Maddie In need of some AWESOME gym leg workouts to try during your next training session? Keep scrolling!
Leg day: you either love it or hate it. Regardless, having a strong lower body is necessary for everyday life. Below you’ll find 5 awesome leg workouts with weights to help you strengthen your lower body depending on your experience level and goals.
This post is all about 5 killer gym leg workouts for women.
*Note: This post includes several Amazon affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link (at no extra cost to you). Please read full disclosure here. Also, I am not a doctor or dietician. I am a personal trainer and powerlifting coach. It’s always best to speak with your doctor before making any changes to your diet and/or lifestyle.
5 must-try lower body workouts:
What we’ll cover…
- A dumbbell-only leg workout
- A low impact leg workout
- A leg workout for strength
- A leg workout for mass
- An advanced leg workout
After reading this post, don’t forget to check out…
17 of the BEST Leggings for Lifting Weights on Amazon
The Barbell Back Squat: 10 Important Steps & How To MASTER It
12 AMAZING Tips About Lifting Weights for Women
Below are the five awesome gym leg workouts for weight loss available in PDF format!
These workouts include some of the BEST lower body exercises such as squats and deadlifts. We also include programming for exercise selection, reps and sets, as well as rest time between sets. You can even do some of these leg workout routine at home if you wish to! All exercise tutorials can be found with a quick Google or YouTube search.
Be sure to choose weights that challenge you, but avoid going so heavy that your form is sacrificed. Enjoy!
Dumbbell only leg Day workout PDF
This is one of my favorite gym leg workouts with weights! It’s perfect if you’re a beginner or if you prefer to do your leg workouts with dumbbells exclusively. Also, you can definitely do this one at home if you have access to free weights!
It offers solid lower body conditioning by targeting your quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves.
- 3×10 Front Racked Squats
- Dumbbell racked squats are similar to front squats. Place two dumbbells facing forward on your shoulders and squat down like you would when you sit down on a chair.
- 3×8 Weighted Alternating Lunges
- You can either do these statically, or you can do walking lunges instead. Either way, hold a dumbbell at your sides for some extra resistance.
- 3×12 (Heel Elevated) Goblet Pulse Squats
- I like to do goblet squats with my heels elevated on a weight plate. You should hold a dumbbell under your chin, and when you squat down, don’t fully stand back up. You should come back up only slightly. This keeps tension on your quads throughout the entire exercise.
- 3×10 Dumbbell Deadlifts
- Dumbbell deadlifts can be thought of as the standard barbell deadlift but are performed with dumbbells instead. Try to maintain a neutral back position throughout the entire exercise.
- 3×10 Dumbbell (Single Leg) Hip Thrusts
- Dumbbell hip thrusts can be done with both legs or they can be performed with one leg if you’re up for the extra challenge.
Home Dumbbell Set
This adorable dumbbell set by WF Athletic Supply is FANTASTIC if you prefer to do this workout at home instead!
Low-impact leg day workout PDF
Are you looking for gym leg workouts for beginners? Are you out of shape? Or just have bad knees and don’t know where to start?
If so, I’m so happy to tell you that this workout will be fantastic for you! It offers low-impact exercises; there aren’t any jumping movements, and the featured exercises are easy on the knee joints in general.
- 3×12 Bodyweight Squats
- Bodyweight squats are pretty straightforward. Squat down as far as you can with your own body weight. You can add a dumbbell or dumbbells if you want more of a challenge.
- 3×10 Weighted Step-Ups
- You’ll need a step or a jump box for this one. Hold two dumbbells at your sides or under your chin and step with one leg onto the box. Step back down and repeat. Be sure to alternate legs.
- 3×10 Split Stance Deadlifts
- When doing split stance deadlifts, you should stand in a slight lunge position. Grab two dumbbells and lower them down your front leg. You should feel a stretch in your glutes and hamstrings. Make sure to alternate legs after each set.
- 3×15 Kettlebell Swings
- Hold onto a kettlebell with both hands and stand in an athletic position. Lower the kettlebell between your hips while keeping a decent bend in your knees. Think about pushing through your glutes as you swing the kettlebell in front of you.
- 3×12 Weighted Glute Bridge Holds
- Grab an exercise mat and a dumbbell or medicine ball. Lay down on the mat and rest the weight on your hips. Drive your hips up and hold the top position for a few seconds. Then return to the starting position and repeat.
Tip: If you’re serious about gaining muscle, it’s crucial that you consume adequate protein to facilitate muscle growth.
With that said, protein powders are an awesome way to meet your daily protein goal.
(RELATED POST: The 10 BEST Protein Powders On Amazon)
Leg day workout for strength PDF
So, you’re interested in bringing out your inner powerlifter? (I don’t blame you!)
