Workout 24 — Dumbbell Home Workout Journal

Workout 24: Legs & Forearms 

Legs Exercises

1. Weighted Lunge

Caution: This movement requires a great deal of balance, so if you lack balance or are suffering from an injury that affects your balance, use your own bodyweight while holding on to a fixed object.

1. Stand with your torso upright and hold one dumbbell in each hand at arm's length.
2. Step forward with your right foot (about 2 feet or so) as you lower your body down and squat through your hips. Make sure that your left foot remains stationary and that you are maintaining your balance. Do not allow your right knee to move beyond your toes as you come down. Keep your front shin perpendicular to the ground.
3. Using mainly the heel of your foot, drive yourself back up to the starting position.
4. Repeat the movement for your left leg.
   

2. Goblet Squat

1. Use a light-to-medium dumbbell for this exercise. Hold one end of the dumbbell on the heels of your hand, cupping your hands around the weight, with your fingertips pointed toward the sky. (Imagine you’re holding a goblet, hence the name of this workout.) Your elbows should be pointed down.
2. In a controlled movement, lower yourself into a squat. Your elbows may brush your knees, this is to be expected.
3. Return to starting position, ensuring that your upper body doesn’t move the entire time, All of the workout should be in your lower half.

3. Hip Thrust

1. Grab a barbell, heavy dumbbell, or other at-home weight.
2. Place your body under the barbell or put the dumbbell on the upper part of your thighs, and use a bench or other sturdy surface to support your back, neck, and head behind you.
3. Keep your feet on the floor, put your feet directly under your knees so that when you extend, you’ll make a 90-degree angle. 
4. Raise the barbell up from the floor primarily using your glute muscles. 
5. Repeat the motion until the set is complete. 
   

4. Tabletop + Donkey Kick

1. Get into a tabletop position with your hands and knees on the floor and your back comfortably straight. 
2. Raise one leg and straighten it out directly behind you while raising it as high as you possibly can. Make sure to feel the contraction in your glute muscles. 
3. Allow the leg to slowly return to the original position and repeat. 
4. To increase the challenge of this exercise, place a weight behind your knee or utilize a resistance band on your thighs.
   

5. Calf Raise

Caution: If you suffer from lower back problems, a better exercise would be the calf press. With this exercise, your back has to support the weight being lifted. Additionally, your back needs to be straight and still at all times. If you round your back, this can cause a lower back injury.

1. Stand on the floor or, for more of a challenge, on a block or step, heels unsupported, with a weight in each hand. (You can also do this with a weight in one hand, using the other to support your balance.)
2. Slowly lower your heels toward the floor until you feel a stretch in your calves.
3. Before your heels touch the ground, contract your calf muscles, press in to the balls of your feet, and raise yourself up until you’re supporting your body with your toes, your heels raised up.
4. Repeat this, ensuring full control in all movements.

Forarms Exercises

1. Reverse Grip Dumbbell Curl 

1. Grab a dumbbell in each hand and stand shoulder-width apart with your palms facing your body.
2. Without moving your elbows, lift the dumbbells in a curling motion towards the ceiling, while keeping your palms facing your body. It’s just like doing a bicep curl with your hands facing the opposite direction.