Seven Moves To Strengthen Your Legs And Improve Your Balance

Many of us train our legs to increase muscle tone, but if you pick your legs workout wisely can gain even more benefits from the time you spend exercising. So pick this session from PT Rachael Sacerdoti who offers personal coaching through her It’s So Simple programme.

“Whether you’re aiming to increase strength, enhance balance, or improve overall lower-body power, this routine covers it all,” Sacerdoti told Coach. Sacerdoti walked us through each move explaining the benefits of each individual leg exercise.

To do the workout you’ll need some dumbbells and an exercise mat. “It is essential to maintain proper form and gradually increase intensity as you progress,” says Sacerdoti. Watch Sacerdoti demonstrate each move below.

Perform all of the exercises in order, rest for 30 seconds, then repeat the circuit a total of three times. That’s a lot of work with little rest so pick your weight of dumbbell wisely.

“I always advise you to adjust the workout to your fitness level and goals,” says Sacerdoti. “If you’re new to exercise or have any concerns, consider seeking guidance from a fitness professional beforehand.”

Here’s Sacerdoti’s rundown of the muscles targeted and the benefits of each move.

1 Staggered-stance Romanian deadlift

Targets hamstrings, glutes and lower back.
Enhances lower body strength, balance, and flexibility.

2 Dumbbell front squat

Engages quadriceps, glutes and core.
Increases lower-body strength and refines squat mechanics.

3 Single-leg kneeling thrust

Focuses on hip stability, balance and glutes.
Improves single-leg strength and helps muscle balance.

4 Back-and-forth goblet lunge

Works quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and core.
Enhances lower-body strength, balance and coordination.

5 Elevated clamshell

Targets hip abductors.
Improves hip stability and refines movement patterns.

6 Calf raise

Strengthens the calf muscles.
Enhances lower-limb stability and helps boost performance.

7 Jump squat

Improves explosive lower-body power.
Enhances agility, and cardiovascular fitness.

For more ways to train your legs with dumbbells, look no further than these six dumbbell leg exercises, this 500-rep dumbbell leg workout, and this dumbbell legs and core workout.