17 Best Dumbbell Leg Exercises for Fast Results At-Home

Ready to discover how to build leg strength and muscle using only dumbbells? With these dumbbell leg exercises, you can build strong, toned, lean legs conveniently at home or anywhere without a big setup.

You can build leg strength and muscle using dumbbells alone without needing a full gym. If you’re working out at home or a minimal gym with only dumbbells available, use these 17 dumbbell space-efficient leg exercises.

But what if you’re dumbbells aren’t heavy enough? Or if holding the dumbbells becomes too heavy for your arms? And what’s the best way to structure your leg workouts with only dumbbells to get the best results?

Here, you’ll uncover the 17 best leg exercises with dumbbells and how to do these lower body lifts the most effectively to keep getting gains even with limited weight. You’ll also learn how to safely do each leg exercise to keep your knees, hips, and lower back injury-free.

Why Train Legs with Dumbbells?

Pros

Greater Range of Motion: Dumbbells usually allow for a deeper stretch and a longer contraction in leg exercises like squats and lunges because you won’t be limited by a fixed bar or a fixed machine. Sure, barbells usually let you lift much heavier weights for compound exercises like squats and deadlifts. But if you do the exercises correctly, you can still maximize your results with only dumbbells.

Higher Muscle Activation: Your stabilizing muscles in your lower body have to work harder to control the weight and keep balance, forcing each leg to work independently with the dumbbells. This can lead to higher overall muscle activation in your legs and increased mechanical tension that’ll give you better gains.

More Joint Friendly: Dumbbells allow you to free flow in an easier, more natural path than barbells or fixed machines. This is usually easier and places less stress on your joints, like your knees, that would otherwise get crushed in the fixed movement patterns of barbells or machines.

Increased Functional Strength: Dumbbell leg exercises also mimic more real-life movements and patterns on a natural path than barbells and especially fixed machines. This improved functional strength translates to everyday life activities and sports.

Higher Amount of Exercises: Unfortunately, most people do only the same handful of lower-body leg exercises over and over again. This can make dumbbell leg workouts boring and monotonous. But with the 17 leg exercises below, you’ll combat boredom and learn new dumbbell movements to mix up your workouts and keep things fun and interesting.

Cons

Harder If Bulking: If your main goal is to bulk up and gain a ton of muscle, then it is usually easier with barbells and fixed machines. This is because you can use much heavier weights, and the machines offer stability. Implementing progressive overload in your workouts is also easier, so you keep getting stronger.

Machine Isolation: If your main goal is to target just one specific muscle group in your legs, machines can usually give you a more controlled range of motion for that specific muscle. With dumbbells, you’ll also use secondary and stabilizing muscles, which can overtake isolating a specific muscle.

Plateau Concerns: I know people who get frustrated thinking that they’ll stop progressing and that their results will plateau because they’re limited to only dumbbells. But there are creative ways to keep progressing using only dumbbells in your leg workouts, using the tips below.

How to Build Muscle and Strength Using Only Dumbbells

You’ll see visible progress when using these dumbbell leg exercises, as they will indeed deliver gains in muscle while improving your body composition. Exercise efficiency is crucial to get the biggest bang for your buck results since you have limited equipment with only dumbbells.

Barbells and machines can be great for building strong leg muscles. Still, anything that stimulates your muscles (even your own bodyweight) can trigger growth. By following these principles, even those in prison can build lean, muscular bodies without access to any equipment.

Maximize Mechanical Tension

Mechanical muscle tension is the biggest determining factor in your gains during an exercise. It’s basically the force generated within a muscle when it’s stretched and contracted under load—the resistance in your muscles when lifting a weight.

Eccentric Contraction: Focus on going slowly during the lowering part of the exercise. This lowering phase (eccentric) creates high mechanical tension with the muscle fibers lengthening under load. Aim for a controlled lowering of 2-4 seconds in each rep.

