Strengthening your legs lays the foundation for a fit and functional body, and a top trainer has shown you don’t need much equipment to do it.
Home workout specialist Britany Williams has shared her four favorite exercises for strengthening your lower body using just a pair of dumbbells.
She says the Romanian deadlift, lateral lunge, clam and squat recruit major leg muscles like the quadriceps on the front of your thigh, hamstrings on the back of your thigh, adductors on the inside of your thigh and glutes or backside muscles.
The result? Comprehensive lower body strength you can build at home.
How to do Britany Williams’ four favorite lower body exercises
1. Romanian deadlift
- Stand upright with your feet roughly hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Hold the dumbbells in front of your thighs with your palms facing you.
- Keeping your back flat and your core tight, hinge at the hips to lower the dumbbells along the front of your legs.
- Lower the dumbbells as far as you can until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings (along the back of your thigh). Then squeeze your glutes (backside muscles) to reverse the motion and stand back up straight.
Why is it a favorite?
The Romanian deadlift is going to target your posterior chain—the muscles along the backside of your body, such as the glutes and hamstrings. A strong posterior chain is vital for maintaining your posture, keeping you functional and injury-free through everyday movements like bending over to pick something up from the floor.
“The most important thing with the deadlift is remembering that it’s hinge, not a squat,” says Williams. In other words, focus on hinging at the hips rather than bending at the knees.
2. Lateral lunge
- Start by standing upright with your feet roughly shoulder-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in your left hand, with your arms by your side.
- Take a large step to your side with your right leg….
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