20 Best Dumbbell Leg Exercises To Build Bigger Legs

Strong legs are vital for full-body fitness, and sometimes the leg day classics just aren’t cutting it. Adding dumbbells to your leg exercises will bring you a whole new world of leg strength, taking your workout to the next-level and burning up those thighs, quads, and calves.

Dumbbells are an incredibly versatile piece of equipment, and there are hundreds of different exercises that can be performed for the upper and lower body.

There are a number of benefits associated with dumbbell leg workouts. Adding weight is an easy way to up the ante on the type of exercise, and dumbbells allow you to do it at home without having to invest in a pricey piece of gym equipment. In fact, dumbbells tend to get the job done better than the fancy machines and barbell racks.

What muscles are you working?

The leg is divided into the upper leg (thigh) and lower leg (calf).

The upper leg consists of one bone, the femur, whereas the lower leg consists of two bones, the tibia (located on the big-toe side) and fibula (on the little toe side).

The legs consist of dozens of muscles that flex, bend, extend, adduct, abduct, and rotate your legs and allow movement.

This ultimate barbell leg workout focuses on four main muscle groups — the quadricepshamstringsglutes, and calves.

Understanding how they all fit together and work with each other will ensure you get the most out of your leg workout.

Leg Muscle Anatomy

Quadriceps

The quadriceps femoris, located in front of the thigh, has four separate heads: 1. Vastus medialis 2. Rectus femoris  3. Vastus lateralis 4. Vastus intermedius 

Hamstrings

The hamstrings, located behind the thigh, are a group of three muscles that originate from the ischium bone of the pelvis: Biceps femorisSemimembranosusSemitendinosus 

Gluteals

The gluteus maximus arises from a large area on the rear of the pelvic bone, passes down behind the hip joint, and attaches to the upper femur. This powerful muscle causes hip extension.

Calves

The lower leg contains 10 different muscles. The calf comprises two muscles: The gastrocnemius and Soleus.

Other thigh muscles include the following: Hip adductors (Inner thigh), hip abductors, hip flexors.

This blog contains detailed descriptions of all major barbell leg exercises that focus on the quadriceps, hamstring, glutes, and Calf muscles.

The Barbell leg exercises are divided into squat exercises, barbell Deadlift, barbell lunge, and Calf raise exercises.

Benefits Of Dumbbell Leg Workout

Here are many advantages of doing dumbbell leg strengthening exercises and Workouts, such as:

  • Dumbbells require more balance than barbells or machines that can lead to greater muscle fiber recruitment.
  • Dumbbell leg workout allows unilateral training (training one limb at a time), increase core stability, and improve muscular imbalances.
  • Machines limit our range of motion to the predetermined track that they’re set on, and barbells are large, cumbersome, and generally awkward to move around with. Dumbbells don’t have either of those limitations and allow for free-range on any plane of motion.
  • There are truly limitless ways to integrate them into your leg workouts, each of which allows you to target your lower body muscles from all different angles.
  • It affords a greater level of variety, which prevents physical and mental burnout.
  • The dumbbell leg exercises variations allow for a greater range of movement (ROM).

Best Dumbbell Leg Exercises and Workout

Here are our top 20 dumbbell leg workouts to help you start off on the right foot and make your leg day much more interesting.

1. Dumbbell Deadlift

Dumbbell Deadlift Exercise is the best variation of the classic barbell deadlift. This is one of the best dumbbell exercises to add mass in hamstring and other posterior chain muscles.

The Deadlift exercise can be performed using either a barbell or a pair of dumbbells. One of the biggest benefits of using dumbbells for deadlifts is that they increase the range of motion you can work in comparison to barbell deadlifts.

Dumbbell Deadlift
Muscles Worked

Primary: Erector spinae, Gluteals, Hamstrings.

Secondary: Trapezius, Latissimus dorsi, Quadriceps, Forearms.

Execution Technique
  1. Place a dumbbell in front of you. Grab the Dumbbells with each of your hands. Remember to keep your back as straight as possible. Contract your back and hamstrings.
  2. Raise the dumbbell from the ground using your hamstrings and glutes. You should keep your legs slightly bent, back straight, and head looking up.
  3. Raise it to the point where your body is erect. Do not hyperextend your body as the weight shifts to the lumbar spine. Hold the bar for a moment at the top of the lift and remember to the lockout.
  4. Then, lower the dumbbells slowly at a steady, slow pace by bending at the hips and then at the knees.
Tips
  • Do not go through half of the exercise, complete the lift.
  • If a deadlift is performed incorrectly, it can cause more harm than good. Keep the back straight at all costs.
  • Avoid jerky movements and keep motion-controlled.