Strong Peak Contraction: Squeeze the muscle you’re targeting with the exercise hard at the top of the lifting (concentric). This forceful peak contraction maximizes muscle fiber activation and elevates overall mechanical tension in the muscle. At the end of the lift, focus on contracting the target muscle for 1-2 seconds, like squeezing your calf muscles at the top of a dumbbell calf raise.

Slow, Controlled Tempo: Try not to rush through your repetitions. Going slower and under control reduces momentum and forces your muscles to work longer under tension. Avoid bouncing at the bottom or the top to optimize mechanical tension throughout the entire range of motion. An effective tempo is 2-4 seconds during the lowering phase and 2 seconds lifting with a 1-second pause at the top to squeeze the muscle.

Higher Time Under Tension: The total duration of the exercise will increase muscle engagement per set. Time under tension is one of the main drivers of muscle growth and strength, and causes a higher mechanical tension. To maximize time under tension, aim for 8 to 15 reps per set with controlled tempos.

Challenging Load: Use dumbbells with a heavy enough weight to challenge your muscles within the targeted rep range. A challenging load forces a higher level of mechanical tension in the muscle. Try to pick a weight within the rep range that allows you to go near failure one to three sets before being unable to move it while still keeping good form.

Front Rack Dumbbell Squats

Front rack dumbbell squats create a higher level of core activation. Holding the dumbbells on your shoulders forces your core to work extra to keep your torso upright and stable. The front rack position helps keep your spine vertical, shifting activation to your quads and putting less stress on your lower back.

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and clean them up to your shoulders. Hold each dumbbell with your elbows pointed forward and slightly upwards. Dumbbells should be resting on your shoulders in the front rack position.
2. Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart. Brace your core. Take a deep breath, keeping your chest up and your shoulder blades squeezed together on your back.
3. Lower yourself as you squat down by bending your knees and bringing your hips slightly behind you simultaneously. Keep your elbows up and your torso up as you go down. Ideally, your thighs are parallel or slightly below parallel to the ground (but go wherever your mobility allows).
4. Then push through your heels and midfoot to stand back up, keeping your elbows high and your core tight. Breathe out as you stand up.

Dumbbell Deadlifts

Dumbbell deadlifts are a powerful compound exercise for building lower body strength, especially in the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back. Dumbbells give you a greater range of motion than the barbell deadlift. They can be easier on the joints (especially your lower back if you’re taller).

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your thighs.
2. Brace your core by tightening your abs, and keep your back straight.
3. Breathe in as you lower your hips by bending your knees and lowering your hips until your thighs are parallel or slightly below parallel to the ground.
4. Then breathe out as you stand back up into the starting position. Keep your chest and back straight, squeezing your shoulder blades together on your upper back.

Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift (RDL)

Dumbbell RDLs are one of the best dumbbell exercises for targeting and strengthening your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. They’re also great for developing the posterior chain (the backside of your body), which is usually neglected but essential for athletic performance, injury prevention, and good posture.

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs, palms facing your front thigh.
2. Keep your knees soft and slightly bent, then hinge your torso forward by pushing your hips back and lowering the dumbbells down the front side of your legs, keeping your back flat in a straight line and your chest arched out.
3. Lower until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings. Depending on your flexibility, the dumbbells should go just below your knees or mid-shin.
4. Breathe out as you return to the starting position by pushing through your hips and squeezing your glutes as you drag your hips forward, back into standing.

Dumbbell Front Squat

Dumbbell front squats build strength and muscle in your quads, glutes, and core. Holding the dumbbells in the front rack position in front of your chest and shoulders forces your torso to stay upright, works your abs more, and also has less lower back strain.

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your shoulders in the front rack position, elbows in and pointing forward.
2. Keep your chest up, core tight, and elbows high throughout the movement. Don’t let your elbows flare outward.
3. Squat down by pushing your hips back and bending your knees to lower your body. Keep your torso upright and your heels flat on the ground.
4. As your thighs reach parallel or slightly below parallel, pause to maximize the mechanical tension.
5. Drive back up by pushing through your heels to return to standing. Straighten your legs at the top and squeeze your glutes.

