Build A Strong Lower Body Using Only Dumbbells

A lot of people falsely assume they need a lot of equipment to gain strength and build muscle. This couldn’t be further from the truth!

Here are 5 of my go-to lower body exercises that only require dumbbells. These can be done at home or the gym. If you do not have access to dumbbells, you can use band resistance.

You can use these exercises as a full dumbbell only lower body workout, or you can incorporate them into whatever plan you are currently following.

#1) Negative Rear Foot Elevated Split Squats

This exercise strengthens the glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings.

You will use a negative tempo, and will take 3-5 seconds to perform the lowering component.

Coaching Tips:

Get into a split squat position, and adopt your preferred foot width and positioning.

Elevate the forefoot or top of your back foot on a bench, box, or other stable surface.

Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.

Hold onto a pair of dumbbells or kettlebells. You may also use a band.

Keep your arms rigid, lats engaged, and pretend you are trying to crush oranges in your armpits. This will help keep your arms and the weights from swinging.

On the front foot, form a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your foot, and the base of your big and baby toes. These parts of your foot should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the floor.

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).

Now take 3-5 seconds and perform a split squat and lower yourself down to a range where you are able to maintain proper form.

When you are performing the split squats, pretend you are “pulling” your body down with your legs. Don’t just mindlessly drop down.

Do not relax or lose tension when you are in the bottom position.

Press your body away from the floor and back to the top/starting position.

For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knees to fall inside or outside of your feet.

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, or hip to drop on one side.

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

#2) Dumbbell RDL’s + Pause + Press-Back

This hip hinging exercise strengthens the posterior chain muscles. Both the pause in the bottom position and the press-back dramatically increase the difficulty of the exercise. You’ll see ;)!

Coaching Tips:

Adopt your preferred foot width and positioning. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.

Form a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your feet, and the base of your big and baby toes. These parts of your feet should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your feet to the floor.

Keep your arms rigid, lats engaged, and pretend you are crushing oranges in your armpits. For the duration of the exercise, your arms/weights should not travel ahead of your body. Your arms should slide down the sides or front of your legs. Pretend you are painting the sides or front of your legs with the weights.

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).

Now hinge/push your hips backwards. Pretend a rope is pulling your hips backwards or that you are trying to press your hips back against a wall.

When you are hinging, pretend you are “pulling” your body back/down with your posterior chain muscles. Don’t just mindlessly drop down. Use a range where you can maintain proper form.

When you get to the bottom position, pause for 3-5 seconds. When you are holding, actively press your hips backwards against a wall/surface.

Do not relax or lose tension when you are in the bottom position.

After the 3-5 second pause, engage your posterior chain muscles and press your body away from the floor and back to the top/starting position.

Perform the lockout by squeezing your glutes and hamstrings and extend your hips, and extend your knees.

For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knees to fall inside or outside of your feet.

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine, or hips to rotate.

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

#3) Sway Squats

This is one of my go-to exercises for strengthening the adductors and improving mobility. You will also feel this exercise in your quadriceps and glutes.

Coaching Tips:

Adopt your preferred foot width and positioning. Your feet will likely be significantly farther apart than during your regular squatting stance.

Perform a squat and lower yourself down to a range where you are able to maintain proper form. Maintain this depth for the duration of the exercise.

Grab onto a dumbbell (or other weighted object) with both hands. The weight should be in the center of your body, and between your legs. Or you can hold the weight in a goblet position.

Keep your arms rigid, lats engaged, and pretend you are trying to crush something in your armpits. This will help keep your arms and the weight from swinging.

While remaining in the squat stance, extend your one knee and press your body laterally, and transfer most of your weight to your opposite leg.

When you reach your end range, your leg should be in a squat position, and your knee should be in line with your toes. As for your other leg, your knee should be fully extended (or close to it).

On the planted/squatting side, form a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your foot, and the base of your big and baby toes. These parts of your foot should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the rep. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the floor.

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine, or hips to rotate.

For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine).

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

Get The Ultimate Lower Body And Core Program. Currently being followed by people in over 40 countries worldwide. For “experienced beginners” to advanced trainees, and also coaches. Great for home AND gym workouts!

LEARN MORE

#4) Negative 1.5 Rep Hip Thrusts

This exercise strengthens the glutes. You’ll use a negative 1.5 rep tempo, which I’ll describe below.

Coaching Tips:

Set yourself up so your shoulder blade/upper back area, and upper arms are positioned on a bench, chair, or other stable surface. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position. You should feel very stable on the surface.

If you are using weight, hold the weight on your hips. You may also use band resistance.

Place your feet so they are approximately hip width apart. Figure out what position works and feels best for you.

Bend your knees to roughly a 90 degree angle. Place your shins in a relatively vertical position.

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).

Now take 3-5 seconds and lower your hips to a range where you can maintain proper form. Once you get to the bottom position, use your glutes to lift your hips halfway to the top position, back to the bottom position, and finally, back to the top position (all at normal speed). This is one rep.

Make sure to press through the back portion of your feet. Don’t let your weight shift to your forefeet.

In the top position, your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to knees.

When you get to the top position, hold for a count or more and really squeeze your glutes.

For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knees to fall inside or outside of your feet.

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine, or hips to rotate.

For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine).

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

#5) Heel Elevated Squats

This squatting variation really targets the quadriceps. My knees are intentionally tracking well past my toes. If you have knee issues, you can opt for box squats instead.

Coaching Tips:

Hold a weight in your preferred position. For the duration of the exercise, keep the weight tight to your body. Pretend you are crushing oranges in your armpits.

Elevate your heels on weight plates, or another stable elevated surface. Adopt your preferred foot width and positioning.

Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.

While your heels will be elevated, aim to have as much of a tripod foot base as possible. Your weight should be on the back portion of your feet, and the base of your big and baby toes. Pretend you are suctioning your feet to the floor (and surface).

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).

Now perform a squat and lower yourself down to a range where you are able to maintain proper form.

When you are performing the squats, keep your torso in a relatively upright position. When you are performing the squats, pretend you are “pulling” your body down with your legs. Don’t just mindlessly drop down.

Do not relax or lose tension when you are in the bottom position.

In the bottom position, your knees will likely be ahead of your toes. Press your body away from the floor and back to the top/starting position.

For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knees to fall inside or outside of your feet.

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate.

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

Get STRONG hip flexors, improve your mobility and athleticism! Getting your hip flexors STRONGER might be the missing link to helping you function, perform, and feel better in the gym, with your running, your sport, and even in your daily life. For “experienced beginners” to advanced trainees, and also coaches. Great for home AND gym workouts!

LEARN MORE