We hate skipping leg day–but we’ve all had those days when we’ve walked into the gym and every barbell rack and machine you had planned is busy.
Or, you finish work late and settle for a quick at-home leg workout. You know that bodyweight training can work, but you want this to be the year you really grow those quads or shape your glutes.
Enter the dumbbell–one of the best, most versatile pieces of gym equipment you’re probably not paying nearly enough attention to.
It’s the solution to your busy gym day fiasco (’shy girl’–or guy–workout unlocked) or the step up you need from the bodyweight workouts to really start seeing those gains.
Minimal equipment needed, little space required, big results gained (trust us).
Whether you’re seeking a full dumbbell only leg workout or some accessory dumbbell leg exercises after a compound lift to maximize training volume, we’ve got the answers. Welcome to the world of dumbbell leg exercises (once you’ve started, you’ll never look back).
Why Train Legs with Dumbbells?
Barbells have always been regarded as ‘best’ when it comes to strength and muscle growth, but there’s no doubt dumbbell leg exercises can give the barbell a pretty good run for its money.
The best leg workouts with dumbbells will have you working up a serious sweat and feeling that deep, satisfying soreness—aka DOMS —in your quads, glutes, and hammies for days afterward. But did you know there are actually a few more reasons why you should consider swapping the barbell for dumbbells?
Compared to barbells or bodyweight leg exercises, performing leg exercises with dumbbells comes with the following benefits:
They allow for a more natural range of motion compared to using a barbell (which locks the hands and arms into a fixed position). This reduces stress on joints by allowing the body to move freely.
They give the ability to work each side independently. This is useful for identifying and fixing muscle imbalances.
They unlock greater muscle-building potential than bodyweight alone, and progressions are easy by increasing load over time.
Dumbbells are easier to learn and safer to drop
than barbells, making them a beginner-friendly way to add weight without using machines or barbells.
They are ideal for at home dumbbell leg workout or those busy gym days when you want an effective workout with minimal equipment and little space.
Feeling convinced? Get ready for the 10 best dumbbell leg exercises you won’t want to skip on your next leg day.
10 Best Dumbbell Leg Exercises
1. Goblet squat
If you’re looking for a dumbbell squat exercise at home or in the gym, the goblet squat is probably the first dumbbell leg exercise to come to mind. This is, without doubt, one of the most popular variations. Using a single dumbbell held close to the chest, it targets the quads, glutes, hamstrings, and core while also challenging your upper body to stabilise the weight.
For beginners, it’s an easy way to add resistance to a bodyweight squat, with the dumbbell positioning encouraging proper form and being a lot less intimidating compared to using a barbell.
For more advanced lifters, the goblet squat will help improve mobility (making it easier to sit deeper into the squat), build leg strength, and provide a way to add volume to training.
How To Do Goblet Squats:
Take hold of a dumbbell vertically (so one end points up and the other points down). Cup the top end (the upper weight plate) with both hands, like you’re holding a goblet or a heavy trophy. Hold the dumbbell close to your chest, just below chin level, keeping your elbows close to your sides, not flared out.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart or slightly wider. Depending on comfort and mobility, your toes can point slightly outward, around 10–30 degrees.
Brace your core (imagine you are preparing to be punched in the stomach). Keep your spine neutral and shoulders pulled slightly back.
Lower into the squat, pushing your hips back and down like sitting in a chair. Let your knees track over your toes (not caving inward). Keep the weight close to your chest and your torso upright. Go as low as your mobility allows—ideally, thighs parallel to the floor or lower, with elbows between your thighs.
Drive through your heels to stand up. Squeeze your glutes at the top without overextending your back.
Variation: Looking to fire up your glutes and inner thighs (adductors) more? 🍑 Take your into a wide sumo stance, with toes turned out more (around 30–45°). This position improves hip mobility and will target your glutes more intensely.
2. Dumbbell Front Squat
Another powerful squat variation is the dumbbell front squat, which uses a pair of dumbbells held on the shoulders. This exercise is particularly effective at targeting the quads, but also works the glutes, and hamstrings while challenging your core and upper back [1].
Compared to goblet squats, this dumbbell leg exercise is slightly more demanding on the shoulders, arms, and posture and requires greater core engagement to stabilize both weights. However, dumbbell front squats have the potential for greater loading, making them ideally suited to those training for hypertrophy or strength.
How to Do Dumbbell Front Squats
Rack the dumbbells: Hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height, palms facing in or slightly forward, with elbows tucked under the weights.
Set your stance: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, with your toes turned out slightly.
Brace your core: Keep your chest up and engage your core to maintain an upright torso.
Lower into a squat: Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower into a squat, keeping the dumbbells steady and elbows high.
Drive back up: Press through your heels to stand, squeezing your glutes at the top.
3. Dumbbell walking lunge
Whether it’s a strength-focused leg workout or a higher-intensity conditioning session, dumbbell walking lunges are a powerful movement that shouldn’t be skipped. Firing up the glutes, quads, and hamstrings, this dumbbell leg exercise is as much loved by bodybuilders who want to build and define their legs as it is by Hyrox-er’s wanting to increase muscular endurance. If that wasn’t enough, dumbbell walking lunges will also massively improve your balance, coordination, and core stability — essential for every compound lift, sport, and real-world movement that demands strength and control.
Dumbbell walking lunges are ideal midway or towards the end of a workout. Pair them in a circuit or superset to add volume and intensity to your lower body dumbbell workout.
How To Do Dumbbell Walking Lunges:
Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides with arms fully extended (suitcase grip).
Stand tall with feet hip-width apart, core braced, and shoulders back.
Step forward with one leg and lower your back knee toward the floor, keeping the front knee above the ankle.
Push through the front heel to rise and bring your back foot forward into the next step.
Repeat alternating legs as you move forward in a controlled, steady rhythm.
4. Bulgarian split squat
Bulgarian split squats are one of those dumbbell leg exercises you love to hate — they burn like crazy but deliver incredible results for strength and balance. This single-leg exercise targets the quads, glutes, hamstrings, and core while putting your balance and stability to the test as your rear leg is placed on a bench or box. It’s a challenging (and painful) exercise, but it’s really one of the best you can include in your dumbbell leg workouts.
Our favorite way to load this exercise is using two dumbbells held in each hand. This allows for balance and stability without restricting movement. Alternatively, if you’re limited on equipment (for example, if you’re doing your leg workouts at home), you could use a single dumbbell in a goblet hold position (help close to your chest with both hands cupping the top plate), or hold one dumbbell in the opposite hand to your workout leg (this challenges your balance and stability more).
How to Do Bulgarian Split Squats:
Stand about 2 feet in front of a bench or elevated surface, holding a dumbbell in each hand by your sides.
Place the top of your back foot on the bench behind you.
Keep your chest up and core braced as you bend your front knee, lowering your body until your front thigh is parallel to the ground.
Ensure your front knee stays in line with your toes and does not travel past them.
Push through the heel of your front foot to return to standing, fully extending your front leg.
Variation: For greater glute engagement, lean forward with your torso as you descend (rather than staying upright) and drive through your heel on your working leg as you stand back up. You could also try elevating your front foot to increase the range of motion.
5. Dumbbell Step-Ups
The simple exercise you didn’t know you needed–dumbbell step-ups torch your quads and glutes while challenging your stability and coordination. By stepping onto a raised platform while holding dumbbells, you replicate a natural movement pattern in daily activities and sports, making it effective and practical. As a unilateral exercise, dumbbell step-ups improve single-leg stability and power, making them particularly useful for runners, soccer players, or those doing combat sports.
How to Do Dumbbell Step-Ups:
Hold a dumbbell in each hand by your sides with your arms fully extended.
Stand facing a sturdy bench or platform at knee height or slightly lower.
Step onto the platform with one foot, pressing through the heel to lift your body.
Bring your trailing leg up to stand tall on the platform, fully extending your hips and knees.
Step down carefully and repeat on the opposite leg, maintaining control throughout.
6. Dumbbell Thrusters
A functional fitness staple that will fill you with dread anytime you see it crop up in a workout. This brutal exercise blends a squat and push press to work multiple muscles throughout the body with minimal equipment. It’s the definition of a quad burner, but this exercise is as much a mental challenge as a physical one, demanding focus, coordination, and grit. Thrusters spike your heart rate, burn your legs and shoulders, and leave you gasping for breath–but that’s what makes them so great.