Trainer Tip: Go as low as your mobility comfortably allows. If you have trouble keeping your heels on the ground, place something slightly elevated under them, like a small weight plate. This will also emphasize your quads and make it easier to keep your torso upright.

Dumbbell Front Lunge

Dumbbell front lunges are a dynamic yet functional exercise that’s great for building strength and muscle in your quads, glutes, and hamstrings. They also help to improve balance, coordination, and core stability. Dumbbell forward lunges train each leg independently, making them a great unilateral exercise.

1. Stand tall and hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your sides. Your arms should be straight, and your feet should be hip-width apart.
2. Take a big step forward with one leg and lower your hips until both knees are bent at about 90 degrees.
3. Keep your abs tight and your chest up as your back knee hovers just above the floor, about an inch or two, and your front thigh is parallel to the ground.
4. Breathe out as you drive through your front heel to push yourself back up into the starting position.
5. Repeat on the other leg, alternating sides for each rep.

Trainer Tip: Don’t let your front knee collapse inward as you lower your body. If you feel pain in your knee, try reverse lunges, they’ll be easier on the knees.

Dumbbell Step-Ups

Dumbbell step-ups are a great unilateral and functional exercise that targets your quads, glutes, and hamstrings while improving single-leg strength, balance, and coordination. They’re great for mimicking real-life activities like climbing stairs, so they’ll improve overall athletic coordination and correct imbalances between legs.

1. Stand facing a sturdy boxing bench that’s about knee height. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
2. Step up by placing one foot firmly on the bench so your whole foot is on it. Then press through your front heel to lift your body up until your leading leg is nearly straight. Keep a slight bend in the knee to keep muscle activation in your quads.
3. Then, carefully step back down with the trailing foot, followed by the lead foot, to return to the starting position.
4. Alternate and repeat on the other leg, alternating each leg with each rep.

Trainer Tip: You want to use a box about knee height so your thigh is parallel or slightly above parallel in the starting position. Focus on pushing through your front heel, not the toes, to maximize glute and quad activation.

Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squats

This unilateral leg exercise targets your quads, glutes, and hamstrings while improving balance, stability, and coordination. Elevating your rear foot increases the front working leg’s range of motion and intensity.

1. Get a bench or a box about mid-shin to knee height. Stand a couple of feet in front of the bench, holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides. Then, place one foot back on the bench behind you.
2. Keep your chest arched up, shoulders back, and core tight.
3. Bend your front knee to lower your hips towards the ground, keeping your front foot flat and your knee aligned with your toes. Stop when your front thigh reaches about parallel to the floor (or as far as your mobility allows).
4. Drive up by pressing through your front heel to return to the starting position. Try to keep a smooth and controlled movement throughout.
5. Complete all reps on one side before switching to the other foot.

Trainer Tip: Keep your torso upright to maximize tension on the quads. But if your goal is to work more of the glutes, then use a slight forward lean with your torso.

Dumbbell Hip Thrusts

If you’re looking to build stronger bigger glutes then dumbbell hip thrusts are right up your alley. This exercise maximizes glute activation more than just about every other lower body movement. It’s a joint friendly exercise that improves athletic performance and posture.

1. Sit on the floor with your upper back against a bench, knees bent, and feet flat on the floor. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and place them on top of your hips.
2. Engage your core by tightening your abs, keep your chin tucked, and set your feet shoulder-width apart.
3. Thrust up by pressing through your heels to lift your hips up towards the ceiling, pausing and squeezing your glutes hard at the top.
4. Hold this top position for 1-2 seconds, forming a straight line from your shoulder to your knees.
5. Slowly lower your hips back down with control. Don’t allow your hips to touch or rest on the floor.

Trainer Tip: Keep your chin tucked and ribs down to maximize glute activation. Drive through with your hips and avoid arching your lower back.

