Leg Training: Hamstring Workout with Dumbbells

The term dumbbell is often used to describe someone stupid like, “Dude, you’re SUCH a dumbbell!” But there is nothing dumb about dumbbells. In fact, they’re one of the most useful training tools in our workout arsenal.

Dumbbells are incredibly versatile, and you can use them singularly or in pairs to train every muscle in your body. You can also use dumbbells for fat loss and conditioning workouts.

Not so dumb after all, right?

Dumbbells actually get their name from their original purpose. They were invented so that Olde English bell ringers could practice in silence. So, in this instance, dumb means without sound, and not stupid.

A lot of exercisers find the idea of working out solely with dumbbells limiting, but it doesn’t have to be. There are hundreds of awesome dumbbell exercises for you to choose from.

To prove this point, in this article, we take a look at the anatomy and function of the hamstrings and provide you with a tried-and-tested dumbbell-only workout to try.

Hamstring Anatomy 101

While you don’t need to be an expert in anatomy and physiology to build bigger, stronger hamstrings, a basic knowledge of how your muscles work may help you determine which exercises are best.

So, feel free to skip this section if anatomy is not your thing or you are in a hurry to get to the workout! .

Like the quadriceps, the hamstrings are actually a group of several individual muscles that work together. However, where the quads are made up of four muscles, the hamstrings are just three.

The three hamstring muscles are:

1. Biceps femoris
2. Semimembranosus
3. Semitendinosus

Because the hamstrings are a biaxial muscle, which means they cross two joints, they have several functions. The hamstrings work together to extend your hip, flex your knee, and are involved in hip and knee rotation.

As such, if you want to develop your hamstrings fully, you need to include hip extension AND knee flexion in your leg workouts. For example, if you only do leg curls OR Romanian deadlifts, you would leave one hamstring function untrained, undermining your muscular development.

It’s also worth noting that all hip extension exercises work your glutes, so any hamstring workout also trains your butt, and most butt exercises hit your hammies.

Dumbbell-Only Hamstring Workout – Overview

When it comes to hamstring training, most lifters automatically gravitate toward the leg curl machine. And while that IS a good exercise, it’s also one you may not have if you train at home or in your garage gym.

Similarly, even the mighty leg curl can lose some of its muscle-building effects if that’s all you ever do.

The good news is that you can train your hammies with nothing but a bench and some dumbbells.

Do this workout 1-2 times per week as part of a body part split routine, where you train different muscles on different days, e.g., Chest on Monday, Quads on Tuesday, Shoulders on Wednesday, Back on Thursday, and Hamstrings on Friday, etc. 

But, before you begin, make sure you spend a few minutes warming up and preparing your muscles and joints for what you are about to do. Start with 5-10 minutes of easy cardio followed by some dynamic mobility and flexibility exercises for your legs and lower back. Finish off with a couple of light sets of the first exercise in your workout.

Feeling warm and ready to go? Then let’s get to work!

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Exercises 5a and 5b are to be performed back-to-back as a superset. Do one set of dumbbell hip thrusts and then, without resting, jump to your feet and do a set of stiff-leg deadlifts. Rest a moment, and then repeat this pairing one more time to total two supersets.

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Dumbbell Exercises for Hamstrings

Get the most out of this or any other workout by doing each and every exercise correctly. Proper exercise form will make your workout safer and more productive. If in doubt, use a little less weight and focus more on mastering the movement.

1. Dumbbell Romanian deadlift

Romanian deadlifts are so-called because they were a favorite exercise of the Romanian weightlifting team. This hip-hinge exercise works your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back and is one of the best ways to strengthen and beef up your entire posterior chain. While RDLs are often done with a barbell, they work equally well with dumbbells.

How to do it:

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand with your feet about hip-width apart. Bend your knees slightly, and then keep them rigid for the duration of your set.
2. Brace your core and pull your shoulders down and back.
3. Push your butt back and hinge forward from your hips to lower the dumbbells down the front of your legs. Do not round your lower back.
4. Descend as far as your flexibility allows.
5. Drive your hips forward, stand up straight, and repeat.

Related: Romanian Deadlifts (RDLs) Guide

2. Dumbbell reverse deficit lunge

Lunges are a great leg exercise that most people tend to feel in their glutes and quads. However, when you do them backward off a raised platform, what was a quad-dominant exercise hits your hamstrings much more. Be warned, if you’ve never done this exercise before, you’ll feel it in your hammies tomorrow!

How to do it:

1. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, stand on a 4 to 6-inch platform. Brace your abs and pull your shoulders down and back.
2. Take a step back, bend your legs, and lower your rear knee down to within an inch of the floor. Lean forward slightly to emphasize your hamstrings.
3. Push off your rear leg, bring your feet back together, and repeat on the opposite side.
4. Continue alternating legs for the duration of your set.

3. Dumbbell leg curl

Just because you don’t have a leg curl machine doesn’t mean you can’t do leg curls. Before machines became popular, bodybuilders did their leg curls with a dumbbell. Despite what could be considered a lack of decent training equipment, these old-school lifters still managed to build great-looking legs. It worked for them, and it’ll work for you too.

