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Lower Body Workouts

30-Minute Leg Day Workout For Women

By: Lindsey Bomgren, CPT | July 6, 2023

Strength train your way to strong, sculpted legs, thighs and glutes with this full-length, 30-Minute Leg Day Workout. This leg workout for women hits every muscle in the lower body with squats, deadlifts and lunges — the best leg day exercises in a 30-minute leg day workout for women.

Jump to Workout

This workout is all legs and all strength training.

You don’t need a fancy squat rack, barbell or bench to see lower body strength gains. Leg workouts at home can be just as effective.

All you need for this 30-Minute Leg Day Workout for women is a set of dumbbells.

Bonus — using dumbbells or free weights engages your small, stabilizing muscles in ways that gym equipment typically doesn’t. Try performing a single leg deadlift with a dumbbell in each hand. Hello core and balance!

Women performing a sumo squat with a weight at heart center | leg workout

30-Minute Leg Day Workout For Women

This 30-Minute Leg Day Workout For Women is all legs and all strength training.

Leg workouts are great for overall strength training and weight loss because they engage one of your biggest muscle groups, meaning you get major calorie burn.

You’ll use a set of dumbbells to challenge your entire lower body with these compound exercises. This home workout targets your glutes, hamstrings, quads, calves and core.

Add lower body workouts like this one to your exercise routine 1-2 times a week to build muscle mass and increase endurance.

Workout Equipment:

Medium-to-heavy set of dumbbells.

I recommend 8-25 lbs. I’m using 10-12 lb dumbbells in this workout video.

Workout Instructions: 

Follow along with the guided Leg Day Workout For Women on YouTube, led by certified personal trainer, Lindsey Bomgren. 

Your Workout Looks Like This:

  • 4 Circuits (3 exercises per circuit)
  • Repetition Based (perform approximately 10 to 12 reps per exercise)
  • Repeat Each Circuit x2 Sets
woman performing a lunge with dumbbells | leg day

Prefer to Watch On YouTube?

youtube icon 30-Minute Leg Day

Workout Outline

CIRCUIT ONE: Lunges
1. Split Squat or Static Lunge
2. Front Lunge and Reverse Lunge
3. 4-Pulse Reverse Lunge and 4-Pulse 80/20 Squat

CIRCUIT TWO: Squats
1. 1.5 Squats
2. Squat Hold and Pulse
3. Squat and Calf Raise

CIRCUIT THREE: Deadlifts
1. Single Leg Deadlift
2. Dumbbell Tap Back and High Pull
3. Deadlift Squat

CIRCUIT FOUR: Sumo Squats
1. Sumo Squat and Heel Lift
2. Sumo Squat Hold and Heels Walk In
3. Sumo Squat

12 Best Leg Exercises

Split Squat Or Static Lunge

Targets: Legs, quads, glutes and hamstrings.

pregnant woman performing a static lunge

How To Do A Split Squat

  1. Start standing feet hip-width apart holding one dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
  2. Step your right leg back into a lunge position. Imagine your feet are on train tracks – front left foot planted on the mat and back right toes on the mat.
  3. Your feet will stay planted in this position throughout the entire movement.
  4. Lower your back right knee towards the mat until your front thigh is parallel to the mat. Both knees bent at 90 degrees. Shoulders remain stacked over hips.
  5. Then drive up through your front heel to stand tall, returning to the top of the movement.

Front Lunge And Reverse Lunge

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

pregnant woman performing a front lunge into a reverse lunge

How To Do A Front Lunge And Reverse Lunge

  1. Start standing feet hip-distance apart, slight bend in your knees and core engaged. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing your body.
  2. Step your right foot forward in a front lunge, aiming to bend both knees at a 90-degree angle, making your front (right) thigh parallel to the floor.
  3. Press through your front heel to return to standing.
  4. Then, perform a reverse lunge on the right leg by stepping the right foot behind you, lowering until you find a 90-degree angle in both knees, this time left thigh is parallel to the floor.
  5. Press through the front left heel to return to standing a repeat this sequence.