Dumbbell Side Lunges

Dumbbell side lunges (also called lateral lunges) are a great leg exercise for your outer and inner thighs. They also strengthen your glutes and quads. This frontal plane exercise can target leg muscles usually missed by standard front-to-back leg exercises.

1. Stand tall and hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides with your feet hip-width apart.
2. With your right leg, take a big step out to one side with your right foot. Keep your toes pointed forward.
3. Bend your right knee and push your hips back to lower your body over your right leg while keeping your left leg straight. Keep both heels flat on the floor.
4. Lower your thigh until it’s parallel to the ground. Then, push yourself back up into the starting position by driving through your right heel.
5. Alternate and repeat on the other side by alternating legs with each rep.

Dumbbell Leg Extensions

This is a very effective isolation exercise that targets your quads. It’ll help to build and define the front of your thighs. I know many want to do this leg extension exercise, but don’t always have access to the machine. Here is a home-friendly version.

1. Sit on a bench or a sturdy chair (set the adjustable bench at a slight incline so you can have more range of motion at the bottom), wrap a towel around the handle of a dumbbell for grip, and place it securely between your feet.
2. Hold the bench for support, sit up straight, and engage your core.
3. Lift the dumbbell upward by extending your legs and straightening your knees until your legs are fully extended.
4. Pause briefly at the top and squeeze your quads.
5. Slowly lower the dumbbell back down and repeat for reps.

Trainer Tip: Move the dumbbell in a slow, controlled motion (don’t swing the dumbbell). Keep your feet flexed and squeeze your quads at the top for maximum muscle activation. Lean back with your upper body to increase quad muscle activation.

Dumbbell Single-leg Romanian Deadlift (1-Leg RDLs)

Dumbbell single-leg RDLs are an exceptional unilateral exercise for strengthening the posterior chain, including the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. Training one leg at a time improves balance, hip stability, and coordination while enhancing athletic performance.

1. Stand tall, holding a dumbbell in each hand, with your feet hip-width apart. Keep your knees soft, slightly bent.
2. Keep your abs tight as you hinge forward, shifting weight onto one leg and letting your free leg behind you straighten out for balance.
3. Lower the dumbbell towards the floor, keeping your back flat and your hips square in front of you until you feel a long stretch in the standing back hamstring.
4. Squeeze your glute on your standing leg and drive your hips forward to return to the starting standing position. Keep your abs tight and repeat on the other leg.

Trainer Tip: Keep your hips straight and square in front of you. Don’t let them rotate out as you lower the dumbbell. You may want to start with just body weight until you get the movement and balance down.

Dumbbell Calf Raises

Dumbbell calf raises are a simple yet very effective exercise for strengthening and building your calf muscles and improving ankle stability and balance. Strong calves improve athletic performance, such as running, jumping, and sprinting.

1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
2. Lift your heels up by pressing through the balls of your feet to raise up on your toes as high as possible, keeping your legs straight.
3. Pause at the top for a second and squeeze your calf muscles.
4. Then slowly lower your heels back down to the ground under control. Try not to let your heels rest on the ground for too long or keep them slightly hovered above the ground to maintain muscle activation in your calves.

Trainer Tip: Ideally, you’ll use a step or something slightly elevated off the ground to rest the balls of your feet on. This will allow a higher range of motion and give you a deep stretch at the bottom. But you can start doing them on the ground like this (especially if you’re a beginner and/or have balance or coordination difficulties).

Dumbbell Glute Bridge

Doing dumbbell glute bridges (also called hip bridges) will strengthen your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back while improving hip stability. This exercise directly targets your glutes, and adding dumbbells increases muscle growth and strength resistance.

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor hip-width apart. Place a dumbbell on each hip and keep holding it with your hands.
2. Point your toes up and keep your heels down on the ground for better glute activation. Tilt your pelvis up to keep your lower back flat on the floor.
3. Press through your heels to lift your hips up towards the ceiling. Squeeze your glutes at the top as your body makes a straight line from your knees to your shoulders.
4. Pause and hold the top position for 1-2 seconds to maximize glute activation.
5. Then, slowly lower your hips back down into the starting position and repeat. Don’t let your hips rest on the ground for too long, so you keep a high level of mechanical tension in the glutes.