How to do it:

1. Lie face down on a flat exercise bench and clamp a dumbbell between your ankles. Place a rolled-up towel or small foam roller under your hips for comfort if required.
2. Your knees should be on the edge of the bench so you can move them freely. Contract your glutes and brace your core.
3. Bend your legs and pull the weight up until your shins per roughly vertical.
4. Lower the weight down until your legs are straight, and repeat.
5. Make this exercise more effective by using a decline bench that sets your feet lower than your hips. This increases the range of motion and keeps your muscles under tension for longer.

4. Dumbbell single-leg Romanian deadlift

What’s better than regular Romanian deadlifts? Doing the same exercise using one leg at a time! Single-leg RDLs increase glute and hamstring activation because you’ll need to work that much harder to stabilize your hips and knees. This is also a good exercise for improving your balance and mobility.

How to do it:

1. Stand with your feet together and hold a dumbbell in each hand. Shift your weight over onto your left foot. Bend your left knee slightly for balance. Brace your core and pull your shoulders down and back.
2. Hinge forward from your hips and lower the dumbbells down toward the floor. Do not round your lower back. Extend your right leg out behind you to act as a counterbalance.
3. Stand back up and repeat.
4. Rest a moment and then switch sides, doing the same number of reps on the other leg.
5. You can also do this exercise with one dumbbell to increase the balance demand.

5a. Dumbbell hip thrust

Hip thrusts are mostly viewed as a glute exercise. In fact, they’re sometimes called glute bridges. However, this exercise also works your hamstrings, which is why it’s part of this workout. Use one or two dumbbells to provide your hamstrings (and glutes!) with a worthwhile workout.

How to do it:

1. Sit on the floor with your legs bent and your feet flat. Lean your upper back against a sturdy exercise bench. Rest and hold a dumbbell on your hips.
2. Drive your feet into the floor and lift your hips up, so they form a straight line with your knees and shoulders. Push down through your heels to maximize hamstring recruitment.
3. Lower your butt back to the floor and repeat.
4. Too easy? Try doing this exercise using one leg at a time.

5b. Dumbbell stiff-leg deadlift

Stiff-leg deadlifts and Romanian deadlifts are pretty similar and are often confused. However, where RDLs involves a pronounced knee bend, stiff-leg deadlifts involve keeping your knees straight.

Bending over with straight knees disengages your glutes so you can focus more on your hamstrings. However, this is a somewhat weaker exercise, so you should adjust your weights accordingly.

How to do it:

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand with your feet about hip-width apart. Straighten your knees and keep them straight for your entire set.
2. Brace your core and pull your shoulders down and back.
3. Hinge forward from your hips and lower the dumbbells down the front of your legs. Do not round your lower back.
4. Descend as far as your flexibility allows.
5. Stand up straight and repeat.

More Hamstring Workouts and Exercises:

• Five Ways to Fix Tight Hamstrings
• Best Hamstring Exercises Bodyweight-Training Only
• 5 Must-Have Hamstring Exercises For Jacked Legs
• Hamstring Training: Top 5 Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them
• How To Do Dumbbell Leg Curl (Hamstrings)
• Jay Cutler Shares His Five Workouts For Killer Hamstrings
• How To Do Seated Leg Curl (Hamstrings)
• 15 Best Leg Curl Alternatives for Stronger Hamstrings
• How To Do The Hyperextension (Spinal Erectors, Hamstrings)
• How To Do The Dumbbell Deadlift
• How To Do Twisting Hip Extension (Hamstrings, Core)
• Dumbbell Squat (Legs)
• Kneeling Cable Hip Extension (Glutes, Hamstrings)
• Straight-Leg Cable Pull-Through (Hamstrings, Glutes)
• Lying Single Straight-Leg Hip Extension (Hamstrings, Glutes)
• Barbell Hip Thrust (Glutes, Hamstrings)
• Lying Leg Curl (Hamstrings)
• Barbell Romanian Deadlift (Glutes, Hamstrings)
• Barbell Straight Back Stiff Leg Deadlift (Glutes, Hamstrings)
• One-leg Hyperextension (Hamstrings, Glutes, Erector Spinae)
• Smith Machine Bent-Knee Good Morning (Glutes, Hamstrings)
• Kneeling Leg Curl (Hamstrings)

Hamstring with Dumbbells – Wrapping Up

While you don’t have to go all dumbbells all the time, there may be situations where that’s all you have available. For example, some hotel gyms only have dumbbells, or they may be all you have space for in your home gym.

Don’t think for a minute that only having dumbbells to train with means you can’t build muscle, get stronger, increase your fitness, or lose fat. Dumbbells are incredibly versatile and can be used to achieve almost any fitness goal.

Most lifters know plenty of upper body dumbbell exercises, but you can also use them to train your legs. Give this dumbbell-only hamstring workout a try to experience the power of dumbbells for yourself!

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