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Leg Workout at Home, with Dumbbells or at the Gym

Pick where you train and your level: at home with no equipment, with dumbbells or at the gym. You get a leg workout with sets, reps and rest times. Below are leg exercises with video and technique.

In short

A leg workout is a warm-up and 5 exercises: at home that is the squat, glute bridge, reverse lunge, side lunge and calf raise. Train legs 2 times a week with 48 hours between sessions; a beginner does 3 sets. The generator below builds a leg workout at home, with dumbbells or at the gym with sets, reps and rest times.

Workout settings

Where do you train
Level

Time is an estimate: warm-up, sets and rest between them

Your workout

At home, no equipment · Beginner

AtletIQ · Leg Workout at Home, with Dumbbells or at the Gym · At home, no equipment · Beginner · atletiq.com/en/exercises/legs/

Estimated time

about35minutes

5 exercises in the main part plus a warm-up of about 5 minutes.

  • Total 15 sets
  • Set ≈40 sec

Go down the list from top to bottom. In “3 × 10–12” the first number is sets and the second is reps per set. Rest between sets for the time shown.

Warm-up of about 5 minutes

Main part5 exercises

  1. 1 Bodyweight SquatSquat · Quads 3 × 15–20rest 60 sec
  2. 2 Butt Lift (Bridge)Glute bridge · Glutes 3 × 15–20rest 60 sec
  3. 3 Reverse LungeLunge · Quadseach leg 3 × 10–12rest 60 sec
  4. 4 Side LungeSide lunge · Quadseach leg 3 × 10–12rest 60 sec
  5. 5 Bodyweight Calf RaiseCalf raise · Calves 3 × 20–25rest 60 sec

With no equipment your legs build strength and endurance. To keep the muscles growing, add weight: dumbbells are a good start.

Log weights and sets in the AtletIQ appThe diary saves every workout and shows your progress

Exercises by muscle

Quads80 exercises

Squats, lunges, leg presses and leg extensions

Hamstrings39 exercises

Leg curls on a machine, on a ball and lying on your stomach

Calves15 exercises

Calf raises standing, seated and on a machine

Popular leg exercises

24 exercises

How to train

How the workout is built

Start with a leg warm-up of about 5 minutes, then do the 5 exercises in order. At home with no equipment: squat, glute bridge, reverse lunge, side lunge and calf raise; with experience, jump squat, single-leg bridge and Bulgarian split squat. With dumbbells: squat, hip hinge, lunge or split squat, step-up and calf raise. At the gym a beginner does the leg press, dumbbell lunge, leg extension, leg curl and calf raise; with experience the barbell squat, straight-leg deadlift, leg press, leg curl and calf raise.

Do “each leg” exercises on both legs: a set counts after the right and the left. For step-ups you need a stable bench or step, for calf raises with dumbbells a platform 5–7 cm high. Before barbell squats and deadlifts do 1–2 light warm-up sets.

Weight and progression

Train legs 2 times a week and leave 48 hours between leg sessions. With no weight a beginner does 3 sets and an experienced lifter 4: squats and bridges for 15–20 reps (jump squats 10–15), lunges for 10–12 per leg, calf raises for 20–25, with experience 25–30. With weight a beginner does 3 sets, usually 10–12 reps, calf raises 15–25.

With experience, with dumbbells and at the gym, the first two exercises get 4 sets (6–10 reps, barbell squat 6–8) and the rest 3 sets of 10–12 reps, leg curls and calf raises 12–20. Choose a weight that leaves 2 reps in reserve at the end of a set. When you reach the top of the rep range in every set, add weight or move to a harder variation.

Time and rest

The estimated time includes the warm-up and rest between sets. A set takes about 40 seconds, and a one-leg exercise twice as long. At home with no equipment rest 60 seconds.

With dumbbells and at the gym a beginner rests 90 seconds. With experience rest depends on the exercise: 150 seconds after the barbell squat, 120 seconds after the first two exercises, 75 seconds after the rest and 60 seconds after leg curls and calf raises.

AtletIQ app

Log weights and sets in the AtletIQ app

AtletIQ saves the weight and reps of every set, calculates your working weight and shows your progress on each exercise.

  • Working weight for your goal and fitness level
  • Sets, reps and rest in your workout log
  • Progress for every exercise
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play
GeneratorUpper body workoutAt the gym, with dumbbells and at homeMuscleQuad exercisesSquats, lunges, leg presses and leg extensions with techniqueMuscleHamstring exercisesLeg curls and hip hinges with techniqueMuscleCalf exercisesCalf raises standing, seated and on a machine

FAQ

Why do my legs hurt after a workout and what should I do?

Soreness for 1–3 days after a new or heavy workout is normal. Light walking, stretching after the workout and sleep help; train legs again once the pain has gone. If you have sharp pain in a knee or another joint, or swelling, stop the workout and see a doctor.

How many times a week should I train legs?

Twice a week, with at least 48 hours between leg workouts. In an upper/lower split legs are the lower day, and the upper day is a separate workout.

Upper body workout

Can I build my legs at home?

With no equipment your legs get stronger and build endurance: squats, lunges, bridges and calf raises. Muscles need added weight to grow. Choose “At home with dumbbells” and increase the weight gradually.

What should I do after a leg workout?

A 5–10 minute cool-down: easy walking and stretching of the front and back of the thigh, glutes and calves.

Where should a beginner start?

Choose “At home, no equipment” and the level “Beginner”: squats, bridges, reverse lunges, side lunges and calf raises for 3 sets. After 3–4 weeks move to dumbbells.

AtletIQ app

A workout log with working weight calculation: program, sets and progress on your phone.

Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play