Dumbbell Sumo Squats

With dumbbell sumo squats, you’ll target your glutes, inner thighs (adductors), quads, and hamstrings. The wide stance gives you greater hip and inner thigh activation while improving hip mobility. Sumo squats can also be more joint-friendly on the knees than standard squats and easier to learn for most people.

1. Stand with your feet wider than shoulder width apart, toes pointed slightly out. Hold a dumbbell or two in both hands in front of your hips.
2. Keep your core tight, your back straight, your chest arched up, and your shoulders back, squeezing your shoulder blades together. It’s important to keep your torso vertical as best you can.
3. Squat down by pushing your hips back and bending your knees to lower your body. Keep the dumbbells centered and your back straight.
4. Lower your body until your thighs are about parallel to the ground (or as low as your mobility allows). Make sure your knees track over your toes. Pause and hold at the bottom for a second to increase the time under tension and the muscle stretch.
5. Press through your heels to drive back up to return to the standing position. Squeeze your glutes at the top.

Trainer Tip: Focus on driving with your knees outward as you squat to fully engage your inner thighs and glutes. Keep your dumbbell as close to your body as possible, making it easier to keep your torso upright.

Dumbbell Jump Squats

Dumbbell jump squats are a powerful plyometric leg exercise that builds explosive leg strength, muscle power, and athleticism. They’re also great for elevating calorie and fat burn, improving speed and vertical jump, and being highly functional movements for athletes.

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides. For this exercise, it’s best to use a lighter dumbbell (quality over quantity).
2. Squat down by bending your knees and pushing your hips back. Keep your chest arched up, back straight, and your core tight.
3. As your thighs reach parallel to the ground or slightly below, explode back up by driving through your heels and jumping high up. Extend and straighten your hips, knees, and ankles.
4. As you land back on the ground, do so softly, absorbing the impact with your knees slightly bent and lowering your body into the next squat with the momentum.
5. Repeat reps in a controlled, fluid, and rhythmic manner.

Trainer Tip: Don’t let your knees cave in on landing. Keep them in a straight line and track them over your toes. Make sure you have enough rest time in between sets to keep the explosive power and proper form.

Dumbbell Hamstring Curls

If you’re looking to directly target and strengthen your hamstrings, dumbbell hamstring curls are a great at-home exercise. They’ll isolate and strengthen the hamstrings, improve knee joint stability, and help prevent injuries, especially those with lower body imbalances.

1. Lie face down on the floor or bench with your legs straight. Securely place a light dumbbell between your feet and try to hold your feet together tightly.
2. Bend your knees to curl the dumbbell up by lifting your feet off the floor towards your glutes. Squeeze your hamstrings at the top.
3. Slowly lower the dumbbell back down towards the ground until your legs are nearly straight without letting the dumbbell touch the floor.
4. Repeat reps with a slow, controlled movement, maintaining tension in your hamstrings the entire time.

Trainer Tip: Wrap the dumbbell between your feet with a towel for a better grip. Start with a lighter dumbbell to get the form down first.

Dumbbell Split Squats

This is a very effective unilateral exercise for targeting your quads, glutes, and hamstrings. It will also improve balance, core stability, and lower body coordination. You’ll really feel your front thigh and quad muscles firing up during this one.

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides. Step forward with one foot so you’re in a staggered stance.
2. Keep your chest arched up, back straight, shoulders, and abs tight.
3. Bend both knees to lower your body until your back knee nearly touches the ground (about 1-2″ away), and your front thigh is parallel to the floor.
4. Drive back up by pressing through your front heel to return to the starting position, keeping your torso upright.
5. Repeat and complete all reps on this leg before switching sides.

