One Dumbbell Lower Body Exercises When Equipment is Limited
In light of current world circumstances, it's a good time to share some workouts that you can do outside of a gym with minimum weights. Since the pandemic hit, most gyms have closed, and a lot of equipment is not available in stores.
It’s a great opportunity to think outside the box and learn how to continue your strength training routine with little to no equipment. If you can scrounge up one single dumbbell, you can get an excellent workout to maintain your fitness until this crazy pandemic blows over.
If you don't have a dumbbell, get creative; Soup cans, bottled water, book bags, or bags of rocks can become makeshift resistance equipment. Don’t get caught in all-or-nothing thinking. Something is always better than nothing.
Unilateral training for independent strength on each side of your body will make you more stable and less prone to injury when life goes back to normal, and you can hit the gym again and load up the weights.
When correcting muscle imbalances from the right to the left side, always perform the reps on the weaker side first, then match the reps on the other side. You want to build up the lagging muscles to match the stronger; otherwise, you will be feeding the imbalances. Grab one dumbbell, as heavy as you can handle for 8-12 reps with good form, and let's go.
LOWER BODY ONE DUMBBELL EXERCISES
ELEVATED SPLIT SQUAT
Grip a dumbbell on each end and hold at chest height.
Stand in a split squat position with back foot toes down on a bench.
Bend front knee to lower until your thigh is parallel to the ground. Don't allow your knees to extend past your toes.
Straighten knee to return to start position.
Repeat on the other side.
Make it harder but slowing the tempo or increasing the weight.
Make it easier by keeping both feet on the ground.
GOBLET SQUAT TO OVERHEAD PRESS
Grip a dumbbell on each end and hold at chest height.
Stand with your feet pointing forward, hip-width apart.
Push your hips back and brace your core.
Bend your knees until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
Touch your elbows to your knees in the low position.
Drive up to standing while pressing the weight above your head into a shoulder press.
Make it harder by slowing the tempo or increasing the weight.
Make it easier by using body weight only.
STEP UP TO BALANCE
Stand facing a bench or high step.
Step up with your right leg and drive your left leg up until your thigh is parallel to the step.
Hold for 1-2 seconds. Step down leading with your left leg.
Alternate by leading with your left leg on the next step.
Continue to alternate between your right and left leg.
SINGLE LEG DEADLIFT
Grip a dumbbell on each end.
Balance on one leg, and keep your knee soft (slightly bent).
Pull your shoulder blades together.
Perform a deadlift by bending at your hip while keeping your back straight.
Lower until your back is parallel to the floor.
Repeat on the other side.
Make it harder by holding the weight on one side.
Make it easier by using body weight only.
WEIGHTED LATERAL LUNGE
Hold the weight in your right hand.
Take a large step to the left side and lunge by pushing your hips back and bending your left knee.
Bring the weight in your right hand to touch the floor next to your left foot.
Do not round your back or allow your knee to move forward beyond your toe.
Be sure to keep your torso and toes facing forward.
Repeat on the other side.
CURTSY SQUAT WITH HIP ABDUCTION
Grip a weight on each end and hold at chest height.
Stand with your feet hip apart.
Cross your right leg behind the body and to the left.
Bend left knee 90 degrees, or as low your flexibility will allow.
Return to starting position and lift your right leg out to the side with control.
Repeat on the other side.
THE ONE DUMBBELL WORKOUTS
Now that you know the exercises let’s put them into a workout. I have a few different workout structures you can follow depending on your goals, preferences, experience, and time available.
Having a few different options allows you to repeat the same exercises so you can master the movements while shaking up the workout to keep it interesting. If you always do straight-set workouts, you’ll benefit from trying some circuits. And if you usually do circuits, try some straight sets or perhaps a timed workout to challenge your body in new ways.
STRAIGHT SETS
Straight sets mean that you perform 8-12 reps of each exercise on each side, rest for thirty seconds to a minute, then complete the reps of the same exercises again for a total of 2-4 sets before performing the next move. I recommend starting with two sets and increasing thems over the next several weeks.
CIRCUIT STYLE
Circuit style means that you perform the reps on the first exercise on both sides, then move on to the next exercise with little to no rest. Complete all the moves in the circuit, rest for a minute or two, then repeat the circuit up to four times. Begin by doing the circuit two times and increase the sets over time.
TIMED: 20 Second Work/10 Second REST
Perform 20 seconds of an exercise with 10 seconds rest and repeat for a total of four minutes. You can download a Tabata-timer on your phone for simple timing.
As an example, you would complete 20 seconds on your right leg, rest for 10 seconds, then complete 20 seconds on your left leg and rest for 10 seconds. Complete eight times until you reach four minutes. Then move on to the next exercise.
Rear-elevated foot split squat right side = 20 seconds
Rest = 10 seconds
Rear-elevated foot split squat left side = 20 seconds
Rest 10 seconds
Eight times = four minutes
You can also combine two exercises:
Goblet squat to overhead press = 20 seconds
Rest = 10 seconds
Alternating Step up to balance = 20 seconds
Rest= 10 seconds
Eight times = four minutes
AS MANY ROUNDS AS POSSIBLE (AMRAP) in 20 MINUTES
AMRAP is a good workout structure when you are short on time. Perform all the exercises in succession without rest. See how many rounds you complete in 20 minutes, but be sure to keep proper form. Rushed exercises with poor form are less effective and could lead to injury. The goal with AMRAP is to perform the exercises quickly, but with control and proper form.
COUNTDOWN WORKOUT
In a count down workout, you will do ten reps of each exercise one after another with little to no rest between moves. Rest for one minute, then perform nine reps of each exercise, then eight, then seven, then six, and so one until you reach one rep of each exercise. In the end, you will have completed 55 reps of each exercise!
Give it a try and let me know how you did! You can tag me on Instagram @leagendersfitness. Stay tuned next week, I’ll be sharing an upper body and core one dumbbell workout to round out your strength routine.
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