2. Dumbbell Squat

Dumbbell Squats are an excellent alternative to barbell squats to build quality muscle mass in the legs. These leg exercises are done standing with a pair of Dumbbells.

One benefit the dumbbell squat has over the barbell squat is that you can perform it anywhere, and there’s no need for a spotter.

Dumbbell Squat
Dumbbell Squat
Muscles Worked

Primary: Quadriceps, gluteals.

Secondary: Hamstrings, adductors, spinal erectors, abdominals.

Execution Technique
  1. Grab hold of a pair of heavy dumbbells and stand upright with feet shoulder feet apart.
  2. Bend your knees and lower yourself with your back straight and head up until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
  3. Now raise yourself up using only the thigh power, keeping your back straight in a position with legs nearly locked out.
  4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Tips
  • Keep your torso upright, shoulders back, head up, and feet flat.
  • Exhale while moving up.
  • Warm up well before dumbbell leg workout.

3. Dumbbell Lunges

Dumbbell lunges require good balance, so if you have issues keeping your balance, start by doing the lunges exercise without weights as you learn the proper form.

Be careful that the knee of the forward leg does not extend past the toes as you bend the leg. This can aggravate the knee joint if done too much and lead to an injury.

Squeeze your butts at the end of this movement for full benefit. Feet together stance is recommended. Must add Dumbbell Lunges in your leg workout, Regime.

Dumbbell Lunges
Dumbbell Lunges
Muscles Worked

Primary: Quadriceps.

Secondary: Gluteals, hamstrings, adductors.

Execution Technique
  1. Grab hold a dumbbell in each hand, with your arms by your sides, and stand upright.
  2. Keeping your back straight, take a step forward, bending your knees and getting them as close to the floor as possible.
  3. Push yourself back to the starting position and repeat with the other foot.
  4. Keep alternating the leg with which you lunge.
Tips
  • Bend as far and low as possible without losing form.
  • Keep your torso upright and your head facing forward.
  • If you suffer from balance problems, it is best either avoid it, or just use your own bodyweight while holding on to a steady object.

4. Dumbbell Sumo Squat

The dumbbell sumo squat is a popular leg workout using a single dumbbell held in front of the legs.

It is performed with a wider than shoulder-width stance, which increases the demand on the glutes, hamstrings, and adductors while still benefiting the quads, core, and upper body.

The dumbbell sumo squat exercise is also easy on your lower back, which makes it suitable for people who suffer from lower-back pain.

Dumbbell Sumo Squat
Muscles Worked

Primary: Quadriceps,

Secondary: Hamstrings, adductors, spinal erectors, abdominals, Gluteus Maximus.

Execution Technique
  1. Grab a heavy dumbbell and hold one end with both hands.
  2. Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart and turn your feet out, externally rotating your hips.
  3. Take a deep breath in, then push your hips backward, lowering into a squat. Keep your core tight, back straight, and knees forward.
  4. Pause, then exhale and make sure you’re pushing through your heels and engaging your inner thighs as you come back to your starting position.
Tips
  • Do not allow the dumbbell to contact the floor.
  • If available, stand on an elevated surface to allow room for the full range of motion.
  • The lower back should have a natural arch with chest out. Keep your abs tight throughout exercise.

5. Dumbbell Step Up

The dumbbell step-up is a great leg workout for building lower-body strength and power.

This exercise targets quadriceps and also involves calves and glutes & hip flexors.

The step-up is a great all-round exercise that is perfect for all, since it can be modified to create a challenging workout for anyone, whether you have just started exercising or have been training for years.

Dumbbell Step Up
Muscles Worked

Primary: Quadriceps.

Secondary: Gluteals, hamstrings, Soleus, Gastrocnemius

Execution Technique
  1. Place a knee-high box or bench in front of you and grasp a dumbbell in each hand or use just your body weight.
  2. Stand with your feet in a comfortable hip-width stance. Step forward with one leg onto the step and drive through that thigh to bring your body upward.
  3. Bring the trailing leg to the top of the step and stand on the box, then step back with the opposite leg to the floor and lower yourself.
  4. Alternate legs with each rep. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Tips
  • Control the movement, using your muscles to slowly lift and lower yourself.
  • Be sure to keep your low back in its natural arch and your upper body upright throughout the whole movement.
  • Keep your body upright and your feet and knees pointing in the same direction.

