While bodyweight exercises can take you far, if you’re able to add weights to your routine, you should. And this lower body workout with weights is a great place to start, since it takes exercises you may already be familiar with — air squats, lateral lunges, step-ups — and just adds resistance.
But first, a primer on the benefits of strength training. While many people focus on the aesthetic benefits of strength training, resistance training has other upsides. “Strength training builds bone density,” says Bertha Muñoz-Lewis, a certified strength and conditioning specialist. It also strengthens muscles, and “strong muscles protect joints, tendons, and ligaments,” she adds. Weight training can improve balance and coordination, reducing your risk of falling or injuring yourself. In short, “It’s imperative for women of all ages to add a true resistance training program to their workout routine in order for their bodies to be resilient, durable, capable, and functional as they age,” says Muñoz-Lewis. “It’s our body armor.”
A lower body workout with weights can activate the glutes and muscles surrounding the hips, along with the quadriceps and hamstrings. These are key muscle groups of the posterior chain that help make up the foundation of the body. We use them not just in the gym, but in many of our daily movements — everything from picking up groceries to dancing or playing sports.
If you’re totally new to fitness, consider checking in with your doctor or healthcare provider before trying this workout to make sure you don’t have any injuries or limitations that would prevent you from being able to complete it. If you’re ready to dive in, start with a dynamic warm-up including five minutes of low-intensity cardiovascular activity, such as a light jog, indoor cycling, jump rope, or jumping jacks. Then check out our guide about how to choose the right weight and get started.
Expert Featured in This Article
Bertha Muñoz-Lewis, MS, CSCS, is a certified strength and conditioning specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), and the co-owner of House of Champs in Felton, DE. She creates and oversees the strength programs for student-athletes from elementary school age through the collegiate level, and also runs her women’s strength program known as B.yond Strength.
Lower Body Workout With Weights
Equipment needed: Dumbbells or Kettlebells. As a starter weight set, we like the PS Neoprene Dumbbell ($7-$20), available in three, five-, eight-, and ten-pound increments, or the Stakt Weights ($98), which can be adjusted to clock in at two, four, and six pounds each.
Directions: Perform eight to 10 repetitions of each of the first five exercise, moving directly from one to the next with no rest between each move. After completing all five lower-body exercises with weights, finish with the core burner: choose one, two, or all three of the core exercises from the options listed below and perform them for 25 to 45 seconds each to finish each set. Then, rest for one minute. Repeat the entire sequence again for two to three sets.
Lower Body Exercises With Weights:
- Goblet Squat
- Kettlebell Deadlift
- Lateral Lunge
- Step Ups
- Glute Bridges
- Core Burner. Choose between one to three of the following core moves: Dumbbell Drag from Plank Position, Mountain Climbers or Plank Jacks.
Read on for explanations of how to do each exercise, including form and technique tips.
- Stand tall with your feet hip to shoulder-width apart. Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell at the mid-chest level.
- Next, squat down by pushing the hips back behind you, bending your knees, and lowering your body.
- Depending on your current level of comfort with the technique, aim to lower down until both thighs are parallel to the ground.
- Keep the chest up with a neutral spine throughout the movement. Avoid rounding the back or letting the knees cave inwards.
- Push away from the floor. Keeping the heels down, return back to the upright starting position.
- Start by placing a kettlebell on the floor, centered between your feet. Adjust your stance to stand with both feet around shoulder to hip-width apart.
- Hinge forward at the hips, with a slight bend in the knees, to reach down and firmly grip the handle of the kettlebell.
- Aim to keep a flat, neutral spine, with the shoulders pulled back and down, and no excessive rounding of the back.
- To return back to standing, drive through the ground with both heels on the ground, extending the hips and knees at the same time.
- Starting from standing, adjust your stance with both feet approximately hip-width apart.
- Keep your hands in front of you, or with both hands on your hips, during the exercise.
- Step out to one side, bending the knee, and keeping the opposite leg straight.
- To return to standing, push away from the floor, driving the heel into the ground.
- Stand tall with both feet positioned approximately hip- to shoulder-width apart.
- Use a platform, bench or stairs.
- Using one leg, step up onto a sturdy, stable surface that can safely support your bodyweight without moving.
- Keeping your postural alignment, standing tall with the chest proud, step up onto the surface with one foot after another.
- Slowly, and with control, step back down to the floor.
- Using a yoga or exercise mat, lie down on your back with both feet hip-width apart, knees bent, and feet flat onto the floor.
- Using a dumbbell or barbell, place the weight directly on your hips. You also have the option to perform this exercise with a resistance band.
- Press through both heels, into the floor, and lift the hips towards the ceiling.
- Slowly lower the hips back down to the starting position.
- Set up in a plank position, with both hands positioned beneath the shoulders.
- Place a weight, like a dumbbell or kettlebell, beside one hand.
- Maintain alignment throughout the movement, imagining an invisible line down the body from your head to heels.
- Reach with the opposite hand to drag the weight across the floor.
- Challenge your stability, avoid letting the hips shift or twist excessively as you drag the weight.
- With control, reach with the opposite arm and drag the weight to the starting position.
- Start in a high plank position, aligning both wrists and palms beneath the shoulders.
- Drive one knee up towards the chest, stabilizing by pressing into the floor and the back foot.
- Continue to alternate legs for the allotted time.
- Work towards keeping solid alignment throughout, avoid letting the hips rise or drop excessively.
- Maintain a consistent and even breath, even as you may feel fatigued.
- Start by creating a plank position, with both hands aligned beneath the shoulder joints. Keep the feet together.
- In one motion, hop both feet outwards, landing about hip- to shoulder-width apart from one another.
- Lightly hop both feet back to the center, with feet together, to reset.
- Continue to hop feet in and out for the allotted time. Try to maintain an even line from the upper body, down to the feet, avoiding any rounding of the spine, or excessive movement of the hips rising up or falling towards the ground.
Jade Esmeralda (she/her), MS, CSCS, is a health and fitness staff writer and a strength and conditioning specialist. A lifelong martial artist and dancer, Jade has a strong passion for strength and conditioning, sports science, and human performance. She graduated with a Master of Science degree in exercise science and strength and conditioning from George Washington University.
