Lower Body Workouts

30-Minute Lower Body Workout (No Jumping + No Repeats)

No repeats and no jumping in this 30-Minute Lower Body Workout with dumbbells! Build strength and burn out your legs with these 22 lower body exercises — from squats and deadlifts to lunges and calf raises.

Add this NO JUMPING, lower body workout with dumbbells to your strength training workout routine this week!

Most of our strength training workouts include repetition of 6-8 exercises. While I do believe repetition is one of the best ways to build strength at home, I also love to mix up my workout routines.

Enter this NO REPEATS, 30-minute lower body workout. If you’ve tried my No Repeats and No Jumping Full Body Workout you know it moves fast; keeping your mind and body busy the entire time.

Today’s 30-Minute Lower Body Workout is similar — 22 different lower body exercises with weights (no jumping). 

4 BEST Leg Exercises to Include in Your Lower Body Workout Routine:

1. Squats
2. Deadlifts
3. Lunges
4. Glute Bridges or Hip Thrusts

You’ll find all four of these dumbbell leg exercises (and several variations of squats, lunges and deadlifts) in this 30-minute lower body workout.

Is a 30-Minute Lower Body Workout Enough?

Yes! This lower body strength workout hits ALL the muscles in the legs in just 30 minutes; including:

• Glutes (butt)
• Quads (front of thighs)
• Hamstrings (back of thighs)
• Hips
• Abductors (outer glutes) and Adductors (inner thighs)
• Calves

Bilateral vs. Unilateral Strength Training in the Lower Body

Several of the lower body exercises included in today’s workout are “unilateral exercises” — performing an exercise on one-side of the body. In today’s workout that means single leg exercises like: 

• Single Leg Deadlift
• Uneven Squat
• Single Leg Squat
• Rear Foot Elevated Lunge
• Split Lunge

Everyone has one side of the body that’s more dominant than the other. Unilateral exercises are meant to expose our weak side so we can strengthen these areas.

Unilateral exercises build strength, balance and stability so we can better perform “bilateral exercises” — or movements that use both legs.

See examples of unilateral vs bilateral training explained below (ex. double leg deadlift vs single leg deadlift). 

30-Minute Lower Body Workout | No Jumping, No Repeats

This lower body burnout is full of variety — 22 different leg exercises, targeting the glutes, quads, hips, hamstrings and calves. 

Make this no jumping, low impact lower body strength workout your next leg day workout. It’s great for ALL fitness levels!

Equipment:

Medium-to-heavy pair of dumbbells (8-30 lbs), or one heavy dumbbell. And optional mini loop resistance band and bench/chair. 

I’m using a 15 lb dumbbell and 20 lb dummbell in the video, as well as a light resistance band.

Instructions:

Follow along with the guided Lower Body Strength Workout video at the top of this post. I’ll provide form cues for all 22 lower body exercises.

The format looks like this:

• 22 lower body exercises with weights
• 40 seconds of strength training, followed by 20 seconds of rest.
• No repeats (you only do each leg exercise once, so make the most of your time).

Alternatively, work through the lower body exercises below at your own pace. If you need a demo of any of the exercises, skim through the video linked at the top of this post!

I’ve included GIFs below of the 6 foundational lower body exercises in this lower body workout.

22 Lower Body Dumbbell Exercises: 

1. Double Leg Deadlift + Calf Raise
2. Staggered Deadlift, Right Leg
3. Single Leg Deadlift + Dumbbell Pass, Right Leg
4. Dumbbell Swing
5. Staggered Deadlift, Left Leg
6. Single Leg Deadlift + Dumbbell Pass, Left Leg
7. Uneven Squat Thruster, Right Leg
8. Wall Sit + Calf Raise
9. Uneven Squat Thruster, Left Leg
10. Reverse Lunge + Calf Raise, Right Leg
11. Uneven Dumbbell Pick Up Sumo Squats
12. Reverse Lunge + Calf Raise, Left Leg
13. Lateral Squats
14. Rear Foot Elevated Lunge, Right Leg
15. Chair Single Leg Chair Squat (Pistol Squat), Right Leg
16. Rear Foot Elevated Lunge, Left Leg
17. Chair Single Leg Chair Squat (Pistol Squat), Left Leg
18. Banded 80/20 Change Stance Squat, Right Leg (optional resistance band on ankles)
19. Banded Lateral Squat Walk (optional resistance band on ankles)
20. Banded 80/20 Change Stance Squat, Left Leg (optional resistance band on ankles)
21. Wall Sit + Band Open for Abductors (optional resistance band on thighs)
22. Superman Extension + Lower Body Band Opens (optional resistance band on ankles)

Double Leg Deadlift vs. Single Leg Deadlift

Note: both the deadlift variations shown below are Romanian Deadlifts, or “RDL”.

That simply means that the motion starts from the top (standing straight) and moves through an ‘eccentric’ range of motion (downward motion). Whereas a traditional deadlift starts with the weight (normally a barbell) on the ground, which you pull up in an ‘concentric’ range of motion. Subtle differences, but good terminology to know.

1. Double Leg Deadlift or Romanian Deadlift 

Targets the entire posterior chain (or backside of the body). From hamstrings and glutes to erector spinae, trapezius and posterior deltoid.

