Ultimate Dumbbell Leg Workout for All Abilities
When we think of leg training it’s hard not to picture a squat rack, maybe the leg press, a leg extension and a hamstring curl machine. But, if you’re limited to basic kit, or your gym is often just too busy to justify a multi-machine-marathon, it needn’t mean committing the oft touted crime of skipping leg day.
In fact, with access to nothing more than the dumbbell rack, or even with just a pair of bells at home, you can still get in a fully comprehensive leg day that will move the needle in the right direction on your quad and hamstring development – as well as your full-body fitness.
This dumbbell-only leg workout uses minimal kit, and a combination of maximal intensity and high volume to help you build a set of wheels you can be proud of – in even the most modest of gym setups.
Ultimate Dumbbell Leg Workout
If you have access to a variety of dumbbells, choose weights that allow you to hit the higher end of the prescribed rep range initially, but that become more challenging as the workout progresses. Once you can complete all sets of a given exercise at the higher end of the rep range, use heavier weights in your next session to ensure progressive overload.
If you only have access to one set of dumbbells, aim to work within the rep range, but don’t be afraid to venture higher. Each set should be taking you to with 3-5 reps of failure on your initial sets, but as the workout progresses, you should be aiming to only leave 1-2 reps in the tank, or even hitting failure. This may mean slowing down your tempo to increase your time under tension, or adding resistance bands to increase the load, if your dumbbells are particularly light.
After a thorough warm-up, grab your bells and get stuck into the following protocol:
Part A
Build to the heaviest possible 6-8 rep dumbbell front squat
Take 5-6 sets to build to the heaviest dumbbells you can squat. Rest 2 minutes between each attempt. If you only have one set of heavy dumbbells, perform 5 sets taking each set to 2-3 reps from failure, push to failure on the final set.
Keep the eccentric (lowering) portion of your squats controlled — if your dumbbells are light slow this right down to 4-5 seconds before explosively standing back up. Keep the rest to just 60 seconds to up the intensity.
Record your reps and/or weights for each set. Aim to beat your ‘score’ each session.
Clean your dumbbells onto the front of your shoulders. From here, drop into a front squat until the crease of your hips drops below your knees, keeping your torso upright before driving back up. Take a deep breath at the top and repeat.
Part B
Rear foot elevated split squat 4 x 8-12 (on each leg)
Sit on a box or bench, stretch you legs straight out in front of you to find your front foot position. Raise your rear foot onto the box or bench. Hold your dumbbells at your sides and bend at the front knee, lowering your weights until your back knee almost touches the ground before standing back up explosively.
Use weights that challenge you in the rep range, or make the weights you have more challenging by slowing down the tempo or adding a resistance band. Perform all reps on one leg then switch and repeat on the opposite side.
Rest for 90 seconds between sets.
Part C
Perform 3 supersets of the following two movements. Do not rest between exercises but rest 2 minutes between supersets.
Moving from Romanian deadlifts directly into conventional dumbbell deadlifts will allow you to work the hamstrings hard, before bringing in additional muscles to keep the intensity high and push your lower body.
Use straps if your grip becomes a limiting factor.
C1. Romanian deadlift x max reps (in 10-15 rep range)
Stand tall holding your dumbbells at waist height. With a slight bend in the knees, push your hips back and slowly lower the bells towards the ground. Pin your shoulders down, maintain a flat back and keep the dumbbells close to your body. Push your hips back until you feel a deep stretch in your hamstrings, pause and return to an upright position. Perform as many reps as possible with good form, then switch to deadlifts.
C2. Dumbbell deadlift x max reps (in 10-15 rep range)
Once you can no longer perform anymore Romanian deadlifts with good form, drop your hips and lower your bells all of the way to the ground. Now you’ll bring in assistance from the quads to continue repping out. Squeeze your lats, grip your weights and stand upright, ‘pushing the ground away’ with your feet. Take a deep breath and slowly reverse the movement, returning your weights to the ground, keeping them close to your body throughout. Your arms should be hanging straight throughout this movement, think of them as hooks
Part D
Perform 3 supersets of the following two movements. Do not rest between exercises but rest 2 minutes between supersets.
D1. Alternating reverse lunge x 18-22 (total reps)
Stand tall holding your dumbbells with straight arms by your sides. Keeping your chest up at all times, take a step backward with one leg, bending your front knee until the back knee touches the ground. Stand up explosively, pause and repeat with the other leg. Complete 18-22 total reps, counting each leg as 1 rep.
If you can, elevate your front foot on a plate, block or step around 3-6 inches from the ground to add to the range of motion, and for a quick transition into the next movement.
D2. Calf raises with a pause x max reps
Stand holding your dumbbells with the balls of your feet on a plate, block or step around 3-6 inches from the ground, heels dropping down, feeling a deep stretch in your calves. Explosively press-up onto the balls of your feet, fully extending the ankle and squeezing your calves. Hold this top position for 3 seconds before slowly lowering back down. Repeat until failure.
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