To keep our body stay healthy, there are lots of things you can do. You can try meditation, change your eating habit, and even do exercises such as leg exercises. Leg exercises can be done with the support of equipment or without any equipment at all. One of the pieces of equipment commonly used for training legs is a dumbbell.
What is Dumbbell?
Before doing dumbbell leg exercises, let’s look at what a dumbbell is because some people may not be familiar with a dumbbell. Dumbbell is the equipment used for training and exercises. It is a short bar with weights at both each. It is usually used in pairs for specific exercises. But dumbbells also can be used individually, depending on what you need.
There are lots of types of dumbbells according to their shapes and weight. The three main types of dumbbells are fixed-weight, adjustable, and specialty dumbbells. From those three main types of dumbbells, each will be divided again into several different types.
Here are 5 Most Popular How to Do Leg Exercises with Dumbbells?
1. Dumbbell Squat Jump
The first dumbbell leg workout for mass is dumbbell squat jumps. The dumbbell squat jump activates the glutes, hamstrings, and quads. It can also improve your balance, agility, and power significantly. To do this training, you have to start with your feet hip-width apart. Hold the dumbbell at each side on the center handle.
Next, try to get yourself down by squatting down. Make sure your hips are placed just below knee height. While you stand up from squatting down, push the dumbbells through the hips and jump off from the ground. It doesn’t require a higher jump, so do not worry. Then, repeat this several times.
2. Single-leg Deadlift
The next dumbbell leg exercises is the single-leg deadlift. Single-leg deadlifts give you lots of benefits to your body. Some examples of single-leg deadlift training for your body are to train the hamstrings and glutes. At the same time, a single-leg deadlift is also beneficial for building stability and strengthening core strength.
To do this kind of training for leg mass, all you need to prepare is the dumbbell. Then, hold the dumbbell in your right hand by the center handle, then place your feet a little bit off from the ground. Send your torso forward but keep the flat back. At the same time, start to raise your left leg. Make sure the left leg forms a straight line with your body and head.
Next, while the dumbbell lowers to the ground, you may keep your left shoulder pulled down and back. Then, back to the straight with your back stay straight. This movement should be slow and controlled by your hamstrings and core. Repeat the step several times, or recommended repetition is 8 to 12 times.
3. Dumbbell Hammer Curl Squat Press
The following leg training is dumbbell hammer curl squat press. As one of the dumbbell leg exercises, this kind of training targets more to some parts of your leg, such as the glutes, hamstrings, and quad. Not only beneficial for lower body strength, but the dumbbell hammer curl squat press is also suitable for testing upper body strength.
All you need to prepare to perform this leg exercise is the dumbbell. Then, hold the dumbbell by the center of the handle. Send your feet hip-width apart and rotate your wrists. This movement aimed to make your palms face your body. Next, try curling the dumbbells to your shoulder while doing the squat.
After that, make sure your hip is parallel to your knees. Straighten your knees by moving your heels and pushing your hips toward and extending both of your arms above the head simultaneously. The next step is to bring down the dumbbell to your shoulders with elbows bent. Bring them down to your sides. It’s done!
You can try this movement several times you are likely to do. But, the recommended settings for doing this kind of leg exercise are 3 to 4 sets with 8 to 12 repetitions for each step. Leg exercises with dumbbells are highly recommended if you aim to focus more on the lower parts of the body.
4. Bulgarian Split Squats Superset
The following leg exercise with a dumbbell for mass is the Bulgarian split squats superset. This kind of training helps you to have maximum impact on your quads. It is also beneficial for increasing your gains because your muscles are not resting. To do this exercise, you have to hold the dumbbells with both of your hands.
Extend your right leg to the back of your body and lean your toes on the bench. Next, bring your right leg down slowly while keeping the upper body straight. Then, you can lift up the dumbbells into the beginning position. Repeat this step for three sets, with several repetitions for each set. Keep in mind that you need to increase the weight of each set.
5. Forward Lunges
Other dumbbell leg exercises you may try is forward lunges. Lunges are the perfect exercises to boost your balance and stability. Other than that, doing forward lunges will also give you many benefits and advantages as burning and replacing the fats with muscle mass. Flexibility on the lower part of your body is also the advantage of making lunges.
To perform forward lunges, you have to stand up with hip-width apart. Next, hold the dumbbell in both hands, so you need a pair of dumbbells. Then, step out a foot a little further than you usually do and lower your back knees. Do not forget to shin towards the floor and return to the starting position. Do these steps several times with the same weight of dumbbells.
