Combine Any of These 25 Dumbbell Exercises For a Great Lower-Body Workout

Updated on 11/4/2022 at 5:30 PM

If leg day is your favorite day, grab a pair of dumbbells, and bookmark this post. We've compiled 25 of the best moves to target your lower body, including dumbbell glute exercises, dumbbell hamstring exercises, and moves to target your quads and calves, too. These simple exercises might not seem that hard, but when you have trouble walking tomorrow, you'll know they were effective.

Mix and match five or six of these moves to create your own leg and butt workout with weights, or if you need a little inspiration, check out the full lower-body dumbbell workouts listed below. If you're a beginner, start with your bodyweight, or use lighter dumbbells (three to five pounds). For more of a challenge, grab medium or heavy weights (eight to 20 pounds). (Not sure? Here's a guide on how to choose the right weights.) No matter which of these leg and glute exercises you choose, one thing's for sure: you're going to get a great lower-body workout.

Dumbbell Leg and Butt Workouts to Try:

Dumbbell Deadlift

How to do a dumbbell deadlift:

Stand with your feet hip-distance apart.
Hold a dumbbell in each hand by your sides with straight arms.
Push your butt back as you bend your knees, squatting down to reach the dumbbells toward the floor. Keep your back straight, not curved or arched. Your chest should be parallel with the floor.
Pause when the dumbbells are at shin height, or as low as is comfortable.
Straighten your legs to stand up. That's one rep.

Single-Leg Deadlift

How to do a single-leg deadlift:

Hold a dumbbell in each hand, and lift your left foot slightly off the ground.
Keep your back flat and hips square as you lean your entire torso forward while simultaneously raising your left leg and lowering the dumbbells toward the ground. Make sure to keep your core tight while you move.
With your back straight, lower your leg and lift your torso up to stand, returning to your starting position. That's one rep.
Do the same number of reps on both sides.

Deadlift With Front Row

How to do a deadlift with front row:

Stand upright holding a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs, with your knees slightly bent.
Keeping your arms straight and knees slightly bent, slowly hinge forward, bending at your hips (not your waist) and lowering the weights as far as possible without rounding your back.
Squeeze your glutes to return to standing, keeping your back straight.
Once you're standing, draw your elbows up to pull the weights up the front of your body, bringing them to your chin with elbows wide.
Lower the weights to return to the starting position. That's one rep.

Dumbbell Squat

How to do a dumbbell squat:

Stand with your feet hip-distance apart, holding a dumbbell at each shoulder.
Slowly sit your hips back, and bend your knees, as if you were going to sit in a chair.
Squat as low as you can, keeping your head and chest lifted, your spine long, and your shoulders relaxed.
Press into your feet to straighten your legs and stand. That's one rep.

Single-Arm Overhead Squat

How to do a single-arm overhead squat:

Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart.
Hold a kettlebell or dumbbell in your right hand, and straighten your arm overhead. If this is too difficult or you don't have the shoulder mobility, bend the elbow, and rest the weight on your shoulder.
With the weight overhead and the elbow locked out, keep the core engaged as you bend the knees into a squat, lowering the hips just below the knees (or as low as is comfortable). Extend the left arm forward for balance. (The photo on the right is demonstrating the exercise on the other side).
Try to keep equal weight in both feet as you stand up, keeping the right arm straight. That's one rep.

Dumbbell Swing

How to do a dumbbell swing:

Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart and toes pointed slightly outward, holding the dumbbell (or a kettlebell, if you have it) in both hands.
Swing the dumbbell backward between your legs, bending your knees slightly and pushing your hips back. Be careful not to round your spine.
Forcefully squeeze your glutes, and drive your hips forward to thrust the weight forward and up as you straighten your legs. Aim to raise the weight to chest height.
Allow the weight to fall between your legs, bending your knees and sitting your hips backward to begin the next rep.