How To Do Dumbbell Thrusters:
Start in a front-rack position, holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height, elbows pointing slightly forward.
Lower into a squat, keeping your chest up, driving your knees out, and keeping your heels planted.
Explosively push through your heels to stand up.
As you rise, use the momentum to press the dumbbells overhead in one fluid motion.
Lower the dumbbells back to your shoulders and immediately move into the next rep.
7. Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
You’re probably familiar with this foundational posterior chain exercise, which is one of the best for engaging the hamstrings, as well as activating the glutes and lower back. Unlike traditional deadlifts that start from the floor, RDLs focus on the lowering phase and require a controlled stretch in the hamstrings, making them ideal for muscle development, injury prevention, and improving athletic power.
Dumbbell RDLs are ideal as a primary exercise or accessory movement during any dumbbell leg workout, particularly for those wanting to build strength in their posterior chain, beginners looking to master the hip-hinge movement, or runners, field athletes, and lifters looking to prevent hamstring injuries.
How To Do Dumbbell RDLs:
Hold a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs with a neutral grip (palms facing your body).
Stand tall with feet hip-width apart, soft knees, and core braced.
Hinge at the hips, pushing them back as the dumbbells lower in front of your legs — keep your back flat and chest open.
Lower until you feel an intense stretch in your hamstrings (usually mid-shin), without rounding your spine.
Drive your hips forward to return to standing, squeezing your glutes at the top.
8. Single-Leg Dumbbell Deadlift
This unilateral deadlift variation will test your balance and control while targeting the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back to a greater degree than the conventional bilateral deadlift [2]. This movement trains the posterior chain in a functional, athletic way by hinging at the hips while standing on one leg and holding a dumbbell (or two). Single-leg deadlifts are particularly suited to athletes who need stable hips and single-leg strength (e.g., runners, football players, and gymnasts). They also help lifters identify and work on strength imbalances between legs, improving symmetry and preventing injury.
How to Do Single-Leg Dumbbell Deadlifts
Hold a dumbbell in one hand (opposite of the standing leg) or one in each hand, arms hanging naturally by your sides.
Shift your weight to one leg, keeping a soft knee and core engaged. As you do so, lift the opposite foot and place your toes on the floor in line with the heel of the other foot.
Hinge at the hips, lowering the dumbbell(s) down the front of your standing leg as your back leg extends straight behind you. Keep your spine long and your gaze focused on the floor a few feet ahead.
Maintain a flat back and square shoulders. Lower until you feel a stretch through the standing leg's hamstring—stop before your spine starts to round.
Drive through the heel of your standing leg to return to the upright position, squeezing your glutes at the top and keeping control throughout the movement.
Variation: If you find balancing difficult, try a b-stance deadlift. In this stance, you place one foot back about 6–12 inches, placing just the toes on the ground, keeping the weight mostly through your front foot. Instead of lifting the back leg, keep the toes planted on the ground for stability.
9. Dumbbell Glute Bridge
This one’s for the glutes (and is even better done with a pair of scrunch butt leggings on)–dumbbell glute bridges level up the traditional bodyweight movement, strengthening and isolating the glutes and hamstrings. All you need is a single dumbbell placed across your hips–and to make things even more challenging, add a heavy resistance band above your knees.
This exercise works well as a warm-up for any dumbbell leg workout, improving glute activation prior to exercises such as squats, deadlifts, and lunges. It is also well-suited as an accessory movement or finisher exercise in any glute workout with dumbbells, using higher repetitions to increase training volume.
How to Do Dumbbell Glute Bridges:
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
Place a dumbbell across your hips, holding it securely with both hands.
Engage your core and squeeze your glutes, then drive through your heels to lift your hips off the floor.
Pause at the top, ensuring your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
Lower your hips slowly and with control, then repeat for your desired reps.
10. Dumbbell Hip Thrust
Our final dumbbell leg exercise, the dumbbell hip thrust, is a strong contender for building the glutes. Elevating your upper back on a bench allows you to train through a full range of hip extension, maximizing glute activation.
