Legs, glutes, quads and hamstrings — hit them ALL in this 30-Minute Leg Workout At Home! This instructional workout video guides you through 14 of the best leg exercises you can do at home with a set of dumbbells. A complete lower body burnout.
This 30-Minute Leg Workout supersets lower body strength exercises to build strong legs at home!
It’s no secret we love leg day around here. Our at-home leg workouts are some of the top workout routines on our site.
You donโt need a fancy squat rack, bench or gym equipment to see lower body strength gains.ย Leg workouts at homeย can be just as effective. This 30-minute leg workout targets the glutes, quads, hamstrings and thighs with only a set of dumbbells!
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Leg Workout At Home FAQs
What Are The Best Leg Day Exercises I Can Do At Home?
When it comes to leg day, I like to start with the basics โ squats, lunges, deadlifts, sumo squats and glute bridges. These lower body exercises are classics for a reason โ they each hit the quads, glutes and hamstrings in a slightly different way, so you get a well-rounded workout by combining them.
Can I Build Lower Body Strength With Just A Set Of Dumbbells?
YES! As a busy mom, I’m all about home workouts. Lower body strength training with dumbbells is an effective way to train the leg muscles.
How Often Should I Do Leg Workouts?
In general, beginners should train legs one to two times a week. As you progress, you can advance to training legs up to three times a week. A well-roundedย workout planย will also includeย upper body workoutsย andย full body workouts.
30-Minute Leg Workout At Home
Build lower body strength with this 30-Minute Dumbbell Leg Workout At Home.
We’ll work both legs together and incorporate some single-leg exercises, as well as power burnout moves to raise your heart rate.
Add this leg workout to yourย home workout planย 1-2 times per week to build and maintain strength in the lower body.
Workout Equipment:
Medium-to-heavy set of dumbbells. I suggest anywhere from 10-25 lbs. I’m using 15 lb dumbbells in this workout video. Note, you have the option to drop weights at any time and perform these leg exercises with just your bodyweight.
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing straight ahead or slightly angled out away from the body.
“Front Rack” your dumbbells at shoulder height by placing the back head of each dumbbell on your shoulders. Elbows are up and pointing straight ahead (think elbows in line with shoulders).
With your weight in your heels, sit your hips back. Lowering your hips down until they are parallel with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle.
Then drive through your heels to return to the starting position, squeezing your glutes to stand tall.
Modification: Perform a back squat by placing one dumbbell horizontally across your neck (one head of the dumbbell resting on each shoulder). Or hold both dumbbells at your sides. Alternatively, you can drop the dumbbells and perform bodyweight squats.
Staggered Deadlift
Targets: Hamstrings, glutes, hips, lats and traps. The staggered stance places and extra emphasis on the hamstrings, glutes and hips of the front leg.
How To Do A Staggered Deadlift With Dumbbells
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Hold one dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your body.
Stagger your feet so your right leg is approximately one foot-length in front of your left foot. Kickstand your back left foot, left heel floating off the ground.
Keep 80% of your weight in your front right foot, 20% in your back left toe.
With legs straight, hinge at your hips to lower your torso as you slide the dumbbells down your legs. Think about pushing your hips towards the wall behind you.
Hinge until you feel a stretch in the back of your front right leg (range of motion will be different for everyone). Then drive through your front right heel to stand up straight; returning to the starting position.
Reverse Lunge
Targets: Quads, glutes, hamstrings and hips.
How To Do A Reverse Lunge With Dumbbells
Stand with feet hip-width apart. Hold one dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
Step your right leg back into a reverse lunge, dropping your right knee down towards the ground as you lower your hips until both knees reach a 90-degree angle, front thigh parallel to the floor.
Then squeeze your left leg glute, driving your back, right leg forward as you stand up.
Repeat, stepping back with your left leg, then driving through your right glute to stand up.
Low Lunge And Rear Leg Lift
Targets: Legs, glutes, quads and hamstrings.