This workout includes heavy barbell compounds such as the barbell back squat and deadlift; both should be done in fewer reps per set for maximal strength gains. However, fewer reps doesn’t mean easier; your sets should be HEAVY!
- 3×5 Barbell Squats
- When powerlifting, many people like to do low bar squats. Rest the barbell above your shoulder blades and perform a squat. Try your best to reach parallel.
(RELATED POST: The Barbell Back Squat: How to MASTER It)
- 3×5 Barbell Deadlifts
- You can do barbell deadlifts a few different ways: you can either perform a conventional stance deadlift or a sumo stance deadlift. Regardless, always be sure to maintain a neutral spine position when lifting the barbell off the floor.
- 3×10 Weighted Walking Lunges
- Hold two dumbbells at your sides and lunge with one foot in front of you. Always bring your back foot to your front foot and repeat. Alternate legs each time you lunge.
- 3×8 Dumbbell Romanian Deadlifts
- Dumbbell Romanian deadlifts are similar to the conventional deadlift, but you won’t touch the weights to the floor between each rep. Hold two dumbbells in front of you, and think about hinging at your hips without changing the amount of bend in your knees. You should feel a good stretch in your hamstrings.
- 3×8 Leg Press
- Lots of leg press machines are slightly different, so use whatever body and foot position is most comfortable for you. The biggest thing when doing leg presses is to make sure that you DO NOT LOCK YOUR KNEES between each rep.
Tip: When going heavy, it’s important to consider several things. You may want to wear a belt during squats and deadlifts, and you may also want to wear straps if you find you have weak grip strength during standard deadlifts and/or RDLs.
Neither a belt nor straps are 100% necessary, but it’s definitely not a bad idea to utilize them during heavy workouts.
Here is an example of one of my lower body workouts as a female powerlifter:
As you can see, I usually work in very low rep ranges.
Leg day workout for mass PDF
If powerlifting isn’t your thing but bodybuilding is, this is an awesome leg day workout for you!
It offers higher rep ranges and a few supersets which will surely lead to hypertrophy.
Get ready for some serious gains!
- 3×10 Barbell Squats
- Either high bar or low bar squats will work.
- 3×12 Bulgarian Split Squats
- Grab a flat bench and two dumbbells. Place one foot onto the bench while holding the dumbbells at your sides. Lunge down with the foot that is planted on the floor and return to the starting position. Make sure to switch legs after each set.
- SUPERSET: 3×12 Heel Elevated Goblet Squats to Leg Extensions
- When doing supersets, you should perform both exercises back-to-back with minimal rest between. You can rest between each superset, though.
- Like I said above, I prefer to do goblet squats with my heels elevated on a weight plate. You should hold a dumbbell under your chin and squat down. Return to the starting position and repeat.
- Leg extensions have to be done with a machine. Try to adjust the machine to fit you best.
- SUPERSET: 3×12 Dumbbell Hip Thrusts to Hamstring Curls
- You’ll need a flat bench for the hip thrusts. Place a dumbbell on your hips and lift your hips up until your thighs and torso are in a straight line.
- You’ll need a machine for hamstring curls. Again, try to adjust the machine to fit you best.
Tip: Having proper footwear when lifting weights is so important for both your safety and your success.
(RELATED POST: The BEST Shoes for Lifting Weights)
Advanced leg day workout PDF
This gym-based advanced leg day workout for women is best for those who have some solid experience with weight training.
Some of these exercises are pretty technical, so it definitely helps to have good knowledge about exercising and form.
Good luck!
- 3×8 Barbell Tempo Squats
- Tempo squats begin like a standard barbell squat. The only difference is that you pace yourself on the way down. Count to 3-5 seconds when descending and then stand back up with the weight. Try to be explosive out of the hole.
- 3×8 Stiff-Legged Deadlifts
- Stiff-legged deadlifts are like Romanian deadlifts, but the barbell should tap the floor between each rep. Always think about hinging at your hips.
- 3×8 Alternating Single Arm Kettlebell Cleans
- Grab a light kettlebell and place it on the ground in front of you. Clean it up to your shoulder and press the weight above your head. Lower the kettlebell back down to the floor and switch arms.
- 4×6 Box Jumps
- Find a box that you’re comfortable jumping on. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart with some bend in your knees. Bring your arms behind you. When you jump, allow your arms to come out in front of you.
- SUPERSET: 3×12 Bulgarian Split Squats to Leg Extensions
- Grab a flat bench and two dumbbells. Place one foot onto the bench while holding the dumbbells at your sides. Lunge down with the foot that is planted on the floor, return to the starting position, and repeat. Make sure to switch legs.
- Leg extensions have to be done with a machine. Try to adjust the machine to fit you best.
And that’s all gym rats; if you decide to give one of these a go, let us know what you think by commenting below!