The dumbbell hip thrust is great for those with aesthetic goals and builds explosive hip extension, improving sprinting and lifting performance [3]. Program this exercise earlier in your free weight leg workout if going heavier or later in your session (as a finisher) if going lighter for higher reps.
Don’t have a bench? Using the edge of a couch can work instead, if you’re doing your dumbbell leg workout at home.
How to Do Dumbbell Hip Thrusts:
Sit on the floor with your upper back against a bench, knees bent, and feet flat, shoulder-width apart.
Roll or place a dumbbell across your hips, holding it securely with both hands.
Engage your core and glutes, then drive through your heels to lift your hips until your torso is parallel to the floor.
Pause and squeeze your glutes at the top, ensuring your knees are 90 degrees and your spine remains neutral.
Lower your hips under control, tap the floor, and repeat for your desired reps.
How To Structure Your Dumbbell Leg Workout
Warm Up
Start with dynamic stretches and light dumbbell or bodyweight exercises to prep joints and muscles. To decide on what exercises to do in your warm-up, think about the movement patterns and muscles you’ll be using in your main workout, and aim to focus on these muscles or movements during your warm-up.
Give these leg day warm-up exercises a go.
Exercise Order
You should always begin with compound movements (e.g., squats, lunges), then move to isolation or accessory exercises (e.g., glute bridges, calf raises). Compound movements are more demanding, so doing them first means you’re fresh and can lift heavier with better form, maximizing strength and overall muscle activation.
When it workout structure, you might use the following to build your dumbbell leg workout:
Straight sets (i.e., performing all sets of one exercise before moving to the next. This is good for beginners or during heavier compound lifts where strength is the overarching goal.)
Supersets (i.e., performing two exercises back-to-back with little to no rest in between. Supersets commonly work antagonist (opposing) muscles back-to-back, e.g., squats and RDLs. Supersets are a great way to increase intensity and volume in a shorter amount of time) [5].
Trisets (i.e., performing three exercises in a row without rest between them increases muscle fatigue and builds endurance).
Circuits (i.e., cycling through 4–6+ exercises, performing one set of each before resting and repeating the whole circuit) are great for full-body conditioning. Due to their simplicity and time efficiency, they are usually seen in home workouts and boot camp-style training.
You may use one or all of these styles of training in your dumbbell leg workout–just be aware that performing exercises back-to-back means less rest
Sets & Reps
Choose your sets and reps based on your main training goal:
Strength: Choose heavier weights for lower reps, 6 to 8 reps
Hypertrophy: Choose moderate weights for moderate reps (8 to 12 reps)
Endurance: Choose lighter weights for higher reps (15-20 reps+).
If you are doing your leg workouts from home and are limited with dumbbell weights, adjust your reps so that the exercise you are doing is challenging using the weight you have available (i.e., you have a couple of reps left in you at the end of each set, but no more).
Frequency
Numerous researchers have proven that training each muscle group twice a week is most effective [5,6]. You could choose to do this through two dumbbell leg workouts per week, or you could add some barbell or machine leg exercises to your training, too.
Barbells are particularly useful for heavy, compound lifts early in workouts (e.g., squats, deadlifts), while machines are a good option for isolation or high-rep volume (e.g., leg curls, leg presses) to finish off. So, if you can and feel confident, include some exercises using varying equipment during your leg workouts. It will also prevent boredom, keeping variety in your training.
Progression
Record your sets and reps during your workout, and gradually increase dumbbell weight, reps, or sets over time to continue making gains. A 2022 randomized controlled trial by Plotkin et al. found that while increasing load led to slightly greater muscle gains, both load and repetition increases were successful for improving muscle size, strength, and endurance in 43 participants with at least 1 year of consistent lower body resistance training experience [7].
Example Dumbbell Leg Workout
@allismeltzer DUMBBELL LEG DAY 1.Sumo squat- 12 reps - 4 sets 2.Hip thrust + pulse - until failure - 3 sets 3.Goblet squat to front lunge (count lunges) 12 reps 4.Single leg rdl- 12 reps each leg - 3 sets #dumbbellworkout #dumbbelllegday #legday ♬ Soul Survivor - Young Jeezy
Stronger Legs, No Barbell Needed
Whether you’re looking to level up your leg day by adding some weights or it’s one of those gym days where you want to stay in one corner of the gym and smash out a workout, dumbbells are your answer.