6. Lying Dumbbell Leg Curl

The dumbbell leg curl is useful when you don’t have access to a leg curl machine.

It is one of the best isolation exercises to build mass and strength in the hamstring muscles.

The most difficult element of the dumbbell leg curl workout is learning how to hold the dumbbell securely between your feet. This becomes increasingly trickier the heavier the dumbbell becomes. Therefore, start light until you get used to the exercise.

Lying Dumbbell Leg Curl
Lying Dumbbell Leg Curl
Muscles Worked

Primary: Hamstrings.

Secondary: Gluteals, Calf muscles.

Execution Technique
  1. Place a dumbbell between your feet and lie down on a flat bench with your legs extended.
  2. Hold on to the edge of the pad or the legs of the bench for stability.
  3. Slowly bring the weight up by flexing your knees until your lower legs are just short of vertical.
  4. Slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position. Repeat for desired reps.
Tips
  • Do not curl the dumbbell until you are confident that it is being held securely between your feet.
  • Focus on moving the weight with your hamstrings, utilizing a full range of motion. 
  • Use a light dumbbell to get the form down before attempting heavier dumbbell leg curls.

7. Dumbbell Front Squat

The squat and the dumbbell front squat work the same target and synergistic muscles. However, the dumbbell front squat recruits more stabilizer muscles, including various back muscles, your shoulders, and your chest.

The dumbbell front squat is the best option for leg workout, it is more advanced than the barbell squat. However, it is not as effective at building mass because it doesn’t permit as much weight to be lifted.

Dumbbell Front Squat
Muscles Worked

Primary: Quadriceps, gluteals.

Secondary: Hamstrings, adductors, spinal erectors, abdominals.

Execution Technique
  1. Step on a Smith machine and get the bar on your shoulders in front of you, grasping it with your crossed arms and lift it off the rack.
  2. Maintain the natural arch in your lower back and keep your head directed forward.
  3. Perform a squat, bending your knees and driving your hips back to lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
  4. From this position push yourself back to the starting point.
Tips
  • Start light and add weight gradually, allowing your legs and lower back time to adapt.
  • If lifting heavy, have a spotter ready, or use a squat rack or power rack.

8. Dumbbell Box Squat

The Dumbbell box squat is a compound exercise that uses a dumbbell and plyometric box to work for muscle groups throughout your body.

The posture of box squats puts slightly less pressure on your knee joints when compared to front squats or back squats.

This is a great exercise for learning how to squat because it reinforces the sitting-back portion of the squat.

Dumbbell Box Squat

Muscles Worked

Primary: Quadriceps, gluteals.

Secondary: Hamstrings, adductors, spinal erectors, abdominals.

Execution Technique
  1. Place a box or bench that is about knee height behind you in the power rack or squat rack.
  2. Unrack the bar and move back so that you are several inches in front of the box or bench.
  3. Your posture should be tall, with your feet wider than hip-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Your shoulders should be directly over your hips, with your head and neck in a neutral position.
  4. Squat back and down until your glutes make contact with the box, and immediately explode back up by pressing through your heels until you’re back in the standing position. Do not “plop” or fully sit down on the box.
Tips
  • As you stand, keep your chest high and squeeze your glutes
  • The goal is to squat down slowly and softly on the box and then immediately explode up.
  • Do not sit on the box and rock backwards, as this leads to compression of the spine; just pause and immediately raise.

9. Dumbbell Stiff-Leg Deadlift

If you’re looking for a straightforward dumbbell leg workout and exercises to build mass and strength in your hamstring, then dumbbell stiff leg deadlift, is a great staple exercise to get you started.

The dumbbell stiff-leg deadlift for hamstrings requires a lighter weight than that used during traditional powerlifting for strengthening the lower back.

Dumbbell Stiff-Leg Deadlift
Muscles Worked

Primary: Hamstring, Gluteals.

Secondary: Spinal erectors, Quadriceps.

Execution Technique
  1. Grasp a dumbbell in each hand using a shoulder-width pronated (overhand) grip.
  2. Keeping your back straight, head up, and hips low, lift the dumbbell into a standing position.
  3. Flex your knees a little and push your hips backward and slowly lower the dumbbell down the front of your legs. Descend until you feel a mild stretch in your hamstrings.
  4. Exhale as you pull the dumbbell back up to the starting position by pushing your hips forward.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of reps.
Tips
  • Keep your knees stiff, your back and arms straight, and your head up.
  • Do not allow the dumbbell to drift away from your body during the lift. Keep the dumbbell close to your body.
  • Lower the weight until your hamstrings reach full stretch without rounding your spine.