7 Easy Leg Toning Exercises with Dumbbells at Home
1. Dumbbell Squat Exercises
The first dumbbell leg exercise, if you have the main aim to tone your leg, is the dumbbell squat. Just like the name, dumbbell squat means you must simultaneously squat while holding the dumbbell. To perform this kind of leg workout for toning, all you need to prepare is a pair of dumbbells.
What you have to do for dumbbell squats is start with a standing position. Do not forget to hold your dumbbells in your every hand. Next, try to extend your feet until shoulder-width apart and pointing straight forward. After that, pull yourself down into a seated position and keep your chest up. Also, make sure to keep your knees behind your toes and your weight in the heels.
The next step is to pay attention to your dumbbells while doing this type of leg exercise with dumbbells. Your dumbbells must hang straight down on both sides of your legs. After doing all of the movements, you may stand back up into the starting position and give it a try to squeeze your glutes at the top. Repeat this step for some time.
2. Good Morning Exercise with a Barbell
The next leg training with a dumbbell for toning is good mornings. Good mornings are excellent training for those who are likely to target the exercises to the glutes and hamstrings, which are the back side of the legs. This kind of leg training with dumbbells is liked by many people because of the instant effect.
If you are interested in toning your leg with this kind of leg exercise, you must stand in the starting position. The next step is to extend both of your feet until shoulder-width apart while holding the dumbbell back on your upper back simultaneously. Keep your back arched and try to not round it while maintaining your knees to stay soft.
After that, you may hinge forward your waist. Do this until you feel a stretch feeling on the back of both legs. Next, try to bring your torso back up to your starting position, which is standing, by using your hips. You can do this several times until you feel satisfied with the instant effects.
4. Clamshell with Dumbbell
Clamshells are other dumbbell leg exercises you may try if you want to tone the leg. Clamshells are a training way that gives you lots of advantages. Some benefits you will feel after doing clamshells are making you sweat a lot and burn more fat. It is because clamshells are the perfect training to beaten up your glutes without putting your butt in pain.
If you want to do this dumbbell exercise, you need to do the starting position, which is lying on your side. Then, prop your body to the elbow and bend your knees. You can put the top of the arm on the ground to support your body while doing clamshells for toning your legs.
The next step is to keep your feet together and raise your upper leg knees to point up at the sky. After that, bring it back to the starting position slowly. Then, you may repeat this step several times until you feel satisfied. You can also do these clamshells with some sets, each with different repetitions.
5. Calf Raises Dumbbell Exercise
Just like the name, this kind of dumbbell leg exercise will target and focus more on your calves. This leg workout is a perfect choice for those who desire to tone up their calves and make them calves burned up. To perform this leg training, the first step you have to do is standing as a starting position.
Next, prepare the dumbbells because that is the main equipment you will use to tone your calves by calf raises. Then, hold the dumbbells in each hand and extend both of your feet until hip-width apart. Then, raise yourself with your toes as high as possible and stay in that position for a while. Bring yourself back to the starting position slowly, and repeat this step several times.
6. Front Rack Squat with Dumbbells
Another training you can do to get toned lower parts of your body is the front racked squat. This type of dumbbell leg workout is a perfect choice for people who wants to pay attention more to the quads, core, and glutes. This type of training is loved by many people because it is easy yet very beneficial to the lower body.
Prepare two dumbbells or a pair at shoulder height to perform this workout. Make sure you stand up with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Pay attention to your toes because they should be slightly turned out. You can let the weights rest on your shoulders.
The next step is to keep your weight on the heels. Try to bend both your knees and bring your bum back lower, just like whenever you want to sit on a chair. While in a lower position, try to engage your core and pull your weight back through the hips. Make sure your shoulders stay straight and don’t round.
Another step you have to do is to make sure both of your thighs are parallel to the floor. Then, stay in the position for several seconds. After that, you may drive through your heels and push back yourself onto the starting position, which is standing. You may do these steps several times to get the effects.
7. Dumbbell Goblet Split Squat Exercise
Last but not least, the recommendation of dumbbell exercises to tone your legs is the goblet split squat. A Goblet split squat is perfect if you want to focus more on your quads, glutes, and upper legs. To do this exercise, you must prepare a dumbbell while placing one foot in front of the other.
Next, ensure your only the toes that touch the floor. Then, keep your knee placed directly over the ankle. Do not forget to keep it not bent over the toe. Lunge forward and try to clench your glutes. The next step is you may start to bring your back knee lower to the floor until it touches. Push up the feet and keep your back straight. Repeat this several times.
There are plenty of dumbbell leg exercises you may try, but those are all the recommendations if you want to mass your leg and tone the lower parts of your body. Make sure to start all exercises with a warm-up and end the training with a cool down so you won’t experience any cramps.
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