Sometimes you have the time and inclination to hit the gym for a long leg workout that uses multiple machines and types of free weight. And sometimes you just have 10 minutes, a set of dumbbells, and enough room to stand.
If you have a set of the best adjustable dumbbells you can change the weight as required to suit each exercise, but since you’ll be doing lower body moves that work the biggest muscle groups in the body, a fairly heavy weight is best to provide enough of a challenge to stimulate growth and strength gains.
Then you'll be able to take on this 10-minute workout from YouTube fitness trainer FitByMik. It’s a standing workout and you only need a set of dumbbells to do it — for reference Mikala herself is using two 15lb weights, so opting for a medium set is a good way to go.
Watch FitByMik’s 10-minute workout
During the workout you’ll be working for 45 seconds and then resting for 15 seconds, during which time Mikala will explain the next exercise. Many of the exercises involve combining different movements like lunges and leg lifts, so pay attention to Mikala to make sure you know what’s coming next.
The workout includes a quick warm up and cool down, which will help you get the most from the exercises themselves and also recover quicker. This does take it past the 10-minute mark but it’s worth doing both if you do have an extra minute or two to spare.
While you only have 10 minutes of work to do it’s still best to do each move slowly and with control to ensure your technique is on point and that you’re engaging the right muscles for each exercise.
If you move with control throughout each 45-second work period you’ll almost certainly find that your muscles are burning by the end, and if you do want a sterner challenge you can always increase the weight you use or do another round of the workout if you have 10 more minutes to spare.
The workout involves variations on several classic leg exercises like squats, lunges and deadlifts, all of which will be worth remembering and adding to your exercise arsenal so you can use them for future workouts.
If you’re looking for other quick sessions to add to your training routine, this 10-minute abs workout is great for your core strength, and this 15-minute kettlebell workout powers up the whole body.
Training for longer will be beneficial for your fitness and strength when you do have the time, but any workout is a good workout, and both your physical and mental health will benefit from short sessions like this one. Remember that to see progress you need to back up your training by eating healthily and sleeping well where possible.
Over time as you get fitter it’s important to also progress your workouts, no matter how long or short they are, by using heavier weights or doing more challenging variations of the exercises involved. Use the principles of progressive overload to ensure you continue to improve and get stronger.
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