10. Dumbbell Reverse Lunges

Dumbbell Reverse Lunges are an excellent leg exercise to build thigh muscles and glutes. Along with squats, lunges are highly recommended to build your butt muscles.

  • A small lunge places emphasis on your quadriceps, whereas a large lunge places emphasis on your gluteus maximus.
  • The dumbbell reverse lunge is great for developing balance, coordination, and unilateral lower-body strength. Start light until you learn balance.
Dumbbell Reverse Lunges
Dumbbell Reverse Lunges
Muscles Worked

Primary: Quadriceps.

Secondary: Gluteals, hamstrings, adductors.

Execution Technique
  1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, with your arms by your sides, and stand upright.
  2. Keeping your torso upright, inhale as you take a large step backward with one leg and plant your forefoot behind you. As you do so, flex the knee and hip of your front leg to allow yourself to descend into a kneeling position. However, do not allow your rear knee to make contact with the floor.
  3. Exhale as you get back up into the starting position by extending the knee and hip of your front leg and pushing off with your rear leg.
  4. Repeat the movement with your opposite leg.
  5. Keep alternating the leg with which you lunge backward.
Tips
  • Keep your feet and knees pointing in the same direction.
  • Keep your torso upright and your head facing forward.
  • Be careful that the knee of the forward leg does not extend past the toes as you bend the leg.
  • If you suffer from balance problems, it is best either avoid it, or just use your own bodyweight while holding on to a steady object.

11. Dumbbell Swing

If you’re looking for one more effective leg workouts for mass and strength, try the dumbbell swing.

Kettlebell swings are based on the deadlift movement pattern and hit almost every muscle in the body, especially those of the posterior chain, resulting in a stronger back and hips.

The kettlebell swing can be used in cardio circuits and to strengthen your posterior chain muscles.

Dumbbell Swing
Dumbbell Swing
Muscles Worked

Primary: Hamstring, Gluteals.

Secondary: Spinal erectors, Quadriceps.

Execution Technique
  1. Place your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and stand in a spine-neutral position and your arms in front of your body and use both hands, palms down, to hold the kettlebell.
  2. With your knees bent slightly and hips thrust back, adopt a squat like position, but refrain from going as far down.
  3. Drive your hips forward while swinging the kettlebell forward and up to shoulder height. You should feel your hips and glutes engaging in this motion.
  4. The kettlebell should then be lowered back between your legs and the swinging motion repeated for 12-15 repetitions.
Tips
  • Keep your head up, your core tight, your back straight, and your feet flat.
  • Do not swing the kettlebell too high, stop when your arms are parallel with the floor.

12. Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat

The dumbbell Bulgarian split squat also known as the single-leg dumbbell split squat and the back-foot-elevated split squat.

It is an effective auxiliary exercise for improving your squat and lunge. It is also great for enhancing your balance and developing unilateral functional strength.

To promote equal contralateral strength (equal strength in both sides), start with your weak leg, and do not do more repetitions with your strong leg.

Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat
Muscles Worked

Primary: Quadriceps.

Secondary: Gluteals, hamstrings, adductors.

Execution Technique
  1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, with your arms by your sides, and stand with your back facing the side of a bench. There should be three or four feet of space between you and the bench.
  2. Extend one leg backward and place the top of your foot on the bench so that your body is being supported by only one leg.
  3. Keeping your torso upright, inhale as you squat down with your supporting leg until the knee of your back leg nearly touches the floor.
  4. Exhale as you push yourself back up to the starting position, driving through your heel.
  5. Repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions. Repeat the exercise with your opposite leg.
Tips
  • When you squat, your front knee should not pass your toes.
  • Keep your torso upright and your head facing forward.
  • If you suffer from balance problems, it is best either avoid it, or just use your own bodyweight while holding on to a steady object.

13. Dumbbell Jump Squat

Dumbbell Jump squats are the power packed HIIT version of squats. They are also known as squat jumps.

Dumbbell Squat jumps and their variations help shed fat from the body, tone your butt and legs, and improve strength and balance.

Squat jumps are a great dumbbell exercise to include in-home Leg workouts, since they can be done in a small space without any equipment.

Dumbbell Jump Squat
Dumbbell Jump Squat
Muscles Worked

Primary: Quadriceps, gluteals.

Secondary: Hamstrings, adductors, spinal erectors, calf, abdominals.

