight as possible, lift the weights off the floor.
• Pull them up your legs until you are standing, then lower them back down below your knees.
• Raise up again, keeping your legs stiff.
GET GOOD FORM: Keep a neutral spine, your neck in line with your back throughout.
Sumo Squat
• Hold a dumbbell in both hands, in a goblet position.
• With your feet as wide as possible, squat down.
• Drive through your feet to stand up.
MULTIPLE MUSCLES: The sumo squat targets your quads, hamstrings, hip flexors, calves, glutes, arms, and back muscles.
Walking Lunge
• Hold two Dumbbells by your side.
• Lunge forward until your back knee almost touches the ground.
• Step up, meeting your front foot.
• Lunge forward again, alternating legs each time.
VARIATION: You can hold the dumbbells above your shoulders to challenge your core even more.
Wall Sit
• Hold a dumbbell in both hands, arms extended in front of your chest.
• Stand against a wall and walk your feet in front of you, sliding your back down until your knees are at a 90 degree angle.
• Pause for as long as possible.
GET GOOD FORM: Your heels should be flat on the ground, and your back flat against the wall.
Wall Sit with Bicep Curl
• Stand against a wall, holding two Dumbbells.
• Keeping your back flush against the wall, walk your feet out until you are in a wall sit.
• Curl the dumbbells towards your shoulders, until they point at the ceiling.
• Lower them back down.
TOP TIP: If you find that the dumbbells hit your legs, rotate your palms in at the bottom of the movement.
Wall Sit with Front Raise
• Hold a dumbbell lengthways in two hands.
• With your back against a wall, lower into a wall sit position, legs bent in front of you.
• Raise the dumbbell up to shoulder level and lower.
VARIATION: You can also do this exercise with a pair of dumbbells, one per hand.
Wall Sit with Lateral Raise
• Stand with your back flat against a wall, holding two Dumbbells.
• Walk your legs in front of you until you are in a wall sit.
• Bend your elbows forward a few inches and raise your arms up and out, until your wrists are level with your shoulders.
• Lower them back down.
TOP TIP: Do this exercise with light dumbbells to avoid overworking your rotator cuff.
Wall Sit with Shoulder Press
• Stand with your back pressed into the wall, and a pair of dumbbells at neck height.
• Slide down the wall and walk your feet out until you are in a wall sit position.
• Press the dumbbells overhead with control and slowly lower them back to your shoulders.
SETS/REPS: Once you are in the wall sit, perform 5-10 reps of the shoulder press before standing back up.
Back to All Exercises | Back To Dumbbell Exercises | Back To Leg Exercises