Leg workout exercises with dumbbells

If you are looking to train legs but don’t have the confidence to head to the squat rack or your gym doesn’t have enough racks to build killer legs – keep reading to find out how to build a leg workout with dumbbells. 

Mix and match exercises from the blog to target muscles in all areas of your legs. The dumbbell leg exercises included help to target the following areas: 

• Quadriceps
• Hamstrings
• Adductors
• Abductors
• Lower leg (calves) 

All of the exercises within the workout use dumbbells; they are fully scalable, and you can increase or decrease the weight to make them harder or easier. You can also complete a lot of these exercises at home to help strengthen your legs and tone target areas. 

1. Dumbbell goblet squat 

The dumbbell goblet squat is a great exercise to work a wide range of muscles within the legs and should be a core exercise within your workout. Activating muscles in the calves, glutes, quads and even your core and arms – the dumbbell goblet squat is great for increasing strength and mobility. 

How to dumbbell goblet squat 

• Start with your feet slightly wider than your shoulders, with your toes pointing outwards. 
• Grab your dumbbell and hold it with both hands so that it sits at chest height. 
• Activate your core and push back your hips, bending your knees into a low squat. Keep your back flat, and don’t let your core go loose. 
• Hold the position at the bottom of the movement for a few seconds before returning to the original position from your heels. 
• Repeat this 8-12 times, depending on the intensity of the exercise and the weight you are holding. 

2. Dumbbell step-ups

Great for hip mobility and strengthening the quads, glutes and hamstrings – the dumbbell step-up will set your legs on fire. For this exercise, you will need a level and secure surface to step up onto.

If you are completing your dumbbell leg workout in the gym, find a platform or bench to step up onto. Depending on your gym policy, you may need to remove your shoes. Ensure you are holding a weight you can manage and won’t drop onto your toes. 

You can also complete the dumbbell step-up exercise at home by stepping onto a sofa or armchair. When completing the exercise, do a test run without the dumbbell to ensure you find your balance and bearings. 

How to complete a dumbbell step up

• Stand behind your bench, platform or sofa with your dumbbells in each hand with just enough room to raise your leg onto the surface at a 90-degree angle. 
• Step up onto the surface, driving your weight through the foot that is elevated. 
• Stand up on the platform and lower one leg back onto the floor at a time. 
• Switch legs to ensure that you are working both legs, and repeat. 

3. Dumbbell Romanian Deadlifts (RDL)

Targeting your lower back, glutes and hamstrings, the Romanian deadlift, often referred to as the RDL, builds core strength and hits your hamstrings hard. This is a great exercise to build your leg strength and size, as it heavily works your posterior chain. 

How to complete a dumbbell Romanian deadlift

• Start with your feet shoulder-width apart with a slight knee bend.
• Holding a dumbbell in each hand, face your palms towards your thighs. 
• Push your hips backwards and keep your spine neutral while squeezing your shoulder blades together. 
• Lower the dumbbells down the front of your shins. 
• Do not lower your hips any further once the dumbbells hit your knees.
• Extend your knees and hips and push through your heels to return to the starting position. 
• Repeat the movement.

TOP TIP: When returning to your original position from the bottom of the movement, squeeze through the glutes.  

4. Dumbbell calf raises 

Designed to make your calves grow, the dumbbell calf raise is a simple yet effective exercise you can complete at the gym or home. As you may have guessed, this exercise targets the calf muscles and surrounding muscle groups. 

How to complete dumbbell calf raises

• There are two ways to complete this exercise, on a platform or the floor. 
• Grab your dumbbells placing one in each hand, and stand with your tiptoes on the edge of the raised platform or flat on the floor. 
• Drive your toes into the floor or platform so that you are standing on your tiptoes. 
• Slowly return to the original position and repeat. 

You can target different areas of your calves by switching up your foot position. Try the movement with your heels together, facing forward and slightly turned in to feel how the exercise works various parts of the muscle. 

5. Dumbbell walking lunges

This exercise targets the whole leg muscle group but focuses on building strength and size in the quadriceps.

How to use dumbbells for walking lunges

• Hold your dumbbells in each hand and start in a neutral standing position. 
• Step forward with one leg and let both knees bend simultaneously. 
• Keep lunging forward until your knee touches the floor.
• Drive through your front foot and return to the original position.
• Repeat with the opposite leg until you have reached your end destination. 

6. Weighted glute bridge

This exercise is great for strengthening your core, bum and hamstrings. Easy to complete and can be worked in the gym or at home – it has never been easier to build your glutes. 

How to complete a weighted glute bridge 

• Lay on your back and hold your dumbbell on your pelvis. 
• Bend your knees and place your feet on the floor about a foot away from your bum. 
• Activate your core and press your heels into the floor, driving your hips up to the sky until your upper back lifts off the ground. 
• Slowly return to your original position.
• Repeat.   

7. Squat to press

The squat to press with dumbbells is a great exercise that targets the glutes, shoulder and triceps. You can scale the intensity of the exercise with the weight you choose – if you want high intensity that will help to build the muscles, we recommend going heavier for fewer reps. But you can also increase the number of reps and lower the weight to master the movement. 

How to complete a squat to press

• Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold your dumbbells in each hand. 
• Lift the weights to shoulder height, and your arms are bent with your elbows by your side. 
• Lower yourself into a squat and drive back up to your standing position. 
• Once you reach the top of the movement, push the weights above your head and lower them back down.
• On your return, continue down into a squat position and repeat. 

Benefits of training legs with dumbbells

There are many benefits of training legs exclusively with dumbbells, which can help you switch up your leg day easily. Here are some of the benefits of training legs with dumbbells: 

• Help to improve balance and coordination
• Stabilises muscles in the hips, trunk and all areas of the legs
• Convenience when all of the machines are busy in the gym
• You can get a good leg workout without needing a lot of machines 
• Helps to switch up your leg day routine

Workouts To Try 

Now you’ve seen what you need to do to tone and build muscles in your lower body region, let’s put it into practice. Here are three lower-body workouts that use exclusively dumbbells.

15 minute dumbbell leg workout

1 minute – Star jumps 

1 minute – Running on the spot 

15 x Dumbbell goblet squats 

15 x Squat to press 

Rest – 1 minute 

20 x Forward & reverse lunges (10 forwards / 10 backwards)

1 minute – High knees 

10 x Dumbbell calf raises 

Rest – 1 minute 

10 x Squat to press

1 minute – Squat jumps 

10 x Squat to press 

1 minute – Squat jumps 

20 minute dumbbell leg workout

20 x Burpees

15 x Squat to press

1 minute – Star jumps

1 minute – Rest

15 x Weighted glute bridge

20 x Dumbbell Romanian deadlifts

10 x Dumbbell step-ups 

1 minute – Rest 

20 x Burpees

10 x Dumbbell goblet squats 

20 x Burpees 

1 minute – Rest 

20 x Dumbbell Calf Raises

20 x Forward & reverse lunges (10 forwards / 10 backwards)

1-minute High knees

15 x Squat to press

Build a leg workout that burns with the range of dumbbells available at Fitkit

At Fitkit, we have a wide range of dumbbells that you can use at home or in the gym to create a workout that tones and helps you build your leg strength. The selection of dumbbells available includes used and new models; you will find everything from light, functional dumbbells to heavier options for experienced lifters.