Execution Technique
  1. Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
  2. Quickly drop down by bending at the knees and hips, letting your glutes track backward to lower yourself into a squat.
  3. At the point where your thighs are parallel to the floor, quickly and explosively reverse direction, driving up through your heels and the balls of your feet to lift your body off the floor as high as possible.
  4. Land with soft knees and immediately lower into the next rep.
Tips
  • Keep your head up and your torso upright.
  • Don’t perform this exercise with cold muscles. Do a cardio warm up before it.

14. Dumbbell Farmers Walk

The dumbbell farmer’s walk is a great exercise for improving your overall strength and functional fitness by strengthening your core, back, glutes, legs, and gait.

The farmer’s walk exercise also called the farmer’s carry, is a strength and conditioning exercise in which you hold a heavy load in each hand while walking for a designated distance.

It might be one of the classic exercises and a move that man’s been doing since the beginning of time. Must add dumbbell farmer walk in your leg workouts.

Dumbbell Farmers Walk
Muscles Worked

Primary: Trapezius, Levator Scapulae, Rhomboids, Erector Spinae, Abs.

Secondary: Gluteus Maximus, Hamstrings, Quadriceps.

Execution Technique
  1. Deadlift a pair of dumbbells from the floor. Reach down, bending at the hips and knees, and grasp the dumbbells in each hand.
  2. Hold the dumbbells at your side with a firm grip. Stand tall, keeping your shoulders, back, and core tight.
  3. Take small steps and walk forward at an even pace with your eyes focused straight ahead of you.
  4. Complete the desired amount of steps, come to a stop, and place the dumbbells down while keeping a tight core and neutral spine.
Tips
  • Focus on squeezing your shoulder blades and tightening your abs.
  • Keep a neutral or straight spine throughout the movement to avoid injury.

15. One leg Dumbbell Romanian Deadlifts

The single leg Dumbbell RDL is a unilateral movement, so it is going to help increase the demand on your core and hips demand through anti-rotation.

Overall, it’s a great exercise for increasing hamstring and glute health, reinforcing proper hamstring engagement during deadlifts, improving joint function at the hips, and enhancing bilateral strength and performance.

One leg Dumbbell Romanian Deadlifts
Muscles Worked

Primary: Erector spinae, Gluteals, Hamstrings.

Secondary: Trapezius, Latissimus dorsi, Quadriceps, Forearms.

Execution Technique
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent, and raise one leg off the floor. Flex the knee on your standing/support leg about 15-20% to activate the glutes.
  2. Without changing the bend in your knee, keep your back naturally arched, bend (hinge) at your hips, and lower your torso until it’s almost parallel to the floor.
  3. Briefly pause at the bottom, then squeeze your glutes, thrust your hips forward, and raise your torso back to the starting position.
  4. Repeat until you complete the prescribed number of repetitions (10-15 reps with light or no weight and 6-8 with moderate to heavy weight….shoot for 3 sets on each leg).
Tips
  • Make sure your back stays neutral throughout the movement.
  • Keep soft knees and ensure the movement occurs primarily at your hips.

16. Dumbbell One Leg Hip Thrust

Dumbbell One Leg Hip Thrust is a popular exercise which is used to target the glutes and hamstrings for muscle and strength-building purposes.

Now, a lot of people are afraid to perform this movement or just not interested since it requires a little setup, and may even look a little funny.

Dumbbell One Leg Hip Thrust
Muscles Worked

Primary: Gluteus Maximus

Secondary: Quadriceps, Hamstrings

Execution Technique
  1. Holding a weight (Dumbbell or plate) with both hands, sit on the side of a bench and rest the weight plate on your abdomen.
  2. Carefully slide your buttocks off the side of the bench and rest your back against the edge of the bench at the level just below your shoulder blades.
  3. Raise one leg off the floor. Keeping your torso rigid and both hands on the plate, exhale as you raise the weight plate by extending the hip of your supporting leg.
  4. Hold for a count of two and squeeze your glute.
  5. Inhale as you lower the weight plate to the starting position by flexing the hip of your supporting leg.
  6. Repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions. Repeat the exercise with your opposite leg.
Tips
  • To prevent the bench from tipping over, place it against a wall.
  • Do not allow your back to arch or your pelvis to tilt. Keep your torso rigid.
  • Keep your torso rigid. Your back shouldn’t arch, and your pelvis shouldn’t tilt.
  • All the movement should occur in your hips.

