Your legs and glutes are some of the largest muscles in your body, so it’s worth giving them some attention in your workouts. But not everyone wants to hit the gym, and that shouldn’t be an obstacle to building lower-body strength.
Instead, you can strengthen your legs, glutes, and core with just a dumbbell and these four moves.
This routine comes from online trainer Sandy Sklar, one of my go-to trainers for effective, minimal-equipment strength sessions. The best part? You can do this workout anywhere, whether it’s in your living room, a small corner of a busy gym, or in your local park.
When choosing the right dumbbell weight, go for something challenging but manageable. You want to feel the resistance without compromising your form. Otherwise, you won’t be hitting the right muscles or completing all your reps.
If you work out at home, a pair of the best adjustable dumbbells can be a great investment. This style of weight allows you to increase or decrease the weight as needed.
Ready to get started? Watch Sklar’s demonstrations below.
Watch Sandy Sklar's 4-Move Dumbbell Lower Body Workout
- Single leg Romanian deadlift
- Reverse lunge
- Single leg hinge to reverse lunge
- Static split squat with calf raise
To complete the full routine, you will do eight to ten reps of each exercise and aim for two to four sets per leg. If you want to get the most out of this workout, Sklar instructs, 'You MUST complete all four exercises on one side first, to get the full effect'.
On the surface, the four moves may seem like they are all about the legs, but your core is also working hard to help keep you balanced. The single-leg Romanian deadlift and single-leg hinge to reverse lunge force your abs to switch on so you don’t tip over as you move.
Meanwhile, the reverse lunge and split squat with a calf raise challenge your core some more by keeping your torso upright and steady. And that calf raise? It makes things even trickier, so your core has to work extra hard to keep you from wobbling.
Unilateral exercises
All of these exercises are unilateral, meaning they work one side of the body at a time. This is great for correcting muscle imbalances, as both sides have to put in equal effort. In contrast, bilateral exercises (where both sides work together) allow you to lift heavier but can sometimes lead to your dominant side taking over and causing muscle imbalances.
While this style of exercise may feel more challenging, it also makes you think more about how your body moves. I find the more I focus on maintaining balance and control, the more I build a better connection between my mind and muscles.
Since control is so important, it’s best not to rush through these exercises. Moving too quickly can throw off your form and make the moves less effective. Instead, slowing down helps you stay in control and also increases time under tension. This is a technique that keeps your muscles working for longer and can lead to greater strength gains over time.
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