Legs, glutes, quads and hamstrings — we’ll target every the lower body muscle group in this 25-minute leg workout! Each circuit includes a strength exercise, a power exercise and an isometric hold. Burn out the legs at home using a set of dumbbells.
This leg workout is done in a fun new format: strength, power and isometrics. Each circuit starts with a strength training exercise as your base. We’ll amp things up and challenge your endurance with a power move, then we’ll round out each set with a quick isometric hold as a final burnout.
BONUS: this is done in a time drop format so your work time decreases as you move through strength, power and isometrics.
Leg Workout FAQs
What Are The Best Leg Day Exercises?
When it comes to leg day, I like to start with the basics — squats, lunges, deadlifts and glute bridges. These lower body 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.
Why Are Leg Workouts Important For Women?
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 effective because they hit multiple large muscle groups, meaning you get major calorie burn for your buck.
How Often Should You Do A Leg Workout?
I suggest strength training at least three days per week to maximize muscle growth. Of these three days, I would recommend two of them incorporate lower body strength training exercises.
25-Minute Leg Workout: Strength, Power and Isometrics (Stronger 25, Day 3)
Build lower body strength with this strength, power and isometrics leg workout.
Today’s workout is made up of four circuits and ends with an abs and core burnout. The exercises in this leg workout are designed to target all lower body muscles to create build strength and tone.
I suggest doing this leg workout once a week as part of a well-rounded fitness routine.
Workout Equipment:
A medium-to-heavy set of dumbbells. I suggest anywhere from 8-25 lbs. We used 10-20 lb dumbbells in this workout. Optional Mini Loop Resistance Band and Box/Bench/Step.
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Follow along with the guided Leg Workout on YouTube, led by certified personal trainer and fitness instructor, Lindsey Bomgren.
Your Workout Looks Like This:
4 Circuits (3 exercises per circuit — a Strength, Power and Isometric exercise)
Timed Intervals (40 seconds work for each strength exercise, 30 seconds work for each power exercise, 20 seconds work for each isometric hold. Rest for 10 seconds after every exercise. Complete as many reps as you can in the timed interval.)
Repeat Each Circuit x2 Sets
Bonus Core Circuit
Workout Outline
CIRCUIT ONE: SQUATS
S: 80/20 Banded Goblet Squat
P: 80/20 Banded Runner Squat and Lateral Tap
I: Banded Squat Hold and Single Leg Abduction
CIRCUIT TWO: LUNGES
S: Reverse Lunge
P: Single Leg Plyo Lunge
I: Lunge Hold
CIRCUIT THREE: DEADLIFTS S: Staggered Deadlift
P: Staggered Deadlift Clean and Rotational Lunge
I: Single Leg Deadlift Hold
CIRCUIT FOUR: GLUTE BRIDGES S: 2-Count Single Leg Glute Bridge
P: Single Count Single Leg Glute Bridge
I: Single Leg Glute Bridge Hold
ABS AND CORE: 1. Modified Side Plank and Clam with Leg Lift (Right)
2. Modified Side Plank and Clam with Leg Lift (Left)
3. 90/90 Kick Out and Switch
Targets: Legs, glutes, quads, hamstrings, hip flexors and core.
How To Do An 80/20 Banded Goblet Squat
Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent. Option to place a resistance band six inches above your knees and hold a dumbbell vertically at your chest in a goblet hold.
Stagger your feet, so your right leg is slightly 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 foot, 20% in your back left toe.
Maintain a staggered stance as you perform a banded goblet squat, lowering down into a squat position until hips are parallel with your knees. In this variation, lower down on a two-count to increase time under tension. Drive your knees out toward your outer three toes.
Drive through your front left heel to stand tall, squeezing your glutes and repeat.
80/20 Banded Runner Squat and Lateral Tap
Targets: Legs, gluteus medius, quads, hamstrings, hip abductors and core.
How To Do An 80/20 Banded Runner Squat and Lateral Tap
Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent. Option to place a resistance band six inches above your knees and hold a dumbbell vertically at your chest in a goblet hold.
Stagger your feet, so your right leg is slightly 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 foot, 20% in your back left toe.
Maintain a staggered stance as you perform a banded goblet squat, lowering down into a squat position until hips are parallel with your knees. Drive your knees out toward your outer three toes.
Drive through your front left heel to stand tall, squeezing your glutes.
At the top of the movement, perform a lateral tap with the left foot by brining it parallel to the right foot and stretching the band as far as it will go as you tap the toes to the left.
Find a staggered stance again, bringing the left foot slightly behind the right. Maintain tension across the band and repeat the banded runner squat and lateral tap sequence.
Reverse Lunge
Targets: Legs, hamstrings, quads, glutes, abs and core.
How To Do A Reverse Lunge
Start standing, feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Option to hold a dumbbell horizontally at your chest. Or use a short box or step to increase your range of motion. If you’re using a box, place your right foot flat on the box.
Step your left leg back into a reverse lunge, lowering your hips until both knees reach a 90-degree angle, front thigh parallel to the ground.