17. Dumbbell Goblet Squat

The dumbbell goblet squat is a variation of the squat and an exercise used to build the muscles of the legs. In particular, the dumbbell goblet squat will place a lot of emphasis on the quads.

This Dumbbell compound leg workout will help you build serious leg and glute strength.

Dumbbell Goblet Squat
Muscles Worked

Primary: Quadriceps, gluteals.

Secondary: Hamstrings, adductors, spinal erectors, abdominals.

Execution Technique
  1. Select a dumbbell and position it at chest height with one hand under each edge of the dumbbell.
  2. Take a deep breath and descend by simultaneously pushing the hips back and bending the knees.
  3. Once your thighs reach parallel with the floor, begin to reverse the movement.
  4. Keep your abs braced and drive your feet through the floor.
  5. Drive back to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of repetitions
Tips
  • Experiment with a “false” (i.e. thumbless) grip, as this helps to eliminate elbow and wrist issues in some folks.
  • As you stand, keep your chest high and squeeze your glutes

18. Standing Dumbbell Calf Raise

If you want to train the calf muscles, the Standing dumbbell calf raise is one of the most suitable exercises for this. 

This exercise can be performed anywhere with a dumbbell only, and it is also possible to perform the exercise without a machine. The calf raise is an exercise that can be found in many training plans.

To work your calve muscles harder than a bodyweight standing calf raise, you can add resistance to the move.

Standing Dumbbell Calf Raise
Muscles Worked

Primary: Gastrocnemius.

Secondary: Soleus.

Execution Technique
  1. Hold a weight in each hand. Stand up straight on stepper with your feet facing forward and placed hip-width apart.
  2. Keep a slight bend in your knee and hold your hands by your side. Raise your heels by pressing the balls of your feet into the ground.
  3. You should move your body upwards until you’re stood on your toes.
  4. Hold this position and then slowly lower your heels back to the ground.
Tips
  • Pause and squeeze for a count of 1-2 at the top of the movement for added intensity.
  • Keep the balls of your feet on the edge of the block/step. If you allow the balls of your feet to come in more, the exercise becomes easier

19. Standing Dumbbell One Leg Calf Raise

Single leg calf raises are one of the best ways of building your calf muscles.

It is a very effective isolation exercise which targets the Gastrocnemius and Soleus muscles.

You can do the standing dumbbell one-leg calf raise on the floor if you don’t have a platform to perform the exercise from.

Standing Dumbbell One Leg Calf Raise
Standing Dumbbell One Leg Calf Raise
Muscles Worked

Primary: Gastrocnemius.

Secondary: Soleus.

Execution Technique
  1. Hold a dumbbell by your side, in your left hand. With your left foot, stand on a platform, with the arch and heel of your foot suspending off.
  2. Grasp something with your right hand for stability. Exhale as you raise your heel by extending your ankle.
  3. Hold for a count. Inhale as you slowly reverse the motion and lower your heel until you feel a mild stretch in your calf.
  4. Hold for a count of one. Repeat for more repetitions. Repeat with your right leg.
Tips
  • Keep the movement slow and under control.
  • Do not lock out your knee.

20. Seated Dumbbell One Leg Calf Raise

The seated dumbbell one-leg calf raise places more stress on the soleus than it does on the gastrocnemius.

It may also be performed with both legs simultaneously, but doing it one leg at a time is recommended to execute it as properly and safely as possible.

It can be used as an alternative to the machine seated one-leg calf raise if you do not have access to the seated calf raise machine.

Seated Dumbbell One Leg Calf Raise
Muscles Worked

Primary: Soleus.

Secondary: Gastrocnemius.

Execution Technique
  1. Sit with the front of your right foot placed on top of a block or step in front of you. Hips and knees should be bent at a ninety-degree angle.
  2. Dip the heel of your right foot as low as it can go.
  3. Hold a dumbbell vertically on top of your right knee. Exhale as you lift your right heel as high as possible, pushing against the dumbbell’s weight.
  4. Keep your right heel lifted for 2 counts. Slowly lower it as you inhale. Repeat the desired number of repetitions.
  5. Repeat the exercise on your left foot.
Tips
  • Move slowly as you stretch your calf muscle.
  • Make sure you hold the stretch for a second at the top returning to the starting position.
  • Engage your core to keep your torso upright throughout the exercise.

Thanks for reading, enjoy working your Leg Exercises!

Takeaways

These top 12 exercises for building Mass and strength in your hamstrings will ensure that your leg muscles will be able to do their part in supporting the core strength and stability of your body throughout your training.

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