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Kelsey Wells 15-Minute Lower-Body Dumbbell Strength Workout

Target Your Legs, Butt, and Core With This Quick 15-Minute Dumbbell Workout

Mar 26 2021

Cardio is great for burning calories, but you get more bang for your buck when you add in strength training to your routine. Building muscle with strength workouts, especially with weights, not only burns calories during the workout, but will help you build muscle, burn more calories at rest, and torch fat.

The best part? You don't need a ton of time to get in a good strength workout. Plus, by strengthening your lower body, you are targeting bigger muscle groups, which means more of a calorie burn. "For the days when you are short on time, this quick 15-minute workout aims to help you strive towards your strength and fitness goals and hits all the right muscles for strong legs," said Kelsey Wells, a NASM-certified trainer and creator of the PWR programs on the SWEAT app. "The workout has been designed to help increase both strength and stamina in your glutes, quads, calves, and hamstrings while boosting your energy burn for the day."

Although it is recommended to use a pair of medium dumbbells (check out this guide on how to choose the right weight), Wells said you can also perform these moves without dumbbells if you don't have them.

If you like this workout and Wells's programming, then you'll love the new workouts on her PWR At Home 4.0 program. She has released six new weeks of workout content, so PWR At Home has a total of 46 weeks worth of workouts. While her PWR program is focussed on gym workouts, PWR At Home is a resistance-training program designed for people to work out in their own space using minimal equipment. Most of the workouts are around 40 minutes long, but the program also includes PWR challenges and quick workout options that take between 10-20 minutes using little to no equipment.

To get a feel for Wells's workout program, check out the 15-minute lower-body strength workout below. It won't take much time, but you will be sweating!

Kelsey Wells's 15-minute Lower-Body Strength Workout

Equipment needed: Two medium dumbbells and a yoga mat

Directions: Before starting the workout, Wells recommends taking a few minutes to warm up. This can include three to five minutes of cardio, such as jogging in place or skipping, which will help increase your heart rate and warm up your muscles for the workout. Wells also recommend following your cardio warmup with dynamic stretches such as leg swings and torso twists. This can help to increase your range of motion as well as help to reduce the risk of injury.

After the workout, be sure to cool down with three to five minutes of walking to slowly lower your heart rate. You could also do some static stretching as part of your cooldown, where you hold a single position for twenty seconds or longer. This will not only increase your flexibility and range of motion, but also help provide relief from any potential cramping and help reduce soreness and risk of injury.

For the 15-minute workout, complete each exercise for 45 seconds followed by 15 seconds of rest. After each circuit, rest for 60 seconds before starting the next circuit. Complete three circuits for 15 minutes total.

Exercise Time
Dumbbell Sumo Squat 45 seconds
Rest 15 seconds
Weighted Glute Bridge With a Dumbbell 45 seconds
Rest 15 seconds
Reverse Lunge With Dumbbells 45 seconds
Rest 15 seconds
Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift 45 seconds
Rest 15 seconds
Single-Arm Dumbbell Overhead Lunge 45 seconds
Rest 60 seconds


Image Source: Stuart Miller

Dumbbell Sumo Squat

  • Plant both feet on the floor further than shoulder-width apart. Point both feet slightly outward, holding one dumbbell in front of the chest. This is your starting position.
  • Looking straight ahead, bend at both the hips and knees, ensuring that your knees remain in line with your toes. Continue bending your knees until your upper legs are parallel with the floor. Ensure that your back remains within 45-90 degrees of your hips. and keep your weight back in your heels.
  • Push through your heels and extend your legs to return to the starting position. Squeeze the glutes at the top of the movement to get the most from this exercise.
  • Repeat for 45 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds.
Image Source: Sweat

Weighted Glute Bridge With a Dumbbell

  • On your mat, lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Keep your heels in line with your knees. Place the dumbbell on top of your lower abdominals (below your belly button and above your hip bones). Hold the dumbbell in place with both hands to prevent it from moving.
  • Raise your hips up to the ceiling, tensing your abs and squeezing your butt as you do. You should be making a long diagonal line with your body, from shoulders to knees.
  • Hold for three seconds making sure your spine doesn't round and your hips don't sag. Keep your abs and butt muscles engaged.
  • Lower down to the ground; this is considered one rep.
  • Repeat for 45 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds.
Image Source: Sweat

Reverse Lunge With Dumbbells

  • Plant both feet on the floor shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Gently draw your pubic bone to your belly button (engage pelvic floor). This is your starting position.
  • Carefully take a big step backwards with your right foot. As you step your right foot on the floor, bend both knees to approximately 90 degrees, ensuring
    that your weight is evenly distributed between both legs. When done correctly,
    your front knee will be aligned with your ankle and your back knee will be
    hovering just off the floor.
  • Extend both knees and transfer your weight completely onto your left
    foot. Step your right foot forward to return to the starting position.
  • Repeat, this time stepping back with your left foot.
  • Continue alternating between right and left legs for 45 seconds. Then rest for 15 seconds.
Image Source: Sweat

Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift

  • Hold a dumbbell in each hand, or use one dumbbell and hold one end of the dumbbell in each hand. Plant both feet on the floor shoulder-width apart. This is your starting position.
  • Bend your left knee slightly. Without changing the angle of your left knee, hinge forwards from your hips until your torso is parallel to the floor, extending your right leg behind you. At the same time, extend your arms towards the floor. Ensure that you keep your hips level, maintain a proud chest. You
    should feel tension in your left hamstring (back of your leg).
  • Push through your left heel and, using your glute and hamstrings, extend your hips to return to the starting position.
  • Continue reps on the same side for half the specified time (about 22.5 seconds) before completing the remaining reps on the other side for the remaining 22.5 seconds (45 seconds of movement total.) Then rest for 15 seconds.
Image Source: Sweat

Single-Arm Dumbbell Overhead Lunge

  • Stand with your feet hip-distance apart, holding the dumbbell in your left hand. Take a large step forward with your right foot to stand in a
    split stance. Extend your left arm overhead, holding the dumbbell in an
    overhand grip (palm facing away from your body). This is your starting position.
  • Lower your left knee towards the ground until both knees are bent to approximately 90 degrees. If done correctly, your front knee should be aligned with your ankle and your back knee should be hovering just off
    the floor. Ensure that you keep your left arm extended throughout the entire movement.
  • Push your feet into the floor to extend both knees and return to the
    starting position, ensure that you don't allow your front knee to fall inward.
  • You should feel tension in your glutes, quads, core, and shoulder to maintain a balanced and stable position during the exercise.
  • Continue reps on the same side for half the specified time (about 22.5 seconds) before completing the remaining reps on the other side for the remaining 22.5 seconds (45 seconds of movement total.) Then rest for 15 seconds.
Image Source: Sweat

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