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Lower Body Workouts

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

By: Lindsey Bomgren, CPT | February 27, 2024

Build strong legs at home with this 30-Minute Lower Body Workout! From squats and lunges to deadlifts and calf raises, this workout combines 22 leg exercises to hit every muscle in your lower body. This lower body workout is no repeats and no jumping, making it great for any fitness level.



 
Jump To Workout

Quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves and core: we’ll hit it all in this no repeats lower body workout.

Most of my workouts focus on high repetition of a few basic exercises, like this workout: 7 Leg Exercises At Home. While repetition is one of the best ways to build strength at home, it’s good to mix up your routine.

No repeats workouts are a great way to keep your mind and body engaged! I personally love a no repeats workout at the end of the week (when I’m typically feeling less motivated).

This 30-minute lower body workout includes 22 of the most effective variations of squats, lunges and deadlifts to target the glutes, quads, hamstrings and thighs at home.

woman performing a split lunge with a calf raise as part of the best lower body exercises

30-Minute Lower Body Workout

Build lower body strength and muscle definition with this 30-minute lower body workout.

A complete leg day workout targeting every muscle group in the lower body: the quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, and thighs.

Add this no repeats, no jumping lower body workout to your home workout plan 1-2 times per week to build and maintain strength in the lower body.

Workout Equipment:

Medium-to-heavy pair of dumbbells. Optional mini loop resistance band and bench/chair. 

I recommend 8-25 lbs. I’m using 15-20 lb dumbbells in this workout video.

Workout Instructions:

Follow along with the guided Lower Body Workout on YouTube, led by certified personal trainer, Lindsey Bomgren. 

Your Workout Looks Like This:

  • 22 Lower Body Exercises
  • Timed Intervals (40 seconds of work per exercise, followed by 20 seconds of rest)
  • No Repeats (you only do each leg exercise once, so make the most of your time, aiming for as many reps as possible in 40 seconds)
woman performing a squat with a dumbbell and resistance band in a leg workout

Prefer to Watch On YouTube?

youtube icon Lower Body Workout

Workout Outline

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

6 Best Lower Body Exercises

Double Leg Deadlift Or Romanian Deadlift 

Targets: The posterior chain or backside of the body. Specifically targeting the hamstrings, glutes, hips, calves, lower back and core.

woman performing a romanian deadlift with dumbbells in a lower body workout

How To Do A Romanian Deadlift With Dumbbells

  1. Start standing feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your thighs (overhand grip, palms face your body). Option to hold one heavy dumbbell horizontally with the heads of the dumbbell in each hand.
  2. Hinge forward at the hips, pushing your hips back as you lower the dumbbells down along the front of your body. You should feel a stretch in the back of your legs (hamstrings). Focus on keeping your back in neutral alignment with your neck and shoulders throughout the entire movement (straight line from head to tailbone). Keep a slight bend in your knees to avoid ‘locking out’ the joint.
  3. Then, drive through your heels, squeezing your glutes as you drive your hips forward to return to standing.

Single Leg Deadlift And Dumbbell Pass

Targets: The posterior chain (backside of body) — glutes, hamstrings, lower back and core muscles. This single leg stability exercise will also challenge your balance.

woman performing a single leg deadlift with a dumbbell in a lower body workout

How To Do A Single Leg Deadlift And Dumbbell Pass

  1. Start standing with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent. Transfer your weight into your right foot and kickstand or float your left foot off the ground. Balancing on your right leg.
  2. Hold one dumbbell in your left hand (opposite hand as balancing leg), palm facing your body.
  3. With your right knee bent, hinge at your hips (hip flexors), extending your left leg long behind you as you lower the dumbbell down towards the ground; balancing on your right leg. Keep your hips square to the mat.
  4. You should feel a good stretch in your right hamstring (back of your right leg) at the bottom of this movement. Range of motion looks different for everyone. Hold for a moment as you pass the dumbbell to your right hand, then to the left hand again (challenging your balance and stability).
  5. Then drive through your front right heel, squeezing your glutes and hamstrings to push your hips forward and return to the starting position. Bringing your floating back left leg up to meet your right leg again.

Modification: Option to place your free hand on a wall, countertop or chair for balance support and omit the dumbbell pass. Or kickstand your left foot on the ground performing a staggered deadlift.

Uneven Squat Thruster

Targets: The hips, glutes and core while also raising your heart rate in a low impact way.

woman performing an uneven squat thruster in a leg workout at home

How To Do An Uneven 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 as you press the dumbbell overhead.

Lateral Squat

Targets: Glutes (gluteus medius), quads, hip adductors (inner thighs), hamstrings and core.

woman performing lateral squats in a dumbbell leg workout

How To Do A Lateral Squat With Dumbbells

  1. Start standing, feet wider than shoulder-width (lateral squat stance), with toes facing forward or slightly turned out. Hold one dumbbell vertically at your chest in a goblet hold.
  2. Sit 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 off your right foot to reverse the movement, pushing back to center.
  4. Immediately push to the left side, bending your left knee while leaving your right leg straight. This time, think of performing a single leg squat with your left leg while your right leg remains straight.

Bulgarian Split Squat Or Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat

Targets: Legs, glutes, quads, hamstrings, hips and core.

This single leg exercise will challenge your balance and has been named one of the best exercises to build glute strength.

woman performign bulgarian split squats or rear foot elevated split squats in a lower body workout

How To Do A Bulgarian Split Squat Or Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat

  1. Set up from the ground UP. Kneel in front of your bench or chair, then place your left foot behind you on a chair or bench, shoelaces down. You can place a towel under your foot to provide additional support if shoelaces down feels uncomfortable.
  2. Step your right foot forward (it will vary for everyone, but a little over a foot in front of your bench). Your front thigh will be parallel to the ground. This is the bottom of your movement. Option to hold a dumbbell horizontally at your chest.
  3. Drive through your front right heel, squeezing your right glute to return to standing. Feel your front glute engage to power the movement.
  4. With control, bend your knee to lower down back to the starting position (back left knee should lower down close to the ground), to make your front thigh parallel with the ground. Shoulders remain stacked over hips throughout the movement.
  5. Start performing this as a bodyweight exercise and if you feel comfortable, add weights.

Modification: Perform a standard reverse lunge or split squat, keeping your back foot on the ground rather than elevating it on a chair.

Wall Sit And Band Open 

Targets: The outer glutes or adductors and the core.

If you want a lower body burnout, finish your leg workout with a wall sit! Adding a mini loop resistance band to the wall sit is a great way to increase core and glute engagement.

woman performing a wall sit with resistance band as part of a lower body burnout

How To Do A Wall Sit With Resistance Band

  1. Place a resistance band six inches above your knees. Place your back flat against a wall.
  2. Plant your feet firmly on the ground. Feet shoulder-width distance 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.

Lower Body Workout FAQs

What Are The Best Lower Body Dumbbell Exercises?

Squats, lunges and deadlifts are some of the most effective lower body exercises you can do (Mayo Clinic). These compound leg exercises focus on building the glutes (butt), hamstrings (back of the legs), quads (top of the thighs), hips (hip flexors), adductors (inner thighs) and abductors (outer glutes).

What Leg Workout Engages The Entire Lower Body?

The best leg workout is one that includes strength training exercises in multiple planes of motion. This style of training is an example of functional strength training, or a workout that allows you to move better in your daily life. In a leg workout, I prefer to include both hip-dominant exercises (deadlifts, RDLs, swings) as well as knee-dominant exercises (squats and lunges).

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12 comments

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