Everybody wants to have a gorgeous relief body . You always want to show beautiful muscles to others, but not everyone knows how to pump them correctly. Most often, both women and men train the lower body, so exercises for legs with dumbbells have been specially developed for such personalities. They can be performed both in the gym and independently at home.
Effective Dumbbell Leg Exercises
Experienced athletes, of course, are able to independently compose a suitable program for themselves, based on their own strengths. It necessarily includes exercises for the legs with dumbbells, thanks to which you can become the owner of elegant legs.
Beginners, however, do not know at all what they are capable of; therefore, they cannot cope without the help of specialists. In order to pump up leg muscles, they can go to the gym, but not everyone has such an opportunity, therefore, in this case, a home set of exercises for the legs with dumbbells is needed. Below is the best option, which is used not only by novice athletes, but also by more experienced ones. It includes exercises that work out various muscle groups. To do this, you only need to take dumbbells, a rug, comfortable clothes, and also allocate a little time for classes.
Warm up
A very important point before performing any exercise for the legs with dumbbells at home is a warm-up. It takes no more than 15 minutes, so you should not miss it in any case. The warm-up must include:
- running in place for one minute with knees high
- at a fast pace about 10 jumps forward;
- alternate swings with legs forward, to the side and back;
- up to 20 lifts on socks without extra weight;
- standard stretching (standing and sitting);
- “scissors” standing (taking one step forward and the other back, you need to change their places in the jump).
After the warm-up process is completed, it is time to start doing exercises for the legs with dumbbells. The following complex includes lunges, squats, as well as several additional exercises that complete the workout, giving the final dose of the load on the leg muscles.
Bulgarian lunges
Beginners have little knowledge of this exercise, so they are unlikely to know how to properly lunges with this type of dumbbell. In this case, the shells load the target muscles.
To do this, you need to take dumbbells in your hands, stand with your back to a horizontal bench or chair and take a wide step forward with one foot, and raise the second foot should be placed on a bench or chair. The supporting leg should be slightly bent at the knee, the back should be kept level, and the gaze should be directed forward all the time.
Taking a breath, you need to slowly lower down, while bending the supporting leg and at the same time tilting the body forward. The lowest point will be the point at which the thigh of the supporting leg becomes parallel to the floor. Then you should exhale and rise smoothly, but do not straighten the knee completely.
In the first week of training, it will be quite enough for beginners to perform up to 8-10 repetitions in 2-3 approaches. When it becomes easier to carry them out, it is necessary to increase the number of repetitions by 5.
Side lunges
Exercise, which works well on the quadriceps of the thigh, is very useful not only for building a chic figure, but also for strengthening the musculoskeletal system.
As in the previous exercise, dumbbells of the required weight should be held in hands. To begin with, you should take the position of a soldier (stand up straight with your feet together), and keep your hands in front of you.
One leg must be taken aside to a distance that equals twice the width of the shoulders. Then you should transfer the weight to one leg, slowly bending it at the knee, while taking the pelvis back, and tilting the body forward. The back should be slightly bent during the lunge, and one of the legs should be flat. Having reached the bottom point, you need to dynamically return to the starting position, after which change your leg and repeat the same thing.
The number of sets and reps must be considered in the same way as in the previous exercise.
Plie Squats
Now it's time to start doing your favorite dumbbell squats. For girls, this kind of squats plays a very big role. After all, with plie, you can get rid of cellulite and turn fat deposits into muscles. Although it sounds strange to someone, not only girls can perform squats of this type. Men also do not mind to use their own adductor muscles, as well as gluteal muscles.
To perform this exercise, you will need to take only one dumbbell, but of a greater weight. It must be grabbed at the base of the disc with both hands. The legs should be positioned shoulder-width apart by turning the socks outward 45 degrees.
Without bending your back and knees, take a deep breath and lower yourself into a squat to a position where the thigh and lower leg form a clear right angle. At this point, you need to linger for about 3-5 seconds, all this time being in tension. Then you should exhale and rise up to the starting position, without bending your legs to the end.