How to do a Romanian Deadlift with Dumbbells: 

1. Start standing with feet spaced hip-width apart, holding one dumbbell in each hand with your grip just outside your legs (overhand grip). Or holding one heavy dumbbell horizontally with the heads of the dumbbell in each hand.
2. Stand tall with a flat back and neutral spine. Your shoulders should be back and down.
3. With knees bent, hinge at your hips (hip flexors). Think of pressing your hips back towards the wall behind you, as you lower the dumbbells down the front of your legs. The dumbbells should remain in contact with your legs for the entire range of motion.
4. Once you’ve reaching the bottom (range of motion looks different for everyone). Drive through your heels, squeezing your glutes and hamstrings to push your hips forward and return to the starting position.

2. Single Leg Deadlift

Also targets the posterior chain or backside of the body (like the double leg deadlift). However, the single leg deadlift focuses on one leg at a time to even out muscular imbalances we all have on different sides of our bodies.

This is an advanced lower body exercise that requires a lot of core strength, balance and stability. 

How to do a Single Leg Deadlift with Dumbbells: 

1. Start standing with feet spaced hip-width apart, right leg forward, left toe popped slightly behind the right leg. Most of your weight should be in your standing right leg.
2. Stand tall with a flat back and neutral spine. Your shoulders should be back and down.
3. With your right knee bent, hinge at your hips (hip flexors), extending the left leg long behind you as you balance on your right leg. Option to keep your left toe as a kickstand on the ground for balance support. Keep your hips even, square to the mat, as you press them back towards the wall behind you.
4. Once you’ve reaching the bottom (range of motion looks different for everyone). Drive through your right heel, squeezing your glutes and hamstrings to push your hips forward and return to the starting position.

Squats + Lunges: Squat Thruster, Lateral Squat + Split Squats or Rear Foot Elevated Lunges

Squats and lunges are key leg exercises for building a strong lower body. There are a couple different variations of squats and lunges included in this lower body workout, and each exercise targets a different lower body muscle group:

• Squat Thruster: Hips and Glutes
• Lateral Squats: Outer Glutes and Inner Thighs
• Split Squats or Rear Foot Elevated Lunges: Quads and Glutes

1. Uneven Squat Thruster

This is an uneven squat thruster because the weight is loaded on one side of the body to create greater core engagement.

This is a powerful lower body exercise that targets the hips and glutes while also raising your heart rate in a low impact way.

How to do a Squat Thruster with Dumbbells: 

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, toes pointing straight ahead or slightly angled out away from the body.
2. Holding one dumbbell in your right hand, front rack the dumbbell in line with your right shoulder. Exhale to engage your core.
3. With your weight in your heels, sit your hips back. Lowering your hips down until they are parallel with your knees.
4. Then drive through your heels, standing tall and pressing the dumbbell overhead.

2. Lateral Squat

This mainly works your gluteus medius, or outer glute that controls hip movement and side-to-side movements. Also involved are the quads and inner thighs (or adductors).

It’s like performing a goblet squat, laterally.

How to do a Lateral Squat with Dumbbells: 

1. Start with your feet wider than your hips, think a wide squat stance squat. With your knees and toes pointing forward (or toes just slightly turned out away from your body). Add weight by holding one dumbbell at your chest like you would during a goblet squat.
2. Shift your weight into your right heel as you push your hips back, bending your right knee while leaving your left leg straight. Think of performing a single leg squat with your right leg while your left leg remains straight.
3. Then, drive through your right foot to reverse the movement, pushing you back up to center.
4. Repeat this movement on the left leg.

3. Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat or Bulgarian Split Squat

This challenging, single leg lower body exercise is a quad-dominant exercise but also engages the glutes and core.

If elevating the rear foot on a bench or chair is not in your range of motion you can perform a standard split squat, keeping your back foot on the ground.

How to do a Bulgarian Split Squat or Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat: 

1. Stand facing away from a chair or bench. Measure two “feet” (literally, walk your feet in a straight line to measure 2 of your steps) then plant your front right foot on the ground.
2. Place the toes of your left foot on the chair or bench behind you; shoelaces down. Option to hold a dumbbell at your chest.
3. Keeping your chest up and shoulders stacked over hips, lower your back left knee towards the ground until your front thigh is parallel to the ground.
4. Drive through your right heel to return to the starting position.

Banded Leg Exercises for Adductors + Outer Glutes

1. Wall Sit + Band Open 

If you want a lower body burnout finish your leg workout with a wall sit!

Adding a mini loop resistance band (affiliate) to the wall sit is a great way to increase core and glute engagement; specifically targeting the outer glutes or adductors as you open the band. 

How to do a Wall Sit with Resistance Band: 

1. Place your back flat against a wall.
2. Plant your feet firmly on the ground, shoulder width apart. Slide your back down the wall until your legs make a 90 degree angle. Hips parallel with knees. Hold this position with your back firmly connected to the wall.
3. With control, slowly press your legs into the resistance band, opening the resistance band to engage the outer glutes. Slowly bring your knees back to center and repeat this movement of stretching the resistance band open.

For more resistance band exercises that target the legs and glutes, try these 10 Glute Activation Exercises.

If you like the variety of this “No Repeats” workout; try these:

• 30-Minute HIIT (No Repeats)
• 20-Minute Full Body Strength (No Repeats, No Jumping)
• 45-Minute Strength Circuits + Cardio Tabata (Youtube Exclusive)

More of the Best Lower Body Workouts for Women:

• 30-Minute Strength Training Leg Day Workout
• 30-Minute Booty Building Workout
• 30-Minute Leg Workout At Home
• 45-Minute Dumbbell Leg Workout

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