2 High-Volume Leg Complex Exercises

These two leg complexes are time- efficient, effective — and hurt so good. Here’s how to incorporate these barnburners into your programming.

Just like ice cream, your leg workout should have a different flavor each time you train. Some days you hit it hard and heavy and go deep into the pain cave, and others you want to turn ’em till you burn ’em with some high-volume programming. These two leg complexes are perfect for the latter scenario, giving you that high-volume blaze using only your bodyweight or lightly loaded exercises arranged in circuit format. Best of all, all you need to do them is a set of dumbbells and a box or a bench.

But even though you’re not edging toward your one-rep max here, you’re still building muscle and training your central nervous system: Research published in the Journal of Applied Physiology showed that lifting a lighter weight to failure or near failure produced gains in size and strength similar to those produced by lifting a heavy weight to failure. High-volume, high-rep work also improves power and endurance with the addition of a speed or explosive component, and it can make you feel as if you’ve just squatted super heavy without ever putting a bar on your back.

Workout Guidelines

These two complexes hit your entire lower body, but each has a more targeted focus — either glutes or quads. Choose a challenging weight that allows you to complete the minimum number of reps while maintaining good form, and perform the moves back-to-back in a circuit with no rest in between. Repeat the complex one to five times, depending on your ability and endurance, and rest two to five minutes between rounds to recover.

Use one of these complexes as a finisher after a heavy lower-body sesh, or use it on a total-body workout day. One thing to note, however: Don’t use both leg complexes in the same workout. Because of their high volume, one program is plenty!

Single-Legged Dumbbell Hip Thrust

Position your upper back and shoulders against a flat bench and sit on the floor with your feet flat, knees bent. Hold a dumbbell on your right hip with your right hand and extend your left arm out to the side along the bench. Lift your hips and your left foot off the floor, knee bent, and hold it here throughout the move. Using your right leg, press your hips toward the sky until they’re level with your knees and shoulders. Make sure your right heel stays on the floor and your spine is aligned. Pause briefly and then lower to the start. Do all reps on one side before switching.

Angled Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat

Hold a dumbbell in your right hand and stand with your back to a flat bench. Extend your right leg behind you, placing its laces down on top of the bench. Keeping your weight in your front foot, bend both knees and lower down toward the floor. As you descend, hinge your torso forward to about a 45-degree angle over your forward knee, back straight and head neutral. Drive through your heel and bring your torso erect to rise back to the start. Do all reps on one side before switching.

Bodyweight Leaning Scissor Jump

Assume a long split stance with your rear heel off the ground and most of your weight in your front leg. Angle your torso forward by hinging at the hips, back straight and head neutral, and reach your fingertips toward the floor on either side of your forward leg. Extend both legs explosively and jump as high as possible, scissoring your legs in the air and landing with the opposite leg forward. Continue, alternating legs.

Bodyweight Deadlift Jump

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, legs angled out slightly. Keep your abs tight and your back straight as you push your hips back, then bend your knees to reach your fingertips for the floor between your feet. Explode upward, extending your knees and hips simultaneously to get as high off the ground as you can. Land lightly and absorb the impact by lowering right into the next repetition.

Dumbbell Step-up

Stand facing a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand, arms at your sides. Place one foot in the center of the bench and extend your leg to stand on top. Touch down lightly on top of the bench with your other foot, then reverse these steps to return to the floor. Continue, alternating sides.

Dumbbell Front Squat

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, legs angled out slightly, and hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level. Rest one head of each dumbbell lightly on your shoulders and lift your elbows in front of you just enough so that the dumbbells are parallel to the floor. Keep your chest lifted as you drop your hips down and bend your knees, squatting as low as you can without tipping forward. Drive through your heels and extend your legs and hips to stand back up.

Bodyweight Zombie Squat Hold

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your legs angled out slightly. Extend your arms in front of you at shoulder height, parallel with the floor, then kick your hips back and bend your knees to squat down until your thighs are roughly parallel with the floor. Hold and breathe.

Bodyweight Squat Jump

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, legs angled slightly outward, and interlace your fingers lightly behind your head without pulling on your neck. Keep your chest lifted as you kick your hips back and bend your knees until your thighs are parallel or just below to the floor. Quickly extend your hips and knees and explode upward as high as you can. Land lightly and go right into the next rep.