Bodyweight workouts are great when you’re starting out – they’re simple and require no extra equipment. However, after some time, you might notice your progress stalling.
The concept of progressive overload dictates that to keep developing, your muscles need progressive stimulus. They will adapt to the demands you place on them – it’s all about upping the game to foster continuous growth (8).
This doesn’t mean that you can’t workout at home and see impressive results. In fact, with the right equipment and exercise selection, you can challenge your muscles and achieve great results from the comfort of your own home.
Here’s a simple guide to beginner-friendly leg workouts you can do at home using just a pair of dumbbells to transform your strength training routine.
You can build leg muscle at home – all you need is weights that provide enough resistance to stimulate muscle growth, adequate protein and carbohydrates to support muscle repair, and a solid workout routine (5). Bodyweight exercises can also be effective for building leg muscle, but incorporating weights should take your progress to the next level.
The core principle of your leg workouts with weights at home for mass building is to progressively increase the workload over time. By doing so, you will continuously challenge your muscles and promote growth.
You have a few options as far as resistance goes. You can use:
Dumbbells are the most preferable equipment for leg workouts with weights at home for several reasons:
A leg workout with dumbbells and barbells is not the same as one with machines. Dumbbells require more control and balance, engaging your core and other supporting muscles, in addition to your legs.
Resistance bands are another great option for leg workouts at home with weights. These elastic bands come in different resistance levels so you can gradually increase the difficulty as your muscles get stronger (4). They’re also lightweight and portable, making them perfect for home workouts or even when you’re traveling.
You can incorporate resistance bands into your leg workout routine by using them for exercises such as squats, lunges, and glute bridges. They provide constant tension throughout the entire range of motion and are an effective tool for building muscle and strength.
Check out our blog, Resistance Bands Leg Workout, for some sample exercises you can try with resistance bands.
Ankle weights strap onto your ankles, adding extra load to exercises such as leg lifts, donkey kicks, and fire hydrants. They can also be used for cardio exercises such as walking or jogging.
While ankle weights may not provide as much resistance as dumbbells or resistance bands, they’re still a useful option for your leg workout routine. They help target specific muscle groups, such as the glutes, and add an extra challenge to bodyweight exercises.
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Some controversy surrounds the use of ankle weights and whether they are beneficial or harmful for leg workouts. Adding too much weight or using improper form can put unnecessary strain on your joints.
Your focus should always be on maintaining proper form and gradually increasing the weight as your muscles get stronger, rather than using excessive weight all at once.
Adding weights to your legs can be beneficial for building muscle and strength, as long as you use them correctly and safely.
Walking with ankle weights can be a great way to add resistance to your cardio workout and increase calorie burn. However, there are some precautions to keep in mind.
Firstly, make sure you start with lighter weights and gradually increase the weight as your muscles get used to the added load.
Secondly, you should avoid using ankle weights if you have any joint pain or discomfort, as this can worsen existing issues.
Note: be mindful of your form and focus more on proper technique rather than speed or distance.
The kettlebell is another versatile and compact piece of equipment that can be used for leg workouts at home. It allows for a wide range of exercises, including squats, lunges, deadlifts, and swings.
Unlike dumbbells or resistance bands, the kettlebell’s weight is centered below the handle, which requires more stability and coordination to use effectively. This engages multiple muscle groups in the lower body, which makes it an efficient tool for building leg muscle and strength (6).
Our Kettlebell Leg Workout guide has some great exercises you can try to target your legs and achieve a stronger lower body.
Include these leg exercises with dumbbells for beginners as part of your at-home leg workout routine. This workout starts with compound exercises to target multiple muscle groups, followed by isolation exercises to focus on individual muscles.
The Front Squat is a quintessential compound leg exercise that primarily targets the quadriceps while also engaging the glutes, hamstrings, and core for stabilization.
By positioning weights in front of your body, this places emphasis on the quads and encourages a straighter upright posture, which can help reduce the load placed on the lower back (2).
It’s well suited for those who are looking to develop strong thighs and improve overall lower body strength. If you’re new to front squats, start with lighter weights to perfect your form before progressing.
The Bulgarian Split Squat is a powerful leg builder that intensifies the workout on one leg at a time. It engages major muscle groups such as the quads and glutes, while recruiting the hamstrings and calves to a lesser extent.
By creating a unilateral challenge, this causes an imbalance that demands more from your core and stabilizing muscles. It’s effective for athletes and gym-goers who are aiming to correct muscular imbalances and individuals who want to enhance single-leg strength (5).
