Under Armour and ACE-certified trainer Ariel Belgrave [1] is here to remind you to not skip leg day. With this 20-minute lower-body workout, you'll ignite your core and challenge your balance as you build lower body strength.
While this workout requires one heavy dumbbell and two medium-to-heavy dumbbells, the weight is going to vary from person to person (if you aren't sure, check out our guide on how to choose the right weight [2]). Belgrave advises that in order to choose the dumbbells that work best for you, try to bicep curl and see how many reps you can do without leaning your full body forward. If you prefer exact numbers, Belgrave says that the medium weight can range from five to 10 pounds and the heavier weight can range from eight to 15 pounds or more.
Once you've chosen your weights, keep reading to follow this multi-functional workout.
20-Minute Lower-Body Strength Under Armour Workout
Equipment needed: one heavy dumbbell, 2 medium-to-heavy dumbbells
Directions: Complete each exercise for 40 seconds, followed by a 10-second recovery. Do three rounds of the full workout with a one-minute rest in between rounds. Before you start, do a dynamic warmup [3] to get yourself ready to work. Cool down afterward with these full-body static stretches [4]
| EXERCISE NAME | TIME |
|---|---|
| Reverse Lunge | 40 seconds, followed by a 10-second rest |
| Dumbbell Swing | 40 seconds, followed by a 10-second rest |
| Glute bridge | 40 seconds, followed by a 10-second rest |
| Deadlift | 40 seconds, followed by a 10-second rest |
| Goblet Squat | 40 seconds, followed by a 10-second rest |
Reverse Lunge
- Stand with your feet together, holding the medium dumbbells by your sides (one in each hand).
- Step one leg back, lowering into a lunge by bending both knees about 90 degrees, keeping good posture and abs tight.
- Return to your starting position, and repeat the same move on the opposite leg.
- Continue for 40 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds.
Dumbbell Swing
- Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointed slightly outward. Hold the ends of one heavy dumbbell with both hands.
- Squat and bring the dumbbell between your legs.
- Stand up and swing the dumbbell up to about chest height.
- Return to the squat position and swing the dumbbell back between your legs.
- Repeat for 40 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds.
Glute Bridge with Dumbbell
- Lie on the ground, knees bent and feet on the floor. Your hands should grab the heavy dumbbell horizontally just below your hip bones.
- Pushing through your heels, raise your body off of the ground, forming a straight line between your upper body and knees.
- Brace your core throughout the movement and squeeze your glutes at the top.
- Return to your starting position. Repeat for 40 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds.
Deadlift
- Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand (medium to heavy dumbbells) by your sides with straight arms.
- Keeping your arms straight and knees slightly bent, push your butt back to slide both dumbbells down the fronts of legs at the same time. Your back should be straight and chest parallel with the floor.
- Press into your feet to return to standing position, squeezing your glutes at the top. Repeat for 40 seconds and rest for 10 seconds.
Goblet Squat
- Stand with feet slightly wider than hip width, holding the end of one heavy dumbbell with both hands in front of your chest with elbows bent.
- Lower into a deep squat position, tracking knees over toes.
- Return to the starting position and repeat for 40 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds.