My Top Quad Exercises Using Dumbbells - Let's Get It!

Many people can agree that the legs can be difficult to train at home.

It’s seems, getting the amount of resistance as you can in a fully-equipped gym with leg machines and squat racks is an impossible task.

Before you lose hope, here’s some good news: there’s a way to achieve those strong legs you’ve always wanted.

How?

By using dumbbells!

In this video, I chose five exercises to work your quads, glutes, and hamstrings.

Exercise #1: Reverse Lunge to Squat

This exercise is a variation of dumbbell lunges that targets the quads and the rest of your leg muscles. The reverse lunge to squat exercise is a foundational movement pattern that should be mastered if you want to have great legs.

Instructions:

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and set your feet apart shoulder width.
2. Step a leg backward so that your knees bend.
3. Lower your body down until the back knee meets the floor.
4. Drive through the front foot and extend the knee as you get back up to return to your starting position.
5. Repeat for as many times as you can.

Exercise #2: Lateral Lunge

This is another variation of dumbbell lunges that also targets the quads and the rest of the leg muscles.

The lateral lunge allows for better stability that challenges the core.

Instructions:

1. Hold a dumbbell on one hand and set your feet apart shoulder width.
2. The foot opposite the hand that carries the dumbbell should be stepped forward so that your knees bend.
3. Lower your body down until the back knee meets the floor.
4. Drive through the front foot and extend the knee as you get back up to return to your starting position.
5. Repeat for as many times as you can.

Exercise #3: Single Leg Glute Bridge

This is a type of hip thrust exercise that targets the glutes, obviously. The difference between the single leg glute bridge and bench glute variations is it’s a unilateral exercise. This means that you are essentially targetting each side of the body at a time, which will result in balance and better-looking physique.

Instructions:

1. Begin in a supine position with your back on a bench. Place a dumbbell in the crease of your hip.
2. At a 90 degree angle, hold one leg at the hip and drive the other foot into the floor so that your hips will be bridged up while squeezing your glute.
3. Descend your hips back to the beginning position and repeat as you desire.
4. Repeat the steps on the other side.

Exercise #4: Bulgarian Split Squat

The Bulgarian split squat with dumbbells is the preferred exercise of people who want to build a stronger squat personal record. This exercise can also be performed in order to heal imbalances in the muscles acquired through years of exclusively performing bilateral leg movements.

While considered an accessory exercise, the Bulgarian split squat is an effective exercise if you want to strengthen your quads.

Instructions:

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and set your feet apart shoulder width.
2. Step one leg backward and place it on a circular pad or bench to increase the range of motion.
3. Lower your body down by flexing the front knee and continue descending so that your back knee meets the ground directly below the hip.
4. Drive through the front foot and extend the knee as you get back up to return to your starting position.
5. Repeat for as many times as you can.

Exercise #5: Bench Pistol Squat

If you haven’t done bench pistol squats before, you may thoroughly surprised of the amount of effort you need to exert to perform this exercise properly. While it nasty, difficult, and extremely challenging, it enhances your strength like nothing else. It will also activate more leg muscles and improve your balance.

Instructions:

1. Sit down on a box or flat bench and make sure your knees are bent 90 degrees with your feet flat on the floor. Make sure your back is straight while keeping a natural arch in the lower back.
2. With dumbbells on each side, extend your arms straight in front of your body.
3. Raise your right leg off the ground and make sure your knee is locked.
4. Now press your body straight up off the bench using your left leg until it is extended straight. Make sure not to lean forward when using your left leg to push up.
5. Descend back on the bench.
6. Repeat for as many as you can.

With these five movements, you will have better leg strength and muscle definition in time.

Let us know if these exercise ideas were helpful to you, and please share this article.

Talk soon,
CC Matthews
Transformation Coach/ Pizza Lover