Are you looking for a simple dumbbell workout to get you started on your weight training journey? Look no further than this one. It’s simple and targets all the major muscle groups and movement patterns in the lower body. Reps are given beside each exercise, complete 3 sets of each exercise before moving on to the next one.
Goblet Squat (10-12 Reps)
Taking a dumbbell or kettlebell in your hands, hold it close to your chest and reach your hips backwards like you are reaching your butt back towards an imaginary chair behind you. Keep your weight evenly distributed throughout your feet. Aim to get your thighs parallel with the floor or a 90 degree bend at the knee (not everyone will be able to get this initially and that’s okay, if you don’t have it yet just ensure you are focusing on range of motion when you practice your squatting movements). Ensure that you keep your chest high as you drop down into position. At the bottom of the movement, drive through your feet evenly and stand back up to your start position.
Dumbbell Kickstand Romanian Deadlift (10-12 Reps each side)
Take a dumbbell in each hand to the front of your body. Step back with one foot slightly creating a kickstand. Stand tall with a slight bend in the knee of the leg that’s forward with all your weight over your front let. Drive your hips backwards keeping your leg relatively straight. Keep your spine neutral as you push your hips backwards and avoid rounding the spine or in the shoulders. The bottom range of motion will vary for everyone, but most people will want to stop just below their knees (if you have perfect form and want to go further go for it). At the bottom of the movement squeeze the glutes and drive the hips forward to stand back up and return to the start position.
Dumbbell Reverse Lunge (8-10 Reps each side)
Taking a dumbbell in each hand begin with your feet together side-by-side. Step one foot back behind you and bend both your front and your back knee lower into the lunge. Your goal is to achieve a 90 degree angle at both your front and your back knee. At the bottom of the movement drive through both feet (front and back) and return to the standing position. Alternate legs completing the desired number of reps on both legs.
Dumbbell Hip Thrust (10-12 Reps)
Place just under your shoulder blades on a bench behind you and bring a dumbbell to your hips. Place your feet in a position so that when your hips are fully extended your knees are over top of your hips. Beginning from the bottom of the movement your butt will be close to the floor. Squeeze through the glutes and extend through the hips to generate a table top position at the top of the movement. Keep your feet flat on the floor throughout the movement. At the top of the movement squeeze the glutes and then slowly lower your hips back to the start position in a controlled manner.
Dumbbell Step Ups (8-10 Reps each side)
Start standing beside a solid box or bench that you can step up onto with a dumbbell in one hand (opposite hand to the leg you are stepping up with). Place one foot fully on top of the surface then lean your nose over your toes and stand up on the box or bench. At the top of the movement begin to lower yourself back to the floor in a controlled manner (this should be slow and steady, you aren’t falling back to the floor). Return to the floor fully and then repeat, complete all reps and then switch sides.
As always the video demonstrations of these exercises can be found on my Instagram page. Follow along for videos of the workouts as well.
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