4-Pulse Reverse Lunge And 4-Pulse 80/20 Squat

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

pregnant woman performing a 4-pulse reverse lunge to 4-pulse 80/20 squat

How To Do A 4-Pulse Reverse Lunge And 4-Pulse 80/20 Squat

  1. Start standing feet hip-distance apart, slight bend in your knees and core engaged.
  2. Step your right foot back into a reverse lunge, lowering until you find a 90-degree angle in both knees. Front left thigh is parallel to the floor.
  3. Stay loaded in this reverse lunge as you pulse for a four-count, rising up an inch and lowering back down an inch.
  4. Then, drive through the front left heel to pull the right leg up to meet the left. Find a staggered-stance — 80% of your weight in your front left foot, 20% of your weight in your back right toe.
  5. Stay loaded in this staggered squat stance as you pulse for a four-count, rising up an inch and lowering back down an inch.

1.5 Squat

Targets: Glutes, quads, hamstrings, and core.

pregnant woman performing a 1.5 squat

How To Do A 1.5 Squat

  1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, toes pointing straight ahead or slightly angled out away from the body. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing your body. Option to front rack the dumbbells at your shoulders to perform a front squat.
  2. With your weight in your heels, sit your hips back, lowering your hips down until they are parallel with your knees and bent at a 90-degree angle.
  3. Then, drive through your heels to raise halfway up. Hold for a second before lowering back down into the bottom of the squat.
  4. Then, drive through your heels to return to the starting position, squeezing your glutes to stand tall.

Squat Hold And Pulse

Targets: Glutes, quads, hamstrings, and core.

pregnant woman performing a squat hold and pulse

How To Do A Squat Hold And Pulse

  1. Start standing feet shoulder-width distance apart, knees slightly bent, core engaged. Hold one dumbbell at your chest.
  2. Lower down into a squat position, lowering your hips down parallel with your knees. Drive your knees out toward your outer three toes.
  3. Stay loaded in this squat stance as you pulse, rising up an inch and lowering back down repeatedly.

Squat And Calf Raise

Targets: Legs, glutes, quadriceps (thighs), hamstrings, calves and core.

pregnant woman performing a squat and calf raise

How To Do A Squat And Calf Raise

  1. Start standing feet shoulder-width distance apart, knees slightly bent, core engaged. Hold one dumbbell at your chest in a goblet hold.
  2. Lower down into a squat position, lowering your hips down parallel with your knees. Drive your knees out toward your outer three toes.
  3. Then, drive through your heels to stand tall, squeezing your glutes.
  4. As you stand, perform a calf raise by lifting your heels off the ground.

Single Leg Deadlift

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

pregnant woman performing a single leg deadlift

How To Do A Single Leg Deadlift

  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.
  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. Or kickstand your left foot on the ground performing a staggered deadlift.

Dumbbell Tap Back And High Pull

Targets: Shoulders, upper back, hips, glutes, hamstrings and core.

pregnant woman performing a dumbbell tap back and high pull

How To Do A Dumbbell Tap Back And High Pull

  1. Start in a staggered-stance — 80% of your weight in your front right foot, 20% of your weight in your back left toe. Hold a dumbbell in your left hand near your left hip.
  2. Hinge forward at the hips, pushing your hips and butt back as you perform a deadlift — neck in line with your spine, flat back, and belly button pulled back towards your spine. Engage your core.
  3. Then, drive through your front right foot, to push your hips forward; pulling your back left toe/hip forward, square and in line with your front right toe/hip. Simultaneously using the momentum from your hips to pull the dumbbell up towards your left shoulder.
  4. With control lower the dumbbell back to the starting position and repeat this deadlift to high pull movement.

Deadlift Squat

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

pregnant woman performing a deadlift squat

How To Do A Deadlift Squat

  1. Start standing with feet hip-width apart, holding one dumbbell in each hand with your grip just outside your legs (overhand grip).
  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 and down 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. Rather than keeping the legs only slightly bent as you would in a Romanian Deadlift, bend the knees more to perform a deadlift squat.
  5. Once you’ve reached the bottom (mobility looks different for everyone), drive through your heels, squeezing your glutes and hamstrings to push your hips forward and return to the starting position.

Sumo Squat And Heel Lift

Targets: Legs, glutes, quads, hamstrings, hips, calves, outer thighs and glutes (gluteus medius and abductors) and inner thighs (adductors).

pregnant woman performing a sumo squat and heel lift

How To Do Sumo Squats And Heel Lifts Or Calf Raises

  1. Stand with feet wider than hips, heels in and toes pointed out (sumo squat stance). Hold one dumbbell at your chest.
  2. 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.
  3. At the bottom of your sumo squat, perform a heel lift by rising onto your toes. Keep your torso upright, core engaged.
  4. Drive through your toes, squeezing your glutes and pulling your inner thighs together to stand tall.
  5. Drop your heels back down to the mat and repeat.