Trainer Tip: Keep your front knee over your toes (don’t let it collapse). Keep the shin on your front leg vertical. Perform the movement slowly (especially on the way down) with control for best muscle activation.

Common Pain Points (and How to Overcome Them)

Limited weight: If your dumbbells feel too light, you’ll have to get creative with how you do these leg exercises. You could always get an adjustable dumbbell set to easily increase the weight. But here are a few ways to keep strengthening your legs with light dumbbells

• Use Unilateral Exercises: These are exercises that involve using one leg significantly more than the other. Bulgarian split squats, lunges, split squats, reverse lunges, step-ups, 1-legged RDL, etc., let you double the load in one leg. This allows you to keep progressing with limited equipment.
• Slow Down the Tempo: Perform each rep slower to increase time under tension so you keep a high mechanical tension even with light dumbbells. Take 2-5 seconds on the lowering phase, pause for 1 second at the bottom, then take 2-3 seconds coming back up with a 1-second pause at the top when squeezing the muscle.
• Higher Reps: Use higher reps to create a longer time under tension, which will increase mechanical tension in the muscle. Of course, you don’t want to do 20+ reps for each set, so also combine with higher time under tension per rep. Use circuits to combine multiple exercises.

Grip and fatigue: Working out your legs with dumbbells can sometimes feel like a lot of work, having to grip and hold the weight. Your grip and arms can become tired and limit your lifting before your legs tire out. Use lifting straps to reduce grip fatigue. You can also place the dumbbells on your shoulders when doing squats (front rack squats) to lessen arm strain.

If holding heavy dumbbells feels physically awkward, you could get creative. You could use a weighted vest or a backpack with something heavy in it, like books, or a dip belt to hold the dumbbells between your legs during squats.

Joint/knee pain: If you feel a sharp pain in your knee when doing an exercise, then I’d stop. Reverse lunges and sumo squats are leg exercises that are less stressful on your knees. Make sure the dumbbells you’re lifting aren’t too heavy, as they can cause you to lose form.

Before lifting weights, place a knee band above your knees and do side-to-side steps (10 down, 10 back – 3x) to strengthen your outer hips. This helps keep your hip, knee, ankle, and foot in line and less likely to get shearing forces on your knee due to instability.

How to Keep Progressing Your Dumbbell Leg Workouts

Doing the same workouts with the same weight and intensity will cause you to plateau. If your goal is just to maintain that level, then that’s fine. Otherwise, you’ll need to use progressive overload by gradually increasing the stress placed on your muscles over time in your workouts.

• Add Reps or Sets: If you can easily do 10 reps, then increase the reps to 12-15. If that’s too easy, then you could also add extra sets to your workouts.
• Reduce Rest Time: Shorter rest between sets will keep your muscles under constant tension and increase intensity. Since your heart rate will remain elevated, you’ll also burn more fat with shorter rest times.
• Slower Tempos: Slowing down the tempo of your lifts will force your muscles to work harder to achieve the same number of reps per set. Focus on slowing down the lowering phase, pause on the ends, and slow and controlled on the way up.
• Use Advanced Variations: To make the lighter weights more challenging, try switching to unilateral single-leg exercises (Bulgarian split squats or single-leg RDLs). Add pauses or holds at the bottom of the movement.
• Switch Up Exercise Order: Start your workout with a new exercise to shock your muscles. Use supersets by combining multiple dumbbell leg exercises together. Use dropsets by doing back-to-back immediate sets of an exercise with lighter weight (I usually go with 60% of the original weight or bodyweight)

Work out your legs 1-3 times weekly for the best results. I usually recommend my clients to work out legs twice a week, one workout is hip dominant for the glutes and hamstrings, and the other leg workout knee dominant (quads).

I wouldn’t worry about getting bulking just by doing a dumbbell leg workout. You’ll have to work out your legs hard for years and eat a lot of calories to bulk up anytime soon. Most people will get stronger, leaner, toned, and firmer legs when using these dumbbell leg exercises.