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How do you build muscular legs with dumbbells? The subject of having muscular legs is becoming a popular one. Everyone wants the ideal legs, but not everyone is ready to work for them.
The fear of lifting so many weights holds down some individuals. While others are not ready to stay true to the process; just like they say, “the process is as important as the goal.”
Regardless of the position you find yourself in, you can use dumbbells to build muscular legs, and this process isn’t as tedious as you think. The exercises this article will share to create muscular legs are simple but effective.
How can dumbbells help to build muscular legs?
Dumbbells are small but handy equipment. You can use them for a wide range of exercises. Dumbbells allow you to go big or go home.
Barbell exercises require you to get under the weight, which can be risky if you can’t handle the weight. With dumbbells, the weight is beside you. So if you bite off more than you can chew, you can drop the weights without injuring or embarrassing yourself.
Another good thing about dumbbell exercises is that you can do them anywhere, especially at home. Several activities involve dumbbells which are used to tone and build the legs.
Leg exercises involving dumbbells
Here is a list of dumbbell exercises and how to do them. Always combine activities with a diet that complements the workout. For example, when building muscle, use carbs to fuel the workout and protein for the building blocks of power after the training.
In addition, use progressive overload, a periodization plan, proper form, hypertrophy rep, and set range. The best rep and set range to build muscle are 8 – 12 reps and 3 – 6 sets. Using one number to determine muscle growth, you can multiply the weight, reps, and sets to find your volume.
Step-up:
Put one leg on an elevated surface like a chair with your dumbbells in both hands to do this exercise. Now rise on the leg you placed on the chair or step. Try to stay erect when doing this. This exercise can help strengthen the muscles in the quadriceps and glutes.
Sumo Deadlift:
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart with the dumbbells in both hands. Next, put the dumbbells in front of your thighs. Now bend your knees and push your hip backward while hinging at the waist. Next, lower the dumbbells to the floor, tighten your glutes, and return to standing. With this exercise, you strengthen your glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps.
Staggered-Stance Deadlift:
With a dumbbell in your right hand, place the dumbbell in front of your thigh. Stagger your legs, allowing your right foot to return and bring your left foot forward. Next, lift your right heel to a few inches above the ground.
Take your hips backward while hinging forward, then lower the dumbbell and let it stay close to your right leg. As soon as your hips reach 90 degrees, return to the starting position. With this exercise, you work the muscles in the buttocks and upper thighs. Also, it will help improve your balance and stability.
Single-Leg Deadlift:
Stand on your right foot with the dumbbells in both hands. First, slightly bend your right leg while hinging forward at your hips.
Next, push out your left leg straight behind until your torso is parallel to the floor. Then, lower the dumbbells to the floor, but don’t touch the floor with them.
Now go up and repeat the process for the other leg. Aside from improving balance and stability, this exercise can help better posture and strengthen the hamstrings, glutes, and ankles.
Lateral Lunge:
With your feet hip-width away, with a dumbbell in both hands. Step to the side with your left leg, bend your left leg, and push your hips backward. Keep bending your knee until it reaches 90 degrees and the dumbbells close to your legs. Then return to the starting position. The Lateral Lunge works the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps. It helps to increase flexibility and stability.
Thruster:
Carry your dumbbells in both hands and raise your hands, keeping the dumbbells next to your shoulder and palms facing each other. Then, with your legs shoulder-width apart, stand straight and have your torso upright.
Go down until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Then, while pressing the dumbbells on your shoulder, move back into a standing position. This exercise targets your quadriceps and glutes and improves coordination and balance.
Suitcase Deadlift:
Carry a dumbbell in your right hand and have your feet shoulder-width away from each other. Then have your left hand tightened in a fist and positioned 45 degrees away from your body. Now slowly push your hips backward and lower the dumbbell until it reaches your shin’s middle. Make sure your back is parallel to the floor, and return to the starting position. This exercise can strengthen your calves, adductors, glutes, and quadriceps.
Bulgarian Split Squat:
Have a dumbbell in both hands, and then place your right leg on an elevated surface behind you (a chair or box would do). Now bend your left knee until you position it at 90 degrees. Make sure your chest and shoulder are straight, and when you tilt the left knee, pause a bit and then rise to the starting position. This exercise helps improve the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves.
Sumo Squat:
First, get a dumbbell in your hands, and hold it in front of your hips. Make sure your legs are shoulder-width apart and slightly open your toes. Then slowly push your hips backward while you bend down. You can back up when the dumbbell gets close to the ground. The Sumo Squat emphasizes muscles in the inner thigh, glutes, hamstrings, and hip flexors.
Good Morning:
This exercise is like giving a deep bow but with a dumbbell behind you. To do this, stand with your legs shoulder-width away from each other. Then hold a dumbbell with both hands positioned right behind your tailbone.
Next, take a deep bow with your torso straight until your upper body is parallel to the floor. Pause for some seconds and then return to the initial position. This exercise mainly focuses on the hamstrings.
The Last Word on How to Use Dumbbell Exercises to Build Muscular Legs
You can pick some dumbbell exercises to create a workout program or select a scientifically proven workout program like the 5 x 5 workout program.
Also, there are many other weightlifting workouts for beginners and advanced lifters you can use with the exercises mentioned above.
What matters the most is being consistent with the workout program you choose. Exercises work best in a workout program for bodybuilding.
What do you think? Please share your response in the comments so others can benefit from your experience.
If you or someone you know is considering bodybuilding, share this article on Facebook or Twitter so that others can learn more about building muscle.