If you’re just starting out, make sure to find your balance and establish coordination before you add heavy weights.
Read more: Leg Workouts With Dumbbells: Shred Your Leg Muscles Through A Mix Of Dynamic Moves
The Deadlift is a comprehensive exercise that primarily works the posterior chain, which includes the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. It engages these major muscles and also requires the engagement of core and forearm muscles to maintain proper form.
By lifting and lowering the weights, this causes the muscles to adapt to tension, ensuring growth and strength gains. It’s suited for both beginners and advanced individuals who are seeking to improve overall body strength (3).
If you’re new to deadlifts, focus on the hinge movement from your hips with a minimal knee bend to protect your back.
Walking Lunges are a dynamic compound exercise that works several muscle groups simultaneously, including the quads, hamstrings, and glutes. They also involve the core for balance and stability. By stepping forward and lunging, this engages muscles through both concentric and eccentric motions. It’s suited for those who are aiming to improve functional lower body strength and mobility (1). If you’re just getting started, practice the lunging motion without weights first to establish your form.
The Stiff-Legged Deadlift zeroes in on hamstring and glute development. It engages these major muscles intensely by requiring them to work hard during the hinging motion. In addition, this exercise helps improve hip mobility and hamstring flexibility.
It’s suitable for individuals who are looking to target their posterior chain muscles specifically. If you’re new to the motion, strive for control over the range of motion rather than speed or heavy weights.
Calf Raises are an isolation exercise that targets the calf muscles, which include the gastrocnemius and soleus. By elevating your heels off the ground, this causes these muscles to contract and work against gravity.
The Single-Leg Deadlift is an isolation exercise that focuses on the hamstrings and glutes of the working leg, while also engaging the core muscles for balance. By standing on one leg and hinging at the hip, this causes the stabilizing muscles to work harder, promoting stability and unilateral strength. It’s suitable for individuals who hope to enhance coordination and muscle symmetry.
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Leg workouts at home with weights are worth it because they (9):
Read more: Benefits Of Leg Workouts, Or Why You Shouldn’t Skip Your Leg Day
You can train your legs at home without equipment by getting a solid calisthenics workout.
Calisthenics exercises are bodyweight exercises that use your own body weight as resistance to build strength and muscle. They require minimal equipment, if any at all, and can be done anywhere.
Effective calisthenics leg exercises include:
In addition to these exercises, you can incorporate plyometric movements such as burpees or mountain climbers to add a cardio element to your leg workout.
In our Calisthenics Leg Workout blog post, we discuss how beneficial leg exercises are for overall fitness in more detail, even if you’re a beginner who can’t lift heavy weights.
A good leg day schedule is one that allows for proper rest and recovery while also challenging your muscles enough to promote growth and progress.
Here’s a sample leg day schedule you can follow:
You should have leg day at least once a week, but ideally, it would be twice a week to allow for more frequency and volume in your leg workouts.
Splitting up your leg exercises into two separate days also allows for proper rest and recovery of specific muscle groups. For example, you can focus on compound movements such as squats and deadlifts on one day and isolation exercises such as calf raises and hamstring curls on the other.
Don’t overtrain! If you feel that your muscles need more rest between leg workouts, adjust accordingly. With that in mind, it’s recommended to have at least one or two rest days between leg day sessions.
Using weights may not directly slim your legs, as spot reduction is not possible. However, incorporating weights into your leg workouts can help build muscle mass and strength in your lower body. This can lead to a more defined and toned appearance in the legs, which can eventually influence body composition and in turn, slimmer and more defined legs.
In addition, resistance training with weights can increase metabolism and help with weight loss overall, which may also contribute to slimming in the legs.
Remember that diet and overall body fat percentage also play a significant role in achieving slimmer legs, so it’s important to maintain an appropriate calorie deficit while incorporating weights into your leg workouts.
Ankle weights should be chosen based on your fitness level and the exercise you plan to do with them.
As a general rule, beginners can start with 1-2 pounds per ankle, while more advanced individuals can use up to 5 pounds per ankle.
Never exceed 10 pounds per ankle, as this can put too much strain on your joints and increase the risk of injury.
It’s also important to gradually increase the weight as you progress to avoid overloading muscles and causing excessive soreness.
Leg workouts at home with weights are a great way to build lower body strength and improve functional fitness. They can be done using dumbbells, kettlebells, or resistance bands. A good leg day schedule should include a warm-up, compound exercises, isolation exercises, and a cool-down.
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