13 Dumbbell Quad Exercises At Home

In the last few years, glute training has taken priority for all lower-body work (learn everything you need to know about glute training).

However, as one of the larger muscles in the body, you should be aiming for strong quads as well.

The quadriceps are actually made up of four muscles ) vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, vastus intermedius, and the rectus femoris).

And though these home exercises target the quads, know that muscles work together not individually. Meaning, these dumbbell quad exercises will also target other leg muscles and core as well (just like this quad workout with dumbbells).

Benefits Of Strong Quads

And though traditional leg extensions are great, training the quadricpes is so much more than that and you'll reap better benefits from training a mixture of compound and isolation exercises.

That's exactly how I program the workouts for SMASH Fit For Life and the results have been great.

Think you don’t need to train quads? Think again! Having strong quads helps:

• You run faster
• Allows you to jump easier
• Prevents knee injuries
• Lets you cycle with your kids

The Best Dumbbell Quad Exercises

Though you can use a variety of equipment to train your quadriceps at home, dumbbells are easy to use and take up little room. Learn more about my top 4 pieces of home gym equipment for small spaces.

Plus, dumbbell exercises allow you to build onto the resistance and easily make your exercises harder. The more you progress the exercise, the stronger your legs will be!

In this list you'll find some classics like the Bulgarian split squat and goblet squat. They're classic for a reason- they work!

Use these dumbbell exercises in your current training routine, choose 4-5 and create a wicked leg workout, or follow the 5-minute dumbbell quad workout at the end of the blog post.

Hot tip: you’ll see a couple different kinds of squats in this list. That’s because each squat variation targets the muscles in a slightly different way. Mix and match in your workout routines!

1. Goblet Squat

1. Start with your feet shoulder width apart (roughly). Hold the dumbbell vertical and at your chest.
2. Begin sinking down into the squat by pushing your hips back and bringing your elbows to your knees.
3. Pause briefly and reverse the movement by push up through the feet into a standing position.

Perform 8-20 repetitions. Here is a video on how to perform goblet squats.

2. Seated Leg Extension

1. Sit on a table or chair with your feet under your bent knees. Place a dumbbell between your feet and squeeze them together.
2. Bracing your body use your quadriceps to raise the dumbbell off the floor by unbending the knees with straight legs.
3. Pause briefly and return to the starting position.

Perform 10-12 repetitions.

3. Front Squat

1. Start with your feet slightly wider than hip distance apart. Hold two dumbbells in your hands at shoulder height
2. Begin sinking down into the squat, keeping the chest up. It’s okay if the knees go over the toes.
3. Pause briefly and reverse the movement by push up through the feet into a standing position.

Perform 8-12 repetitions

4. Step Ups

1. Find a bench, stairs, or very secured chair. Place the left foot on the bench and hold dumbbells at your sides. The right foot should be very close to the bench. Do not push off the right foot but instead pull your body up with the left foot and unbend the knee.
2. Bring the right foot onto the bench. Stand tall.
3. Reverse the movement by bending the left knee, leaning forward slightly and slowly lowering the right leg to the floor.

Perform 8-10 repetitions per leg.

5. Kneeling Leg Extension

1. Come into a kneeling position holding one dumbbell at chest height.
2. Squeeze your glutes as you start to lean backward keeping a flat back.
3. Go as low as comfortable and then use your quadriceps to help reverse the movement and pull the body back up.

Perform 8-10 repetitions.

6. Dumbbell Forward Lunge

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand up tall.
2. Step forward with the right foot and at the same time begin dropping the left knee toward the floor. Keep the torso upright. The weight should be evenly distributed in the front foot.
3. Pause briefly at the bottom and reverse the movement by push up through the right foot, extending the left knee and stepping back into the starting position.

Perform 8-12 repetitions per side.

7. Step Out Lunge

1. Hold a dumbbell with your arms bent at chest height.
2. Step out laterally (to the side) with you right leg. Once the leg touches down, hinge toward that foot by bending the right knee and sinking the hips down until they’re in line with the knee. The left leg remains straight.
3. Pause briefly and push up through the right foot, unbending the knee and brining the foot back to the start.

Perform 8-10 repetitions per leg.

8. Bulgarian Split Squat

1. Set up in lunge position with the left leg elevated on the bench and the right knee over the heel fairly close to the bend. Hold the dumbbells in your hands.
2. Keep the torso mostly upright as you push backward and drop the left knee towards the floor while keeping the right knee facing forwards.
3. Push through the heel to reverse the movement and extend the hips to the starting position.
4. Perform all repetitions on the right leg before moving on to the next.

Perform 8-12 repetitions.

9. Heel Elevated Squats

1. Grab two books or small weight plates. Place them on the floor and place your heels on the books with the toes on the floor wide enough to perform a squat.
2. Hold the dumbbells at your side or on your shoulders. Sinking the hips straight down, bend the knees and lower into the squat.
3. Pause briefly and push through the feet to the top position.

Perform 10-15 repetitions.

10. Duck Walk

1. Hold a dumbbell horizontally at chest height.
2. Sink into the bottom position of a squat with your feet shoulder width apart. Feel your hip stretch out.
3. Hold the parallel squat and begin shuffling forward by moving one foot at a time while you stay in the low position.

Perform for 20-30 seconds.

Staggard Goblet Squat

1. Hold the dumbbells at your sides and step one foot forward. The other leg will be out to the back and side.
2. Lower down into the front leg bringing your bum toward your calf. Keep the weight on the front leg.
3. Push up through the front foot into a standing position.
4. Repeat.

Perform for 8-10 repetitions per leg.

Knees To Squat

1. Come into a kneeling position holding one dumbbell like a goblet at your chest.
2. Bring one foot up into a half kneeling position with the foot close to your bum.
3. Shift the weight into the front foot and bring the other foot up so that you're in the bottom of a squat.
4. Keep the heels on the floor.
5. Reverse the movement back to a kneeling position.

Perform for 30 seconds.

Pistol Squats

This one may seem intimidating but it doesn't mean you need to drop into a full single leg squat. Instead, use one of the variations below. The squat to a bench or chair as well as the eccentric pistol squat can be done with a dumbbell at home and is a great way to strengthen the quads (and build stability).

Other Wicked Fitness Tips To Help You Smash Goals

• How to make home workouts harder
• Why you should use pause rep training
• 20 minute dumbbel workout
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• 25+ At Home Workout Planks For Weight Loss
• Follow along home workouts
• Strength training for beginners
• How to maintain fitness motivation
• Metabolic finishers
• Everything you need to know about home workouts

To Perform: Begin by completing the split squats for each leg before moving into the leg extensions and duck walks without rest between. After the duck walks, rest for 20 second before repeating the first three exercises again.

Then, move on to the step put lunge. Perform each leg for thirty seconds.

Here's another great 5 minute workout for busy days if you need it too.