Dumbbell Thruster

How to do a dumbbell thruster:

Stand with your legs just slightly wider than hip-distance apart, holding a dumbbell at each shoulder with elbows bent.
Sit your hips back and bend your knees into a squat, keeping weight on your heels.
Press the dumbbells overhead as you straighten your knees to return to standing.
Lower the weights to your shoulders as you descend into another squat to begin the next rep.

Goblet Squat

How to do a goblet squat:

Stand with your feet wider than shoulder width, with your toes pointed slightly out. Hold a dumbbell at chest level with both hands.
Keeping your back flat, push your hips back, bend your knees, and lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor or as low as is comfortable.
Press into your feet to stand up, and return to the starting position. That's one rep.

Single-Arm Dumbbell Overhead Lunge

How to do a single-arm dumbbell overhead lunge:

Stand with the feet hip-distance apart, holding a medium-size dumbbell in your right hand.
Press the dumbbell overhead, locking your elbow.
Step the right foot forward into a lunge position, so both knees are at 90-degree angles and your left knee just taps the floor.
Step the right foot backward next to the left foot to return to the starting position. That's one rep.

Dumbbell Sumo Squat

How to do a dumbbell sumo squat:

Stand with your feet wide, toes pointing out, holding both dumbbells in front of the chest.
Bend your knees, lowering your hips deeply so your thighs are parallel with the floor.
Press into feet to straighten the legs completely, and squeeze the glutes at the top of the movement. That's one rep.

Alternating Forward Lunge With Biceps Curl

How to do an alternating forward lunge with biceps curl:

Stand tall with your feet hip-width distance apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
Step forward with the right foot as you bend the elbows in a biceps curl. Lower your hips until both knees are bent at about a 90-degree angle. Keep the front knee directly above the ankle, and lower the left knee to just tap the floor.
Keep the weight in your heels as you push off the front foot and step it back to the starting position. That's one rep.

Split Squat With Overhead Press

How to do a split squat with overhead press:

Holding a dumbbell at each shoulders with your palms facing forward, take a big step backward about with your left foot. Press the weights up to the ceiling, biceps next to ears.
Lower the weight to your shoulders as you bend your knees and lower into a lunge, making 90-degree angles with both legs.
Straighten both legs as you press the weights back toward the ceiling. That's one rep.

Reverse Lunge With Bicep Curl

How to do a reverse lunge with bicep curl:

Begin with your feet together, holding dumbbells at your sides.
Step your right foot back into a deep lunge as you bend your elbows, bringing weights to your shoulders. Make sure your left knee is directly over your ankle, and bend your right knee so it almost touches the floor.
Focus on your left glute as you step your right foot forward to return to the starting position, lowering weights back to your sides. That's one rep.

Reverse Lunge and Press

How to do a reverse lunge and press:

Stand with your feet together, holding the weights at your shoulders with your palms facing forward.
Step your left foot back into a lunge, making 90-degree angles with your front and back knee.
Push off your left foot, bringing your left knee forward so it's even with your left hip while pressing the dumbbells overhead.
Without touching the floor with your left foot, step back into the lunge to begin your second rep.

Side Lunge With Bicep Curl

How to do a side lunge with bicep curl:

Holding a pair of dumbbells, stand with your feet and knees together. Perform a bicep curl by bending your elbows to bring the weights to your shoulders.
Lower your arms toward the floor as you take a large step to the left with your left foot, lunging toward the floor. Make sure your left knee does not extend past your toes, and keep your right leg relatively straight.
As you push off through your left foot to return to standing, perform a bicep curl. That's one rep.

Surrender

How to do a surrender:

Stand holding a dumbbell in each hand just above your shoulders.
Step your right foot backward, and lower your right knee to the ground.
Lower your left knee down so you are kneeling on both legs.
Lift your right foot up, and place it in front of you.
Bring your left foot forward, and press into your foot to stand. That's one rep.