Sumo Squat And Heels Walk In

Targets: Legs, glutes, quads, hips, outer thighs and glutes (gluteus medius and abductors) and inner thighs (adductors).

pregnant woman performing a sumo squat and heels walk in

How To Do A Sumo Squat And Heels Walk In

  1. Stand with feet wider than hips, heels in and toes pointed out (sumo squat stance).
  2. 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.
  3. Maintain this loaded sumo squat stance as you pivot your heels in towards you to take a “step” in, toes facing out. Pivot again to bring the toes pointing forward. Think, “heels in, toes in, heels in, toes in.”
  4. Then, reverse the movement by sending the toes out, then the heels out to “step” back out. Think, “toes out, heels out, toes out, heels out.”

Sumo Squat

Targets: Legs, glutes, quads, hamstrings, hips, outer thighs and glutes (gluteus medius and abductors) and inner thighs (adductors).

pregnant woman performing a sumo squat

How To Do A Sumo Squat

  1. Stand with feet wider than hips, heels in and toes pointed out (sumo squat stance). Hold two dumbbells between your legs (or one dumbbell at your chest).
  2. 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. Aim to tap the heads of the dumbbells to the mat.
  3. Drive through your heels, squeezing your glutes and pulling your inner thighs together to stand tall.

Leg Day Workout 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 — squats, deadlifts and lunges. These three leg exercises are classics for a reason – they each hit the quads, glutes and hamstrings in a slightly different way, so you get a well-rounded workout by combining them.

How Often Should I Do Leg Workouts?

This depends on what the rest of your training routine looks like. I personally focus on lower body exercises 1-2 days a week so I can lift heavy weights. Lifting weights builds muscle by breaking down the muscle that already exists, so you want to make sure to give your muscles time to recover after a workout.

Why Are Leg Workouts For Women Important?

Leg workouts are important for everyone, but women tend to be relatively stronger in their lower bodies than their upper bodies (NCBI) so leg workouts can feel really empowering. Leg workouts are also really effective because they’re hitting multiple large muscle groups, meaning you get major calorie burn for your buck.

Is This Leg Workout Pregnancy-Friendly?

Yes! I filmed this leg day workout while pregnant. While this workout is challenging for anyone, it also makes a great pregnancy leg workout. That said, every body and every pregnancy is different. You should be cleared by your doctor or midwife for exercise and if you have any concerns, or if you’re starting a fitness program for the first time, please consult your doctor or midwife. Lunges don’t feel good anymore? Try this Lunge-Free Leg Day instead.

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12 comments

  1. I have three month training with your videos and the results are amazing.
    Thank you!

  2. I am SO thankful for these workouts!! Now that I finally have energy in my second trimester, this is EXACTLY what I was looking for! I’ve been dying to get back to workouts. I love your energy in the videos. Thank you, THANK YOU!

  3. Loved this workout this morning! You are so encouraging and fun to work out with. What is the best way to continue to support you so you can keep giving us these awesome workouts?

    • Hi Gina! Thanks so much for giving this workout a try! So glad you enjoyed it. The best way to support me is to keep coming back and checking out more workouts + recipes on my website! There are plenty more full length workout videos on the blog for you to try. Thank you! -Lindsey

  4. Lindsey, this is an AWESOME workout! I’m loving your website lately…such amazing content! That you’re doing these workouts with a baby bump inspires me even more! Praying you have a strong finish to your pregnancy and smooth delivery. Thanks again.

    • Sarah! So glad you gave this workout a try and loved it! Thanks so much for following along and sweating with me! Keep up the good work (plenty more workout videos on the blog to try)! -Lindsey

  5. Hi Lindsey!
    Another amazing workout! So glad I found your website! I have always liked to work out. Now I look forward to working out no matter how tired I am or how late it is. Thank you for your hard work and dedication to creating so many new workouts!

    • Hi Natalie! Thanks so much for giving this workout a try. So glad you stumbled over here and are loving the workouts. There are plenty more to try on the blog! Keep up the great work. -Lindsey

  6. Hi there! So excited to try out your workouts. I’m going to follow your Beginner 30-day workout challenge. Is this the lower body strength workout to use for the beginner challenge. I clicked on the workout on your calendar on this website but it doesn’t send me to the workout. Thanks! And thank you for your time and dedication to putting this all together!!! I know it’s hard work!

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