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This Four-Move Dumbbell Workout Blows Up Your Legs in Just 30 Minutes
If you’ve found yourself stuck in a leg-day rut, bored of the squat rack and labouring under the belief that you need at least 10 different machines to get a decent lower-body workout, then we’ve got just the fix.
This 30-minute leg day ‘AMRAP’ (as many reps as possible), requires just two dumbbells, but hits your quads, hamstrings and glutes, hard. With built in ‘progressive overload’, you’ll be able to track your progress from week to week, guaranteeing gains.
If you have access to multiple dumbbells, pick weights that enable you to hit the higher end of the rep ranges, at least for the initial few rounds of the workout. If you only have one pair of 'bells, the reps and movements are arranged to accommodate this, taking you from the toughest move to the ‘easiest’. You'll also be cranking up the rep count as you go, making this workout the perfect low-tech solution for bursting through lower-body plateaus, whether you train at home or in a gym.
After a thorough warm-up, set a countdown timer for 30 minutes. Work your way through as many high-quality rounds of the following circuit as possible, resting as necessary to catch your breath and keep your form on point. Perform this workout once or twice per week, taking note of how many reps you perform on each movement, in each round, and attempting to beat these scores each session.
1.Front Squat x 6-10
Clean a pair of dumbbells onto the front of your shoulders (A). From here, slowly drop into a squat, until the crease of your hip passes below your knees (B), before driving back up explosively. Take a deep breath at the top and repeat. If you struggle to hit a good depth while keeping your heels on the ground, try raising your heels with plates or small blocks.
2. Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift x 8-12
Stand tall with your dumbbells at your sides and your feet shoulder-width apart (A). With a slight bend in the knees, push your hips back and slowly lower the 'bells towards the ground (B), maintaining a flat back and avoiding excessive rounding in the lower back. When you feel a deep stretch in your hamstrings, pause and explosively return to an upright position.
3. Reverse Lunge x 16-20 (total)
Stand tall after your final deadlift and hold your dumbbells with straight arms by your sides (A). 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 (B). Stand up explosively, pause and repeat with the other leg. Push yourself on these, you get a slight rest as you alternate legs, so you can probably do more than you think.
4. Dumbbell Deadlift x 10-15
With a pair of dumbbells on the floor, just outside of your feet, hinge down with a flat back and soft knees to grip them (A). Squeeze your lats and stand upright, picture pushing the ground away with your feet (B). Take a deep breath and reverse the movement to the ground. Squeeze your empty fist to create tension on the opposite side. Avoid excessive rounding of the lower back throughout.
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Can You Build Legs with Just Dumbbells?
Yes. Used in the right way, a pair of dumbbells can certainly pack a punch when it comes to lower body hypertrophy. The key is to:
Pick the right weight: Work within your strength levels but for lower body moves, a heavy pair of dumbbells of roughly 15kg-30kg should do the trick.
Work close enough to failure: For muscular hypertrophy working within 2-5 reps short of failure is ideal for muscular growth. To get a better idea of what this means, read our guide here.
Progressive overload: Your programme should include progressive overload. This means that the weights, sets, reps and other variables are adjusted over time to increase difficulty and force your muscles to adapt.
Prioritise recovery: This means making sure you schedule enough rest days between sessions, get enough sleep and eat enough to recover from your workouts.
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