From squats and lunges to hip thrusts to devil presses and lunges, dumbbells fit as well into a strength-focused leg day as they do in a leg-focused conditioning workout–whether you're training at home, in the park, or on the gym floor.
There’s no excuse for not getting started, so what are you waiting for?
Pick a few of your favorite exercises above, decide on your workout structure, and get going. Stronger legs are only a few reps away.
Looking for a simple way to track every set, rep, and weight in your workout? Or perhaps you're searching for a fully programmed full-leg workout? The Gymshark Training App has everything you need for leg day with dumbbells, from a workout log to follow-along plans from your favorite Gymshark Athletes.
FAQs
Can You Build Legs With Just Dumbbells?
Yes! While barbells and machines offer higher maximum loading, building muscle with dumbbells is possible as long as you use a sufficient load.
By the end of each set, the last reps should feel challenging, and you should aim to finish feeling like you could only do 1–2 more reps with good form. If you finish a set and feel like you could have kept going for 5+ reps, the weight is probably too light to trigger growth.
If you’re limited on dumbbell weights (e.g., doing a home leg workout with dumbbells), you may need to think of other ways to increase the difficulty other than just increasing the weight. Instead, you could:
Increase the weight
Add more reps or sets
Slow down the tempo
Reduce the rest time
Use advanced variations (e.g., single-leg, tempo, pauses)
To ensure you continue to make progress, you need to progressively overload (consistently increase the intensity of your workouts). If things feel too easy, it’s time to level up!
Are Dumbbell Squats As Effective As Barbell Squats?
Yes, they can be! Dumbbell squats build strength, balance and control, and are particularly good for beginners to teach squat mechanics with less risk than a barbell. You can do dumbbell squats from anywhere— no rack, no spotter needed — making them ideal for home workouts or limited gym access.
That being said, if maximal strength or hypertrophy are your goals, barbell squats allow for heavier loads to be lifted, and greater progressive overload (as you aren’t limited by grip or weight capacity as you are using dumbbells).
If you’re an experienced lifter, it’s best to train with both dumbbells and barbells to benefit from both.
How heavy Should Dumbbells Be For A Leg Workout?
You should finish most sets with 1–2 reps in reserve and maintain good form throughout, meaning the weight is challenging but you aren’t pushing to failure. The fewer reps you’re doing, the heavier the dumbbell weight you should choose (which will vary depending on your goal).
The weight of the dumbbells will also vary depending on if you are doing bilateral moves (e.g. goblet ****squats, RDLs), where you can use heavier dumbbells, as both legs are working together, or unilateral moves (e.g., split squats, step-ups) where you should choose slightly lighter dumbbells, since they use one leg to challenge balance and control.
References:
Cissik, J.M. (2000). Coaching the Front Squat : Strength & Conditioning Journal. LWW. [online] 7 Oct.
Diamant, W., Geisler, S., Havers, T. and Knicker, A. (2021). Comparison of EMG Activity between Single-Leg Deadlift and Conventional Bilateral Deadlift in Trained Amateur Athletes - An Empirical Analysis.
González-García, J., Morencos, E., Balsalobre-Fernández, C., Cuéllar-Rayo, Á. and Romero-Moraleda, B. (2019). Effects of 7-Week Hip Thrust Versus Back Squat Resistance Training on Performance in Adolescent Female Soccer Players.
Zhang, X., Weakley, J., Li, H., Li, Z. and García-Ramos, A. (2025). Superset Versus Traditional Resistance Training Prescriptions: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Exploring Acute and Chronic Effects on Mechanical, Metabolic, and Perceptual Variables.
Schoenfeld, B.J., Ogborn, D. and Krieger, J.W. (2016). Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Schoenfeld, B.J., Grgic, J. and Krieger, J. (2018). How many times per week should a muscle be trained to maximize muscle hypertrophy? A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies examining the effects of resistance training frequency.
Plotkin, D., Coleman, M., Van Every, D., Maldonado, J., Oberlin, D., Israetel, M., Feather, J., Alto, A., Vigotsky, A.D. and Schoenfeld, B.J. (2022). Progressive overload without progressing load? The effects of load or repetition progression on muscular adaptations.
