10 Free-Weight Leg Exercises for a Complete Lower Body Workout

It’s time to stop skipping leg day. Why? Because your legs are your body’s engine. They run, jump, and move you through life. Strong legs will improve your performance in every athletic endeavor (except maybe handstand racing) and will help you maintain your mobility far into the future.

So, how do you give your legs the love and respect they deserve at the gym? While new gymgoers may be more comfortable using resistance machines, you should eventually incorporate lower-body free weight workouts into your fitness routine. Leg exercises with weights like dumbbells, kettlebells, medicine balls, weight plates, and barbells can improve your functional fitness, burn more calories, and increase your strength.

Not sure how to begin a free weight leg workout? Not to worry—we have you covered.

HOW TO START A FREE WEIGHT LEG EXERCISE ROUTINE

Before you develop a free weight leg workout, it’s important to understand how to ease yourself into a free weight routine. Your number one focus when you start using free weights should ALWAYS be on performing reps with good form. Using poor or sloppy form will not only slow your progress but can also lead to injury.

Begin each set with lighter weight, make sure you feel comfortable with your form, and then you can build up to a challenging weight. If you aren’t sure whether you’re performing your reps correctly, ask a Team Member or Personal Trainer at the gym to watch you. Only when you feel comfortable with the movement should you work to gradually increase the weight.

When deciding on your routine, be sure to use a mix of free weight leg workouts. Leg workouts with dumbbells are crucial for promoting strength and stability, while workouts with barbells and medicine balls offer additional opportunities for free weight leg workouts.

THE BEST LEG EXERCISES WITH WEIGHTS

Once you know how to start a free weight routine, you can choose your preferred free weight leg workouts. This list of the 10 best leg exercises with free weights includes options for every fitness level. This article will do its best to describe the movements accurately, but make sure to ask a Team Member to review your form before trying each movement for the first time.

1. BOX STEP-UP WITH DUMBBELLS

Works: Quads, glutes, calves, forearms

Perform: Three sets of 20 (10 on each leg)

This lower body dumbbell workout will activate many of the major muscles in your legs. To start:

1. Prepare a box you feel comfortable stepping up to. Beginners may want to start with a step platform and then add risers over time.
2. Pick up a medium weight dumbbell in each hand.
3. Start by placing your right foot on the box or riser.
4. Pushing your weight into your right foot, step up with your left foot so you are standing up tall with both feet on the box.
5. Then, while keeping your right foot on the box, bring your left foot back down to the starting position to complete the rep.
6. Complete 10 reps on this side, then switch to leading with your left foot and repeat steps three through five for 10 more reps.
7. Try to avoid jumping or using momentum while performing this exercise.

Alternatives: Use kettlebells instead of dumbbells

2. WEIGHTED CALF RAISE WITH DUMBBELLS

Works: Calves, forearms

Perform: Three sets of 10

For this lower body dumbbell workout, pick up a moderately heavy dumbbell in each hand and hold them at your sides. Then:

1. Keep your gaze forward and focus on a single point to assist with balance. Avoid locking out your knees.
2. Keeping your core tight and shoulders down, rise up onto the balls of your feet.
3. Slowly lower your heels back to the ground. Concentrate on maintaining your balance.
4. Repeat the above steps for three sets of 10.

Alternatives: You can use kettlebells instead of dumbbells and place the weights on your shoulders instead of holding them at your sides. To make the movement more challenging, stand with your heels hanging off the edge of the step, to allow for a greater range of motion.

3. WEIGHTED DUMBBELL WALKING LUNGE

Works: Quads, glutes, core

Perform: Three sets of 20 (10 on each leg)

This dumbbell leg exercise is one of the most fundamental leg exercises with free weights. To start:

1. Choose a pair of medium weight dumbbells and place a dumbbell on each shoulder. Hold onto the dumbbells so they don’t fall.
2. Starting from a standing position with legs together, step forward and lunge.
3. Try to lunge low enough so that your front knee bends at 90 degrees.
4. Your back knee should either touch the ground or hover just above the floor. Make sure your front knee doesn’t move past your toes.
5. Use your glutes and your core to stand up and return to the starting position.
6. Repeat steps two through five for 10 reps.
7. Then switch sides and lead with the opposite leg for 10 reps.

