Day 2 takes the dumbbells to the legs. Three exercises: 12 goblet squats, 6 reverse lunges per leg and 6 split lunges per leg, done as a circuit with up to 2 minutes of rest between sets and 3, 4 or 5 sets by level. The goblet squat holds a single dumbbell upright against the chest with both hands cupped under the top end; both lunge exercises carry a dumbbell in each hand, hanging at the sides.
Each exercise loads the legs a different way. The goblet squat is the two-legged anchor: the dumbbell in front of the chest counterbalances the hips as they sink, which keeps the torso upright and the heels planted, and 12 reps give the quads and glutes their first real dose. Reverse lunges step one foot back and lower the rear knee toward the floor, 6 on one leg and then 6 on the other, and stepping backward keeps the front shin vertical so the front leg does the lifting. Split lunges stay in place: feet already staggered, you lower straight down and drive straight up without moving either foot, 6 per leg. Same bottom position as the reverse lunge, none of the stepping, and the stabilising muscles of the front hip discover the difference.
In the goblet squat, keep the elbows tucked and the dumbbell touching the chest throughout; sit the hips back and down until the thighs are at least parallel to the floor. In both lunges, the rear knee hovers just above the floor and the front heel stays flat - push through it to come up. Keep the dumbbells hanging quietly at the sides on the lunges; if they start to swing, slow down.
Squat, step back, stay put - three ways to load a leg, and the dumbbells make every one of them count.
Make it Harder: Pause for a two-count in the bottom position of each squat and each lunge before driving up.
Make it Easier: Leave the dumbbells on the floor for both lunge exercises and keep the goblet squats loaded.