How To Do A Low Lunge And Rear Leg Lift
Start in a low lunge position, right leg forward, left leg back; both knees bent at 90-degree angles. Option to rest your hands on the heads of your dumbbells for balance support.
Engage your front right glute as you stand up, balancing on your right leg. While simultaneously, squeezing your butt to lift your back left leg into the air (performing a rear leg lift).
With control, return your left leg to the ground and lower back down to a low lunge position.
Dumbbell Front Squat And Side Leg Lift
Targets: Glutes, quads and core. The side leg lift places an extra emphasis on the hips and abductors (outer glute/hip muscles).
How To Do A Dumbbell Front Squat And Side Leg Lift
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing straight ahead or slightly angled out away from the body. Option to place a resistance band about 6 inches above your ankles (around the calf/shin area).
“Front Rack” your dumbbells at shoulder height. Place the back head of each dumbbell on your shoulders; elbows up and pointing straight ahead (think elbows in line with shoulders).
With your weight in your heels, sit your hips back. Lowering your hips down until they are parallel with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle.
Then drive through your heels to stand, squeezing your glutes to stand tall.
With your core engaged, transfer your weight into your left leg as you lift your right leg out to the side.
Lower your right leg back to the ground with control to return to the starting position.
Lateral Resistance Band Walk And Squat
Targets: Legs, glutes, quads, hips, abductors and core.
How To Do A Lateral Resistance Band Walk And Squat
Place an optional resistance band around your calf/shin area (6 inches above your ankle joint).
Stand with your feet slightly wider than your hips to create tension across the band (activating your glutes). Hold one dumbbell at your chest.
Bend your knees to lower down into a squat position. Dropping your hips down, weight in heels, chest up.
Hold this loaded squat position as you take two wide lateral steps to your right; stretching the band as far as you can with each step.
After two steps to the right, drive through your heels to stand tall.
Lower back into a loaded squat position, and take two wide lateral steps to your left. Repeat this pattern.
Sumo Squat And Sumo Deadlift
Targets: Quads, glutes, hamstrings, hips and inner thighs (or adductors).
How To Do A Sumo Squat And Sumo Deadlift With Dumbbells
Stand with feet wider than hips, heels in and toes pointed out (sumo squat stance). Hold one dumbbell in each hand between your legs.
Bend your knees to lower down into a sumo squat, pushing your knees out towards your pinky toes as you drop your hips parallel to your knees.
Pause and hold at the bottom of your sumo squat, then push your hips up and rotate your toes to be parallel (facing forward).
Squeeze your glutes and inner thighs as you pull the dumbbells up your thighs (like you’re doing a deadlift) to stand tall.
At the top of your deadlift, slightly rotate the toes out to find the top of your sumo squat stance.
Sumo Squat And Lunge
Targets: Quads, glutes, hips and adductors (inner thigh muscles).
How To Do A Sumo Squat And Lunge
Stand with feet wider than hips, heels in and toes pointed out (sumo squat stance). Hold one dumbbell at your chest.
Bend your knees to lower down into a sumo squat, pushing knees out towards your pinky toes. Think about trying to stay as low as possible through this entire movement.
Rotate your hips to the right as you drop your back left knee into a lunge position, both knees bent at 90-degrees and your front right leg parallel to the ground. Toes pivot to follow hips.
Push through your front right foot to stand and pivot your hips back to center; returning to a low sumo squat position.
Then rotate your hips to the left and repeat this lunge to sumo squat pattern.
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22 comments
Love your workout videos – so inspiring & great plans! I did this workout for the first time today and it was fire, for sure. One question – for some reason the staggered deadlifts caused some side/lower back side strain feeling while doing the move. I looked in the mirror to make sure my back was flat, etc, but is there something else I am doing wrong? Or is that part of the move? I don’t have that issue when I’ve done deadlifts in a non-staggered stance.