Alternatives: When first starting this movement, it may be easier to lunge in place. You can choose to lunge backward or forward. If you have knee issues, place a yoga mat or towel under your back knee. You can also choose to stand from your lunge, bringing your feet together before lunging with the opposite leg. Finally, weighted lunges can also be performed with kettlebells, a weight plate held to the chest, or a barbell held on the shoulders.

4. WEIGHTED GLUTE BRIDGE

Works: Glutes, hamstrings

Perform: Three sets of 10

The glutes are the power center of your body, so this free weight leg workout is an excellent way to tone and strengthen your glutes. Choose a medium-to-heavy weight plate for this one. Then:

1. Lay on your back (you may wish to lay on a mat). Bend your knees while keeping both heels on the ground. Let the weight plate rest on your hip bones and hold onto the plate to keep it in place.
2. Squeezing your glutes, push your hips up toward the ceiling and lift your lower body  off the mat, while keeping your shoulders on the ground.
3. Hold at the top for one second, then lower your glutes back to the ground.
4. Don’t allow yourself to rest on the ground. Immediately squeeze and lift again.

Alternatives: You can also switch the weight plate for a heavy dumbbell or kettlebell. To make this movement harder, straighten one leg at the top of each rep. Alternate legs.

5. KETTLEBELL GOBLET SQUAT

Works: Quads, glutes, core

Perform: Three sets of 10

Squats are another fundamental free weight leg workout. There are several variations of squats that each target different muscle groups and strengths. For a basic kettlebell squat, follow these steps:

1. Pick up a medium weight kettlebell (go lighter if this is your first time performing this movement).
2. Hold the kettlebell to your chest with your elbows down and out slightly to the sides. You can choose to hold the kettlebell by the horns or by the bell. Start from a standing position with your feet positioned shoulder-width apart. 
3. Keeping your chest up and gaze forward, push your hips back.
4. Bend your knees. Squat low enough so that the crease of your hips is below your knees. Resist the urge to round your back or lower your chest.
5. Drive your heels down and squeeze your glutes to stand up straight with the weight.
6. Squeezing your glutes, push your knees out and stand up.

Alternatives: You can also use a dumbbell or weight plate for this squat.

6. RUSSIAN KETTLEBELL SWING

Works: Glutes, core, hips, shoulders, low back

Perform: Four sets of 12

This free weight glute exercise is a powerful compound movement that will help improve your explosiveness. You can do this leg workout with dumbbells or kettlebells. When trying this movement for the first time, choose a light weight kettlebell. After becoming comfortable with the movement, upgrade to a medium weight dumbbell. To start:

1. Grasp the kettlebell by the handle with both hands and let it rest in front of your body on the tops of your thighs. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Hinging at the hips, push your hips back so that the kettlebell hangs between your legs. Keep your back straight (do not round your back).
3. Squeezing your glutes, thrust your hips forward and use the momentum to swing the kettlebell out in front of your body, keeping your arms straight.
4. Bring the kettlebell up to the level of your eyes, then let it drop back down in a controlled manner. Do not let the kettlebell jerk you down or round your back.
5. As soon as the kettlebell swings between your legs, squeeze your glutes, thrust, and repeat the swing. 
6. Remember, use the momentum from thrusting your hips to move the kettlebell instead of lifting with your arms.

Alternatives: To add a little more shoulder work into the movement, try an American kettlebell swing, which requires you to bring the kettlebell completely overhead at the top of the swing.

7. MEDICINE BALL SLAM

Works:  Quads, low back, core, shoulders

Perform: Three rounds of 10

Another free weight leg exercise that helps you work on your explosivity is the medicine ball slam. Choose a light or medium weight medicine ball for this free weight thigh exercise:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and the medicine ball at your feet. Push your hips back and bend your knees.
2. Scoop up the ball, keeping your back flat (not rounded), so that your glutes and quads are doing most of the work.
3. Using your momentum, pull the ball up and overhead and then slam the ball down into the ground.
4. As you get better at the movement, try to scoop up the medicine ball as it bounces and repeat the movement.