Then squeeze your right leg glute, driving your back, left leg forward into a knee drive as you stand tall. Option to omit the knee drive and instead, tap the left toes next to your right foot.
Immediately step your left leg back into a reverse lunge again, lowering your hips until both knees reach a 90-degree angle, front thigh parallel to the ground.
Single Leg Plyometric Lunge
Targets: Lower body power muscles — glutes, hamstrings, quads, calves, hips and core.
How To Do A Single Leg Plyometric Lunge
Start standing, feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Place your right foot flat on top of a short box or step, left foot is on the ground. Keep a soft bend in your right knee.
Drive through your front right heel to explosively drive your left foot up to meet the right. Tap the left toes on the box briefly before immediately stepping the left foot back again.
Land softly, then repeat.
Modification: Perform a reverse lunge and knee drive from the ground. If possible, perform a small hop to increase the intensity.
Staggered Deadlift
Targets: Legs, glutes, hamstrings, hips, lower back and core.
How To Do a Staggered Romanian Deadlift (B-Stance Deadlift of B-Stance RDL)
Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold one dumbbell in your left hand at your hip, palm facing in towards your body.
Stagger your feet, so your right leg is slightly 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 foot, 20% in your back left toe.
Maintain a staggered stance as you hinge at the hips. Pushing your hips back towards the wall behind you as you glide the dumbbells down the front of your legs; core tight.
Drive through your front right heel to push your hips forward, pulling the dumbbell back up towards your hip as you stand tall.
Staggered Deadlift Clean and Rotational Lunge
Targets: Legs, glutes, quads, hamstrings, hip adductors, knee and ankle joints, lower back and core.
How To Do A Staggered Deadlift Clean and Rotational Lunge
Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold one dumbbell in your left hand at your hip, palm facing in towards your body.
Stagger your feet, so your right leg is slightly 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 foot, 20% in your back left toe.
Maintain a staggered stance as you hinge at the hips. Pushing your hips back towards the wall behind you as you glide the dumbbells down the front of your legs; core tight.
Drive through your front right heel to push your hips forward, pulling the dumbbell up past your hips and cleaning it up to your left shoulder.
Immediately step your left foot back, rotating your left toes and both hips 90 degrees to face the left wall. Right toes stay facing the front of the room.
Bend your left knee and sit back towards your left hip, keeping your right leg straight. Think about performing a single leg squat on the left side. Right toes pop off the mat (toes up towards the ceiling).
Then, drive off your bent left leg to reverse the movement, standing tall and facing the front of the room.
Return the dumbbell to your left hip and repeat.
2-Count Single Leg Glute Bridge
Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, hips, core and pelvic floor.
How To Do A 2-Count Single Leg Glute Bridge
Option to place a resistance band around your thighs, six inches above your knees.
Start laying on your back, feet hip-width apart, right foot planted on the floor and left foot extended straight overhead (ankle stacked over knee). Option to place your right foot on a short box or step to increase range of motion and intensify the exercise. Arms extended at your sides or arms straight overhead.
Press through your right heel to lift your glutes off the mat on a two-count, squeezing your glutes as you lift. Think about keeping your core engaged and knees in line with your hips.
Exhale, slowly lowering your hips on a two-count to hover an inch above the mat, returning to starting position.
Modification: Perform a “B-Stance” Glute Bridge. Plant your right heel and step your left heel out slightly further away from your body, finding a staggered stance. Keep most of your weight in your right heel, left toes popped off the ground.
Single Count Single Leg Glute Bridge
Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, hips, core and pelvic floor.
How To Do A Single Leg Glute Bridge
Option to place a resistance band around your thighs, six inches above your knees.
Start laying on your back, feet hip-width apart, right foot planted on the floor and left foot extended straight overhead (ankle stacked over knee). Option to place your right foot on a short box or step to increase range of motion and intensify the exercise. Arms extended at your sides or arms straight overhead.
Press through your right heel to lift your glutes off the mat, squeezing your glutes as you lift. Think about keeping your core engaged and knees in line with your hips.
Exhale, slowly lowering your hips to hover an inch above the mat, returning to starting position.
Modification: Perform a “B-Stance” Glute Bridge. Plant your right heel and step your left heel out slightly further away from your body, finding a staggered stance. Keep most of your weight in your right heel, left toes popped off the ground.
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4 comments
Hi! Is it okay to switch up days (ie legs for core)? I have a bad knee and sometimes the swelling won’t allow me to have an effective leg day.
Leg Workout
Leg Workout
Hi! Is it okay to switch up days (ie legs for core)? I have a bad knee and sometimes the swelling won’t allow me to have an effective leg day.
Hi Lilly! Absolutely, it’s all about making the workout plan work for you! You might be interested in these knee strengthening exercises too — https://www.nourishmovelove.com/5-best-knee-strengthening-exercises/! Keep up the great work! -Lindsey
GREAT workout! Thank You!!
Nice work getting it done Tamara! Keep up the great work, and keep coming back for more! -Lindsey