10 Best Leg Exercises with Dumbbells
By Marnie Kunz, NASM-certified personal trainer, USATF- RRCA-certified run coach
The best leg exercises with dumbbells will help you strengthen your lower body, improve your athletic performance, and boost your metabolism. Whether you’re a runner who wants to get faster or a walker interested in improving your health, these strength training exercises will help. As a trainer and running coach, I often get asked what’s the best way to get faster, and strength training is at the top of my list (along with speed workouts). Strength training has many benefits, and using dumbbells is accessible for most people as all you need are a pair of dumbbells.
Benefits of Lower Body Strength Training
Lower body strength training offers many benefits. The best leg exercises with dumbbells will help you strengthen your legs while improving your health. Strength training your lower body improves muscle stability, power, and functioning. It gives you significant health benefits like improving bone density and reducing your risk of injuries and obesity. For runners, these leg exercises will also help you run more efficiently and prevent running injuries.
Best Leg Exercises with Dumbbells
All you need for the 10 best leg exercises with dumbbells is a pair of dumbbells. If you’re a beginner, you may want to start by using just your body weight and progress to using light dumbbells. For intermediate people, start with light dumbbells and progress to medium dumbbells. When it comes to strength workouts, I recommend doing two sessions a week for most people (up to 3 a week max). You can pair these exercises with the best arm workouts with dumbbells or compound exercises with dumbbells for a full-body workout.
1. Goblet Squat
The goblet squat is a variation of squat that targets your glutes and leg muscles. Pick a lighter dumbbell to start, and once you master your form, you can use a heavier dumbbell to add intensity.
Muscles Worked: Quads, glutes, calves, hamstrings, and core muscles.
How to Do Them:
Begin standing, holding a dumbbell vertically, with the dumbbell close to your chest.
Lower your body into a squat position with your elbows pointing down.
If you squat low enough for your elbows to reach your knees, your elbows will brush against the inside of your knees.
Hold the dumbbell in the same position close to your chest throughout the exercise.
Push back up through your feet, squeezing your glutes, and return to the starting position.
Repeat.
Suggested Reps: Do 2 sets of 10 goblet squats to start and gradually work up to 3 sets of 10.
2. Bulgarian Split Squat
Bulgarian split squats are one of the best leg exercises with dumbbells that also targets your glutes. If you’re a beginner, start with just your body weight and progress to using light dumbbells. For advanced fitness levels, begin with a light pair of dumbbells, and you can use heavier dumbbells once you master good form.
Muscles Worked: Glutes, quads, hamstrings, and core muscles.
How to Do Them:
Use a step, bench, or sturdy chair and stand facing away, about half a stride length from it.
Place one foot behind you on the bench with the top of your foot resting on the bench.
With your body upright and your front foot facing forward, bend your front knee and lower back in a squat-like position.
Push back up through your front foot and glutes and return to the starting position.
Repeat on the other side.
Suggested Reps: Do 2 sets of 10 on each side. Once you can maintain good form throughout these, you can add one more set to do 3 sets of 10 on each side.
3. Calf Raise
Dumbbell calf raises target your calf muscles and help improve your ankle stability and prevent injuries.
Muscles Worked: Calves.
How to Do Them:
Begin from a standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a pair of dumbbells by your sides.
Keeping your back and knees straight, raise up onto your toes.
Slowly lower back to the starting position with your feet flat on the ground.
Repeat.
Suggested Reps: Do 3 sets of 10 calf raises.
4. Lateral Lunge with Dumbbells
Lateral lunges help improve your balance and stability and strengthen your inner and outer thighs. These exercises train your body to move more efficiently with side-to-side motions.
Muscles Worked: Quads, abductors, glutes, and hamstrings.
How to Do Them:
Begin standing with a pair of dumbbells by your sides and arms hanging straight.
Step a few feet to the side with one leg, bending your knee and keeping your hips, knees, and toes facing forward and chest up.
Squeeze your glutes and push off your bent leg to return to standing.
Repeat on the other side.
Suggested Reps: Do 2 sets of 10 to start and gradually increase to 3 sets of 10.
5. Reverse Lunge with Dumbbells
Reverse lunges are a versatile lower-body exercise that strengthens your legs and glutes. The reverse lunge puts less pressure on the knees than front lunges. Reverse lunges focus more on your hamstrings, while front lunges focus on the quads.
Muscles Worked: Hamstrings and glutes.
How to Do Them:
Begin with your feet slightly apart and chest up, holding a pair of dumbbells in each hand by your sides.
Bend your knees and step back with one leg. Your back knee will almost be touching the ground. Your front knee will be over your foot.
Squeeze your glutes, push off from your back leg, and return to standing.
Repeat on the other side.
Suggested Reps: Do 2 sets of 10 on each leg to start. Gradually work up to doing 3 sets of 10 on each leg.