Alternatives: You can also use a smaller type of ball called a slam ball if your gym has them.

8. BARBELL DEADLIFT

Works: Hamstrings, lower back, core

Perform: Three sets of 8–10

Deadlifts are one of the best free weight hamstring exercises around, but it takes discipline and precision to perform the movement correctly. To perform a barbell deadlift:

1. Start with a lightweight barbell and increase in weight only when you feel comfortable with the movement.
2. Begin with the barbell on the ground. A neat little trick to finding the right-hand placement on the barbell is to stick out your thumbs and touch the outsides of your knees with your thumbs. This is, roughly, where you should pick up the bar.
3. Bend your knees, keeping your glutes low, and feel the tension in your hamstrings.
4. Place the bar over the middle of your shoelaces.
5. Using your glutes and hamstrings – not your back – lift the bar and stand tall. Make sure to keep the bar close to your body on the way up.
6. Slowly, in a controlled manner, lower the bar. Do not allow your back to round.

Alternatives: You can also perform this movement as a kettlebell or dumbbell leg exercise.

9. BARBELL BACK SQUAT

Works: Glutes, quads, core

Perform: Three sets of 5–10 reps

You’ll need a barbell, weight plates, and a squat rack for this movement. As usual, begin with a light weight and work your way up if you can maintain good form. To perform this free weight leg workout:

1. Start with the bar in the squat rack. The rack should be positioned at about an inch below shoulder height. 
2. Don’t forget to position the safety bars at about 2 inches below where your shoulders will be at the bottom of your squat–just in case you need them to catch the bar. 
3. Duck under the barbell and rest it on the meaty part of your upper back. Your elbows should be down and slightly out.
4. Take a few steps away from the squat rack to give yourself room to perform the squat. Position your feet hip-distance apart. Take a deep breath and activate your core.
5. Keeping your chest up and your gaze forward, push your hips back.
6. Bend your knees. Don’t let your chest drop. Try to reach a depth where the crease of your hip is below your knees (known as “below parallel”). Your weight should be evenly distributed across each foot.
7. Expelling your breath, drive into your heels and squeeze your glutes to straighten your legs and stand, returning to the starting position.

Alternatives: You can also perform this leg workout with dumbbells or kettlebells on your shoulders.

10. BARBELL THRUSTERS

Works: Glutes, quads, core, shoulders

Perform: Five sets of five

Depending on whom you ask, thrusters are either one of the best compound movements to add to your free weight leg workout or a form of torture. This simple-seeming movement utilizes major muscle groups throughout your body and also requires serious aerobic capacity. Start with an empty barbell and gradually increase your weight and reps as you gain strength. To perform this free weight leg exercise:

1. Start with the barbell in the front rack position, which means you’ll hold the barbell right at your collarbone with your elbows tucked under the bar.
2. Keeping your head and gaze forward, perform a front squat.
3. Remember, chest up and knees out.
4. At the bottom of the squat, use your glutes and hips to stand up, pushing the barbell up and overhead.
5. At the top of the movement, your arms should be straight with the barbell over the crown of your head. Bring the barbell back down to the front rack position and drop into your front squat. Ideally, your thrusters will flow together with no pauses between the reps.

Alternatives: You can also perform this leg workout with dumbbells.

READY FOR A FREE WEIGHT LEG WORKOUT?

This is far from an exhaustive list of leg exercises with weights, but it provides you with a great start as you continue to evolve your fitness journey and incorporate more free weight workouts. If you feel a little uncertain about trying leg exercises with weights, start with beginner exercises and light weights.

If you are hesitant about trying leg exercises with free weights on your own, try joining a strength-focused Group Fitness Class. Many of these classes utilize dumbbells, barbells, and kettlebells. If you would feel more comfortable with the close supervision of an expert, seek out a Personal Trainer. Make sure to let your Personal Trainer know your fitness goals and the free weight leg exercises you are interested in so that they can teach you the right form for each movement.

EōS Fitness provides a great selection of free weight equipment, including dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells, barbell racks, weight plates, and more. Find an EōS Fitness near you.