Amy! So glad you’re loving the workouts. The staggered deadlift is an exercise that is meant to target and strengthen the lower back, hamstrings, hips and glutes — so it does target the lower back. But if you’re feeling pain it can likely be 1) the weights are too far away from your body putting too much pressure on your low back 2) core isn’t engaged so you need to drop weights and strengthen the core. I hope those to options provide some clarity. Keep up the great work! -Lindsey
I have done a few of your leg workouts and have loved them all. However, my legs have felt the most sore after this one, especially my hamstrings. Just goes to show how good it is to change it up. Thanks, Lindsay! YOU ARE THE BEST!
Way to go Theresa!!! Yes, always good to mix it up — this one really does hit the back of the legs! Keep up the great work! -Lindsey
Love your workouts! You have so much energy which inspires me to keep going, even at my own pace. Was looking for information on NOW products but will look on their website. Thank you for all your recommendations on products.
Way to go Kelly! So glad you are enjoying the workouts! Let me know if you have questions on specific NOW products — you can find and updated list of the current NOW products I’m using in this post — https://www.nourishmovelove.com/30-minute-pull-workout/! Keep up the great work! -Lindsey
Hi! LOVED this workout! Could really feel the burn! I am a new follower and have gotten my friends on board (some pregnant and some postpartum like me) and we are LOVING everything! Thank you so much for what you do! Also, I am looking for the Now protein where you talk about your pre and post workout regimen and I cannot find it, it is probably right in front of my face haha! Thanks!
Way to go Mojisola! So glad you enjoyed this workout and I hope you come back for more! -Lindsey
I LOVE your workouts! Thank you for inspiring many of us and I use some of your moves in creating my own HIIT workouts I instruct for others…Your hard work and positive efforts are reaching many people. I learn great things from YOU!!
Angie! I’m so glad you’re loving the workouts! Always fun to borrow moves from other instructors! Keep up the great work! -Lindsey
Another awesome workout! Thank you! Excited to give the Now protein a try too!
Bethany! Nice work getting this workout done and starting the week strong! Yes, I hope you LOVE the NOW protein and come back and do this workout again! -Lindsey
Awesome, tough workout!! Thank you!
Thanks MaryEllen! So glad you enjoyed the workout, and thanks for giving it a try! I hope you come back and do it again soon. Have a great day! Lindsey
Can’t wait to try this workout and feel the burn! I can’t always watch a video. Do you have still pictures of each of the moves? Thanks!
Hi Laura! Yes, do it! It’s a legs on fire, good burn! I do have the full workout outlined in this post, but I do not have a photo of each image as there is a full length video that accompanies it. I’m sorry. But if you can give the video a try one time, then you should be all set so you can see each move. That said, if you prefer the workouts without the full video and images of each move, there are plenty of those on the blog too. Currently the most popular is these 6 Booty Burning Exercises — https://www.nourishmovelove.com/6-best-booty-building-exercises-women/. Thanks again for checking out this post! Have a great day. Lindsey
Hi. Great workout. Leg workouts are my fav. I have a shoulder injury which I have to rest. I did these moves without weights…I used bands instead.
I also like NOW products. I just wish they would have a lower sodium content line of protein products and unsweetened. One can always add their own flavoring and sweetener.
Your blog is one of my favorites. Thank you.
Hi Chloe! Thank you for giving the workout a try, so glad you liked it! I’m with you, leg workouts are my favorite too! And nice work getting it done with bands despite your shoulder injury. Thank you for the feedback on the NOW products, I’ll be sure to share this with the NOW team! I appreciate your kind words about my blog, thank you so much for following along! Have a great day. -Lindsey
Love your workout videos – so inspiring & great plans! I did this workout for the first time today and it was fire, for sure. One question – for some reason the staggered deadlifts caused some side/lower back side strain feeling while doing the move. I looked in the mirror to make sure my back was flat, etc, but is there something else I am doing wrong? Or is that part of the move? I don’t have that issue when I’ve done deadlifts in a non-staggered stance.