6. Dumbbell Step Up
Dumbbell step-ups strengthen your legs, glutes, and knee and hip joints. These improve your lower body power, balance, and stability. You need a sturdy step or bench for this exercise.
Muscles Worked: Quads, hamstrings, calves, glutes, and hip flexors.
How to Do Them:
Begin from a standing position holding a pair of dumbbells by your sides with your palms facing inward. Face the step or bench.
Place your right foot on the elevated platform and push up through your heel.
Step up onto the platform with your left foot so you are standing on the platform.
Step down with your left foot and then your right foot to return to the starting position.
Repeat on the other side.
Suggested Reps: Do 2 sets of 10 on each leg. Work up to 3 sets of 10 on each side.
7. Dumbbell Deadlifts
Dumbbell deadlifts are one of the best leg exercises with dumbbells that is beginner-friendly. Using dumbbells for deadlifts has a lower risk of injuries than barbell deadlifts. You can start with lighter dumbbells and build up to heavier ones after you perfect your form.
Muscles Worked: Quads, hamstrings, glutes, and back.
How to Do Them:
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Hold a pair of dumbbells in front of each leg with an overhand grip.
Bend forward and hinge at the hips, keeping your back straight, chest up, and hips back.
Lower the dumbbells parallel to your shins as you hinge at the hips. Your shoulder blades will be above your weights when you’re in a lowered position.
Keeping your back neutral, hinge at the hips and lift back to standing.
Repeat.
Suggested Reps: Start with 2 sets of 10 and progress to 3 sets of 10.
8. Dumbbell Hip Thrusts
Dumbbell hip thrusts strengthen your posterior chain, which runs along your backside. These versatile movements are great for all fitness levels, as you can change your dumbbell weight amount and even do one-legged hip thrusts for added intensity. You will need a sturdy bench for this exercise and one dumbbell.
Muscles Worked: Hamstrings, core, glutes, and hips.
How to Do Them:
Sit on the floor with your back to the bench and knees bent, with feet planted on the ground hip-width apart. Hold the dumbbell in your lap.
The closer your feet are to your butt, the more you target your glutes. If you want to strengthen your legs, specifically your hamstrings, then scoot your feet farther from your butt.
Lift your hips up, pushing through your heels and squeezing your glutes. Keep your back straight in a neutral position throughout the exercise.
Pause and squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement when your upper body is parallel to the floor.
Slowly lower your butt back toward the floor.
Repeat.
Suggested Reps: Do 2 sets of 10 when you’re beginning. Work your way up to 3 sets of 10.
9. Dumbbell Side Step Up
These lateral step-ups will improve your balance and stability, helping to prevent falls and injuries. You will need a stable step or box for this exercise.
Muscles Worked: Quads, glutes, hamstrings, calves, and core.
How To Do Them:
Stand next to a sturdy box or bench with your right side next to the box. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms hanging by your sides.
Step up onto the box with your right foot, driving through your midfoot and heel as you step up and push up onto the box.
Bring your left leg up to plant both feet on the box.
Step down with your left leg, followed by your right leg.
Return to the starting position.
Repeat on the other side, using your left leg to step up first.
Suggested Reps: Do 2 sets of 10 on each side and progress to 3 sets of 10.
The best leg exercises with dumbbells will help you become a stronger athlete and improve your overall health by reducing your risk of injuries and health conditions such as osteoporosis. If you’re a runner, these exercises will also help you run faster and more efficiently.
10. Curtsy Lunge
The curtsy lunge combines strengthening from the traditional lunge with a lateral movement that helps strengthen your lower body and improve your balance.
Muscles Worked: Quads, glutes, and hips.
How to Do Them:
Begin from a standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms hanging by your sides and your chest up.
Tighten your core muscles and keep your chest up. Put your weight into your right foot and step back and around with your left foot — as if you’re curtsying.
When your right thigh is parallel to the floor, push through your heel and return your left foot to the starting position.
Repeat on the other side.
Suggested Reps: Do 2 sets of 10 to start, and progress to 3 sets of 10.
Exercises with Benches and Boxes
For exercises that call for a bench, chair, or step, make sure you use a sturdy one to avoid instability. Start with a lower step of 2 to 6 inches when doing step workouts. You can use a higher step of 6 to 12 inches as you advance.
For more dumbbell workouts, check out the best arm workouts with dumbbells and compound exercises with dumbbells. If you need a personalized training plan to crush your fitness or running goals, visit our online Runstreet Training Center.
Related Posts: Complete Guide to Cross Training for Runners, 3 Best Glute Exercises to Get Results, 10 Best Compound Exercises with Dumbbells
Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach based in Brooklyn, a dog lover and Akita mom, and the founder of Runstreet.
