Giulia Ralph is a qualified Nutritionist, Strength & Conditioning Coach, Weightlifting Coach, and Personal Trainer. She has a Bachelor of Health Science in Nutrition and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Human Nutrition.
Bodyweight workouts are great when you’re starting out—they’re simple and require no extra equipment. But after some time though, 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).
Now 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, right 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). In fact, bodyweight exercises can also be effective in 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.
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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 a few reasons:
A leg workout with dumbbells and barbells or machines are not the same. 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 are also lightweight and portable; perfect for home workouts or even when 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 like leg lifts, donkey kicks, and fire hydrants. They can also be used for cardio exercises like walking or jogging.
They are a useful option for your leg workout routine as they help target specific muscle groups, such as the glutes, and add an extra challenge to bodyweight exercises.
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.
Read more: Thigh Workout Guide: 7 Effective Exercises for Building Leg Strength
Walking with ankle weights can be a great way to add resistance to your cardio workout and increase calorie burn.
Make sure you start with lighter weights and gradually increase it as your muscles get used to the added load.
Note, be mindful of your form and focus more on proper technique rather than speed or distance.
Use 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 targets the quadriceps predominantly while also engaging the glutes, hamstrings, and core for stabilization.
By positioning weights in front of your body it 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 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, intensifying the workout on one leg at a time. It engages major muscle groups like the quads and glutes, while recruiting the hamstrings and calves to a lesser extent.
By creating a unilateral challenge, it causes imbalance that demands more from your core and stabilizing muscles. It’s effective for athletes and gym-goers aiming to correct muscular imbalances as well as individuals wanting to enhance single-leg strength (5).
If you’re starting out, make sure to find your balance and establish coordination before adding heavy weights.
The Deadlift is a comprehensive exercise that primarily works the posterior chain, including the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. It engages not only these major muscles but also requires the engagement of core and forearm muscles to maintain a proper form.
By lifting and lowering the weights it causes the muscles to adapt to tension, ensuring growth and strength gains. It’s suited for both beginners and advanced individuals 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 it engages muscles through both concentric and eccentric motions. It’s suited for those 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.
It’s suitable for individuals 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.
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Calf Raises are an isolation exercise that targets the calf muscles, such as the gastrocnemius and soleus. By elevating the heels off the ground, it causes these muscles to contract and work against gravity.
The Single-Leg Deadlift is an isolation exercise focusing on the hamstrings and glutes of the working leg, while also engaging core muscles for balance. By standing on one leg and hinging at the hip it causes the stabilizing muscles to work harder, promoting stability and unilateral strength. It’s suited for individuals hoping to enhance coordination and muscle symmetry.
Leg workouts at home with weights are worth it because they help (9):
Read more: Fire Up Your Muscles With Effective Resistance Bands Leg Workout
You can train 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.
Some effective calisthenics leg exercises include:
In addition to these exercises, you can also incorporate plyometric movements such as burpees or mountain climbers to add a cardio element to your leg workout.
In our Calisthenics Leg Workout blog we discuss in more detail how beneficial leg exercises are for overall fitness, 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 is 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 like 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 is recommended to have at least one or two rest days in 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 aid in weight loss overall, which may also contribute to slimming down 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 dumbbells, kettlebells, or resistance bands. A good leg day schedule should include a warm-up, compound exercises, isolation exercises, and a cool-down.
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!