It is recommended to start doing plie squats with 2 sets of 5-8 reps. In each subsequent workout, it is advisable to increase the number of repetitions by 1.
Squat
Another perfect dumbbell squat for girls and men. They are known to all, because many people perform such exercises simply as a morning exercise. Squats work effectively on the quadriceps of the thigh, as well as the buttocks. They are a great alternative to barbell squats, which not everyone can place at home.
A dumbbell of sufficient mass should be taken in each hand, while holding a neutral grip, turning the palms to the body. The legs should be placed slightly wider than the shoulders, spreading the socks slightly to the sides, and hands should be lowered along the body.
Having straightened your back and taking a breath, you need to simultaneously take your pelvis back and squat, bending both knees. Having reached the parallelism of the hips and the floor, you should exhale and slowly return to its original position, making a push with your heels. Approaching the highest point, you do not need to extend your legs completely.
Since the exercise is simple, it will take longer to complete than the previous ones. Beginners who have not yet developed musculature should start with 3 approaches, each with 15 repetitions. Weekly, the number of repetitions should be increased by about 5-8 times. For more experienced athletes who want to maintain their shape at home, you need to do 3-4 approaches in 25-30 reps.
Additional exercises
In addition to the basic ones, there are also additional exercises with dumbbells for legs and buttocks. They should also be paid attention to, because they will be the perfect conclusion to any workout.
Such exercises with dumbbells for the muscles of the legs are recommended for both beginners and professionals in order to obtain the maximum effect.
Deadlift
The first exercise is deadlift, which is performed on straight legs using dumbbells. She focuses on the study of the muscles of the buttocks, as well as the back of the thigh.
Having picked up the dumbbells, standing up straight and bringing the shoulder blades, you need to spread your legs shoulder-width apart, bending your back in the lumbar region. Hands with dumbbells can be held either along the body, or in front of you. The knees must be loosened and slightly bent. During traction, you need to look only forward, focusing on the exercise, not being distracted by external factors.
After inhaling, you need to tilt the body forward, take the pelvis back and keep the knees motionless. Dumbbells must be kept at some distance from the lower legs. At this time, you should stretch the muscles at the lowest point, holding out in this position for about a couple of seconds, but no more. Then you need to make a smooth exhale and gradually rise to the starting position. At the last point, remember to reduce the blades.
Deadlift
This exercise is a simplified version of standard rod traction. Most of the load when performing goes to the muscles of the back and legs.
Having lowered into a pose of a deep squat, you should take a dumbbell in both hands with a direct grip. The back must be straight, while you need to strain the muscles of the core. As you exhale, you must lift. Having clearly taken the starting position, it is necessary to place the feet wider than the shoulders, bend in the lower back and lower your arms with shells.
Gathering strength, you need to make an inclination forward, while at the same time moving your pelvis back and bending your knees. When the dumbbells touch the knees, you should smoothly return to the starting position, first extending the knees, and only then straightening the back.
Climbing toes
The simplest exercise aimed at strengthening the calf muscles can be easily performed in the gym, at home, on the street. It is ideal not only for people who have connected their lives with sports, but also for those who daily walk a considerable distance on foot.
Taking the dumbbells, standing straight and arms extended along the body, you should position the foot so that the heel is confidently standing on the floor. Legs need to be parted slightly wider than shoulders.
After exhaling, you need to rise as slowly as possible on the socks as high as possible and, having reached the highest point, linger for about one to two seconds. Then you should breathe in and just as slowly descend to the starting position. It is advisable not to touch the heels of the floor and keep the muscles of the legs tense all the time, but if the balance cannot be maintained for the first time, you can still touch the heels of the surface.
During lifts you do not need to bend your knees, because in this case the exercise will already turn into a squat and, accordingly, the desired effect will not be obtained. If desired, it is possible to carry out lifts not on both legs at once, but on one, alternating them through a certain number of repetitions.