Leg Workout // Bench & Dumbbell Workout

I was very excited when Heather Robertson posted this workout. It is very different from her other workouts and looked like a lot of fun. So I swapped some workouts around so I could do this one sooner. Leg Workout // Bench & Dumbbell Workout is a lower body strength workout using a weight bench. If you do not own a weight bench you can use a high step or a chair. I have a weight bench so that is what I used. This is also a workout that you can lift heavier weights than you can in many of Heather’s other workouts. I really enjoyed this workout but it wasn’t as tough as I expected it to be. I attribute that to my weight selection and I will use heavier dumbbells in the future. I did thoroughly enjoy it though. Because it is so short, I used one of Caroline Girvan‘s short workouts as a finisher: 15 Minute Hardworking Hamstrings / RDL Dumbbell Workout. Between the two I feel like I got a great lower body workout.

This workout has 4 circuits, each containing 3 exercises. Each circuit is done twice before you move into the next circuit. The exercises are all done interval style: 40 seconds of work followed by 20 seconds of recovery. There is a timer in the lower right hand corner of the screen counting down your intervals and recoveries. During the recoveries Heather previews the next exercise.

Leg Workout // Bench & Dumbbell Workout is 29:57 minutes; 2:45 minute warm up and 2 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, a weight bench or chair and a fitness mat. Heather is using one 20 and one 35 pound dumbbell. The weights listed below are what I used. I also suggest using a small mat or towel to protect your hips from the dumbbell during hip thrusts.

Circuit 1:

1. Hip thrusters (lean back against bench, knees bent and feet on floor, DB on hips, raise and lower hips) (one 40# DB)
2. Kneeling leg lift (kneel on bench–both hands on bench + one knee–other leg is extended out to side, raise and lower straight leg out to side)
3. Repeat #2 on other leg
4. Repeat #1-3

Circuit 2:

1. Bench squat (hold one DB goblet style and stand w/ bench behind you, squat until glutes touch bench then immediately stand) (one 40# DB)
2. Side step up (stand on bench facing the side, step one foot down to floor then raise back up so foot is on bench again, hold one DB on same shoulder as stationary/working leg) (one 20# DB)
3. Repeat #2 on other leg
4. Repeat #1-3

30 second rest

Circuit 3:

1. Glute bridge (lay on mat with glutes close to bench, heels are on bench and knees are bent, raise and lower hips)
2. Bulgarian split squat (single leg squat, back leg is elevated on bench, hold one DB in same side hand as front/working leg) (one 20# DB)
3. Repeat #2 on other leg
4. Repeat #1-3

Circuit 4:

1. Step ups (face the bench, holding one DB in both hands goblet style, step up onto bench then step back down to floor, alternate lead leg) (one 25# DB)
2. Stand ups (single leg squats, stand with bench behind you and balance on one leg, single leg squat until glutes touch bench then stand, hold one DB at shoulder of working leg) (one 25# DB)
3. Repeat #2 on other leg
4. Repeat #1-3 (when #2 & 3 are repeated, Heather is now holding the DB goblet style)

For more info on Heather Robertson’s workouts and other (free) streaming workouts I’ve sampled and reviewed, check out my Streaming page.