Amy! So glad you’re loving the workouts. The staggered deadlift is an exercise that is meant to target and strengthen the lower back, hamstrings, hips and glutes — so it does target the lower back. But if you’re feeling pain it can likely be 1) the weights are too far away from your body putting too much pressure on your low back 2) core isn’t engaged so you need to drop weights and strengthen the core. I hope those to options provide some clarity. Keep up the great work! -Lindsey
I have done a few of your leg workouts and have loved them all. However, my legs have felt the most sore after this one, especially my hamstrings. Just goes to show how good it is to change it up. Thanks, Lindsay! YOU ARE THE BEST!
Way to go Theresa!!! Yes, always good to mix it up — this one really does hit the back of the legs! Keep up the great work! -Lindsey
Love your workouts! You have so much energy which inspires me to keep going, even at my own pace. Was looking for information on NOW products but will look on their website. Thank you for all your recommendations on products.
Way to go Kelly! So glad you are enjoying the workouts! Let me know if you have questions on specific NOW products — you can find and updated list of the current NOW products I’m using in this post — https://www.nourishmovelove.com/30-minute-pull-workout/! Keep up the great work! -Lindsey
Hi! LOVED this workout! Could really feel the burn! I am a new follower and have gotten my friends on board (some pregnant and some postpartum like me) and we are LOVING everything! Thank you so much for what you do! Also, I am looking for the Now protein where you talk about your pre and post workout regimen and I cannot find it, it is probably right in front of my face haha! Thanks!
Way to go Kaitie! So glad you loved this leg workout, and thank you SO MUCH for sharing with your friends! You’re right we’ve since updated this content but you can find all the details on the NOW products I use in this more recent post — https://www.nourishmovelove.com/30-minute-pull-workout/. I use this Organic Pea Protein Powder — https://www.nowfoods.com/sports-nutrition/pea-protein-organic-creamy-vanilla-powder! I hope that helps! Keep up the great work! -Lindsey
Thanks for this
Way to go Mojisola! So glad you enjoyed this workout and I hope you come back for more! -Lindsey
I LOVE your workouts! Thank you for inspiring many of us and I use some of your moves in creating my own HIIT workouts I instruct for others…Your hard work and positive efforts are reaching many people. I learn great things from YOU!!
Angie! I’m so glad you’re loving the workouts! Always fun to borrow moves from other instructors! Keep up the great work! -Lindsey
Another awesome workout! Thank you! Excited to give the Now protein a try too!
Bethany! Nice work getting this workout done and starting the week strong! Yes, I hope you LOVE the NOW protein and come back and do this workout again! -Lindsey
Awesome, tough workout!! Thank you!
Thanks MaryEllen! So glad you enjoyed the workout, and thanks for giving it a try! I hope you come back and do it again soon. Have a great day! Lindsey
Can’t wait to try this workout and feel the burn! I can’t always watch a video. Do you have still pictures of each of the moves? Thanks!
Hi Laura! Yes, do it! It’s a legs on fire, good burn! I do have the full workout outlined in this post, but I do not have a photo of each image as there is a full length video that accompanies it. I’m sorry. But if you can give the video a try one time, then you should be all set so you can see each move. That said, if you prefer the workouts without the full video and images of each move, there are plenty of those on the blog too. Currently the most popular is these 6 Booty Burning Exercises — https://www.nourishmovelove.com/6-best-booty-building-exercises-women/. Thanks again for checking out this post! Have a great day. Lindsey
Hi. Great workout. Leg workouts are my fav. I have a shoulder injury which I have to rest. I did these moves without weights…I used bands instead.
I also like NOW products. I just wish they would have a lower sodium content line of protein products and unsweetened. One can always add their own flavoring and sweetener.
Your blog is one of my favorites. Thank you.
Hi Chloe! Thank you for giving the workout a try, so glad you liked it! I’m with you, leg workouts are my favorite too! And nice work getting it done with bands despite your shoulder injury. Thank you for the feedback on the NOW products, I’ll be sure to share this with the NOW team! I appreciate your kind words about my blog, thank you so much for following along! Have a great day. -Lindsey