Dumbbell Box Step-Up

How to do a dumbbell box step-up:

Find a sturdy bench, coffee table, wooden box, or kid's chair that allows your knee to be at about a 90-degree angle or larger when you place your foot squarely on it.
Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell in each hand by your side (or, for a more advanced version, in the front rack position at your shoulders).
Step your right foot onto the box, and press into that foot to stand up on the box. Place the left foot down next to the right.
Softly step the right foot back to the ground, then the left. That's one rep.

Weighted Glute Bridge

How to do a weighted glute bridge:

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Be sure to keep your feet underneath your knees, not in front. Place a dumbbell on top of your lower abdominals (below your belly button and above your hip bones). Hold the dumbbell in place with both hands to prevent it from moving.
Raise your hips up to the ceiling, tensing your abs and squeezing your butt as you do. You should be making a long diagonal line with your body, from shoulders to knees.
Hold for three seconds, making sure your spine doesn't round and your hips don't sag. Keep your abs and butt muscles engaged.
Lower down to the ground. That's one rep.

Weighted Donkey Kick

How to do a weighted donkey kick:

Start on all fours, and place a weight in the crease of your right knee.
Keeping your right knee bent at a 90-degree angle, lift your right leg up until you feel your right glute engage.
Flex your foot, and slowly pulse your foot toward the ceiling by squeezing your glute. Do not move your torso at all — the motion is just in the hip joint.

Side Lunge

How to do a side lunge:

Holding a dumbbell in your right hand, stand with your feet together.
Take a large step with your left foot out to the left side, sitting your hips backward and bending your left knee into a lateral lunge, allowing the dumbbell to lower along the right side of the leg (pictured).
Make sure your left knee does not extend past your toes, and keep your right leg relatively straight.
Push off through your left foot to return to the starting position. That's one rep.

Crossover Lunge

How to do a crossover lunge:

Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Hold a single dumbbell in front of your chest, or hold one in each hand by your sides.
Take a large step diagonally forward with your right foot, planting your foot at the 11 o'clock position. Lower until your top thigh is about parallel to the floor.
Push off your right foot to step it back next to your left, and return to the starting position.
Step backward and to the left at a diagonal with your right leg, this time stepping to the eight o'clock position. Lower until your top thigh is about parallel to the floor. That's one rep.

Deep Squat With Overhead Reach

How to do a deep squat with overhead reach:

Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart and toes pointed slightly outward, holding one dumbbell with both hands.
Sit back into a squat, bending your knees to 90 degrees while keeping your elbows straight, and raising the weight overhead.
Lower your arms as you straighten your knees to stand. That's one rep.

Weighted Squat

How to do a weighted squat:

Stand with your feet a little wider than your hips, with toes pointed slightly outward, holding one dumbbell vertically in both hands.
Sit back into a squat, keeping your weight in your heels and your chest lifted. The bottom of the dumbbell should lightly tap the floor.
Push through your heels to return to standing. That's one rep.

Sumo Squat With Biceps Curl

How to do a sumo squat with biceps curl:

Hold a pair of dumbbells in your hands with your arms straight and your palms facing away from you. Step your feet apart so there are about 20 inches between your heels. Point your toes out slightly.
Bend your knees and elbows at the same time to lower into a sumo squat while doing a bicep curl. Keep your shoulders over your hips, and lower down so your weight is back in your heels.
Press into your feet to straighten your legs, and lower the weights to your hips. That's one rep.

Side Lunge to Curtsy Squat

How to do a side lunge to curtsy squat:

Start standing with feet together, holding a single dumbbell with both hands at your chest.
Take a big step with your left leg out to the left, sitting your hips back and bending your knees to lower into a lateral lunge. Keep your chest lifted and your weight in your left heel.
Push off with your left foot, and step your left leg behind you and to the right, coming into a curtsy, bending both knees until your front thigh is about parallel to the floor.
Push off the left foot to step it next to the right, returning to the starting position. That's one rep.

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