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Lower Body Workouts

30-Minute Lower Body Dumbbell Workout

By: Lindsey Bomgren, CPT | February 10, 2023

Build strong legs at home with this 30-Minute Lower Body Dumbbell Workout! From goblets squats to lunges and deadlifts, these six dumbbell leg exercises hit every muscle in your lower body.

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I love leg day and you guys do, too! So it’s no surprise that our at-home leg workouts are some of the top workout routines on our site.

When it comes to leg day, you don’t need a fancy squat rack, bench or gym equipment to build lower body strength. 

Leg workouts at home can be just as effective. This 30-minute leg workout includes some of my favorite variations of squats, lunges and deadlifts to target your glutes, quads, hamstrings and thighs with just a set of dumbbells!

woman performing a dumbbell goblet squat in a lower body dumbbell workout

Lower Body Dumbbell Workout FAQs

Are Lower Body Dumbbell Workouts Effective?

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. I’d encourage you to go HEAVY. The lower body is made up of large muscle groups (meaning you get major calorie burn for your buck), but you need to challenge them in order to build strength. I’d recommend a set of 8-25 lb dumbbells depending on your fitness level. The goal is to work the lower body muscles to failure. You should struggle to complete the final 2-3 repetitions of each exercise — that’s a sign you’ve chosen appropriate weights.

What Are The Best Lower Body Dumbbell Exercises?

Squats, lunges and deadlifts are some of the most effective lower body exercises you can do at home with dumbbells. Today’s leg day workout includes variations of all of these exercises! These 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).

woman performing a front lunge and dumbbell pass in a leg workout

30-Minute Lower Body Dumbbell Workout

This leg day workout pairs dumbbell strength exercises with weighted plyometrics — hello metabolic training.

We’ll work the largest muscle groups in your body (legs and glutes), building strength while also raising your heart rate for maximum calorie burn. 

This is a complete dumbbell leg workout you can do at home to build strength in the legs, quads, thighs, hamstrings and glutes.

Workout Equipment:

Medium-to-heavy set of dumbbells.

I recommend 8-25 lbs. I’m using 12 lb dumbbells in this workout video, but if I were working out at home I would aim for 15-20 lbs.

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I’m using 12 lb dumbbells in this lower body workout.
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Workout Instructions:

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

The Workout Looks Like This:

  • Repetition-Based (perform 16 repetitions of each leg exercise — 8 repetitions per leg for single leg exercises)
  • Move directly from one lower body exercise to the next 
  • Repeat all six lower body exercises x 3 sets
A Lower Body Dumbbell Workout You Can Do At Home!

Workout Outline

  1. 1.5 Dumbbell Squat
  2. 3-Pulse Dumbbell Lunge and Pass
  3. Goblet Squat Jumps
  4. Straight Leg Deadlifts
  5. Dumbbell Swing and Lateral Hop
  6. Dumbbell Split Lunges

Prefer to Watch On YouTube?

youtube icon Leg Workout

6 Dumbbell Leg Exercises

1.5 Dumbbell Squat

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

The additional half squat (or pulse squat at the bottom) increases time under tension. Thus, your leg muscles have to work longer and harder than they would during a standard squat. Increasing time under tension is a great way to build lower body strength at home with lighter dumbbells.

woman performing a dumbbell squat with a pulse at the bottom in a lower body workout at home

How To Do A 1.5 Dumbbell Squat

  1. Start standing feet shoulder-width distance apart or slightly wider than shoulder-width, holding dumbbells at your sides or front racked on shoulders.
  2. Lower down into a squat position, lowering your hips down parallel to your knees. Driving your knees out toward your pinky toes.
  3. Drive through your heels to stand 3/4 of the way back up, then lower back down to the bottom of your squat.
  4. From here drive through your heels to stand tall and then return to starting position.

3-Pulse Dumbbell Lunge And Pass

Targets: The quads, glutes and hips.

woman performing a 3 pulse lunge and dumbbell pass in a dumbbell lower body workout

How To Do A 3-Pulse Dumbbell Lunge And Pass

  1. Start standing feet shoulder-width distance apart, arms at your sides holding one dumbbell in your left hand.
  2. Step forward with your right foot into a lunge position. Right knee is bent at 90 degrees and the left knee is bent directly underneath your body. Focus on keeping your front knee behind your toes.
  3. Pulse up and down through your front right heel 3 times while passing the dumbbell around your front right leg with each pulse.
  4. Then push off your front right heel to return back to the starting position.

Goblet Squat Jumps

Targets: The power generating muscles in the lower body — glutes, hamstrings, hips, quads and calves.

Goblet squat jumps are a powerful HIIT exercise to build lower body strength, specifically for the glutes, while also raising your heart rate to burn fat.

woman performing goblet squat jumps in a leg workout at home

How To Do A Goblet Squat Jump

  1. Start standing feet shoulder-width distance apart knees slightly bent. Hold one dumbbell vertically at your chest in a goblet-hold.
  2. Lower down into a squat position, lowering your hips down parallel with your knees. Driving knees out toward your pinky toes.
  3. Explode up, pushing off the ground as you drive your hips forward.
  4. Land softly and repeat.

Modification: Make this a low impact exercise by taking out the jump and simply performing a goblet squat. Or replace the jump with a calf raise.

Straight Leg Deadlifts

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

woman performing straight leg deadlifts with dumbbells in a leg day workout

How To Do Straight Leg Deadlifts

  1. Start standing feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. Hold a dumbbell in each hand in front of your legs (overhand grip, palms facing your body).
  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). Range of motion looks different for everyone. 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. Squeeze your glutes as you drive your hips forward to return to the starting position.

Dumbbell Swing And Lateral Hop

Targets: The legs, glutes, hamstrings and hips.

Your arms are simply a vehicle for moving the dumbbell throughout this dumbbell swing exercise. Your legs do the majority of the heavy lifting, generating power to move the dumbbell.

woman performing a dumbbell swing and lateral hop in a lower body workout with dumbbells

How To Do A Dumbbell Swing And Lateral Hop

  1. Hold the dumbbell in one hand between your legs.
  2. Hinge at your hips, pushing your hips back, letting the dumbbell swing between your legs.
  3. Squeeze your glutes as you drive your hips forward to swing the dumbbell up to chest level as you hop laterally. At the peak of the swing, or at chest level, switch the dumbbell to your other hand.

Modification: Make this a low impact exercise by taking out the jump or lateral hop. Perform a standing dumbbell swing, keeping your feet stationary.

Dumbbell Split Lunges Or Split Squats

Targets: The legs, glutes, quadriceps and core.

woman performing split lunges with dumbbells or split squats in a lower body workout with dumbbells

How To Do A Dumbbell Split Lunge Or Split Squat

  1. Start standing with feet hip-distance apart, a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing your body.
  2. Step your right leg forward, lowering your hips until both knees reach a 90-degree angle, front right thigh parallel to the floor. Shoulders remain stacked over hips throughout the entire exercise.
  3. Press into your front right heel to lift and return to standing position.

More Workouts

Leg Day Workouts

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4 comments

  1. I absolutely love all of your workouts! They are always well put together and such a great workout! I’m excited to try this one out. Thanks also for the weekly schedule – I used to do full body workouts all the time and now I’ve moved into straight upper body and lower body (plus 1 full body just because!!) surprisingly I’m liking it a lot for now!

    • Hi Kathleen! I’m so glad you’re loving the workouts! This is a great lower body burn, especially if you’re into split muscle training routines! Thanks so much for checking out the workout, I hope you enjoy it! xo-Lindsey

  2. Love all these moves, and I’m definitely saving this for later (as in, probably tomorrow). Also, your outfit is super adorable and that quarter zip is going on my wish list. Thanks for the workout!

    • Naomi! So glad you love these moves and I can’t wait to hear what you think when you do the workout! And yes, new workout clothes are always the best motivation! Enjoy! xo-Lindsey

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