#leg exercises with dumbbells

[gymft1]

Do you want to build and bulk up your leg muscles in the gym? Then you need to include straight bar leg exercises in your training schedule.

The question is, why are straight bar leg exercises one of the most important and best training plans for building leg muscles?

Because these exercises are compound exercises that target leg muscles from all areas. Since leg muscles need a lot of exercises and contribute to many movements, you will need more than one exercise to build and strengthen them from all sides. These straight bar leg exercises will help you build and build your shoulders the way you want. They will also give you more fitness and strength.

In this video, we offer you more straight bar leg exercises. And if you want to diversify your training program, you are in the right place. I will leave you in the description some links to different shoulder exercises and some other exercises for the rest of the body.

Non-literal translation:

If you want to have strong and muscular legs, you need to include straight bar leg exercises in your workout routine. These exercises are compound exercises, which means they work multiple muscle groups at the same time. This is important for building strong and balanced legs.

Straight bar leg exercises are also effective for building muscle mass. They can help you add size and definition to your legs.

In this video, we show you some of the best straight bar leg exercises. We also give you tips on how to perform these exercises safely and effectively.

If you're looking to build strong and muscular legs, straight bar leg exercises are a great place to start.

[freeonlineworkouts]

Leg Workouts with Dumbbells

Leg workouts with dumbbells are an excellent way to build strength, tone muscles, and improve lower body endurance. Dumbbells add resistance to bodyweight exercises, making them more challenging and effective. Below is a comprehensive leg workout routine using dumbbells that targets all major muscle groups in the lower body.

Warm-Up (5–10 minutes)

Before starting, warm up your muscles to prevent injury and improve performance:

Bodyweight Squats: 1–2 minutes.

Lunges: 1 minute (alternating legs).

Leg Swings: 30 seconds per leg.

Jumping Jacks: 1–2 minutes.

Leg Workout with Dumbbells

Perform 3–4 sets of each exercise, with 10–15 reps per set. Rest for 30–60 seconds between sets. Adjust the weight of the dumbbells based on your fitness level.

1. Goblet Squats

Hold a single dumbbell vertically at chest level, close to your body.

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.

Lower into a squat, keeping your chest up and knees aligned with your toes.

Push through your heels to return to the starting position.

2. Dumbbell Deadlifts

Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your body.

Stand with feet hip-width apart.

Hinge at your hips, keeping your back flat and knees slightly bent.

Lower the dumbbells toward the floor, then squeeze your glutes to return to standing.

3. Dumbbell Lunges

Hold a dumbbell in each hand, arms at your sides.

Step forward with one leg and lower your hips until both knees are at 90 degrees.

Push through your front heel to return to the starting position.

Alternate legs with each rep.

4. Dumbbell Step-Ups

Hold a dumbbell in each hand.

Stand in front of a sturdy bench or step.

Step onto the bench with one leg, driving through your heel to lift your body up.

Bring the other leg up to meet it, then step back down.

Alternate legs with each rep.

5. Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squats

Hold a dumbbell in each hand.

Stand a few feet in front of a bench or step.

Place one foot behind you on the bench.

Lower into a lunge, keeping your front knee aligned with your toes.

Push through your front heel to return to the starting position.

Complete all reps on one leg before switching.

6. Dumbbell Calf Raises

Hold a dumbbell in each hand, arms at your sides.

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.

Raise your heels off the ground, squeezing your calf muscles at the top.

Lower your heels back down slowly.

7. Dumbbell Sumo Squats

Hold a single dumbbell with both hands, letting it hang vertically between your legs.

Stand with feet wider than shoulder-width apart, toes pointed slightly outward.

Lower into a squat, keeping your chest up and knees tracking over your toes.

Push through your heels to return to the starting position.

8. Dumbbell Romanian Deadlifts

Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your body.

Stand with feet hip-width apart.

Hinge at your hips, keeping your back flat and legs straight (slight bend in knees).

Lower the dumbbells toward the floor, feeling a stretch in your hamstrings.

Squeeze your glutes to return to standing.

Cool-Down (5–10 minutes)

After your workout, stretch your leg muscles to improve flexibility and reduce soreness:

Hamstring Stretch: Sit on the floor with one leg extended, reach for your toes.

Quad Stretch: Stand on one leg, pull the other heel toward your glutes.

Hip Flexor Stretch: Lunge forward with one leg, lower your back knee to the ground.

Calf Stretch: Place one foot behind you, press your heel into the ground.

Tips for Success

Progressive Overload: Gradually increase the weight of your dumbbells as you get stronger.

Form First: Focus on proper form to avoid injury and maximize results.

Rest Days: Allow at least 48 hours of rest between leg workouts for recovery.

Hydration and Nutrition: Stay hydrated and fuel your body with protein and healthy carbs to support muscle growth and recovery.

This dumbbell leg workout is effective for building strength, toning muscles, and improving overall lower body fitness. Incorporate it into your routine 2–3 times per week for best results! Let me know if you need modifications or additional exercises.

[lokh]

tried a 'beginner' pilates workout. jesus christ

[luca-ercolani]

Small home gym @ Wilson, Wyoming (USA)

(Via: RoomPorn on Reddit)

[iyiadebizz]

Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat: Build Powerful Legs

The Bulgarian split squat is a highly effective lower body exercise that targets single-leg strength and muscle development. By elevating one foot behind you on a bench or pad, you can focus on squatting with the other leg, enhancing balance and overall leg strength. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the proper form, technique tips, and variations of the squat exercise, helping you…

[epicpu1]

Leg day is the cornerstone of any effective fitness regimen. It builds foundational strength, improves coordination, and enhances overall athletic performance. While many opt for barbells or resistance machines, dumbbell leg exercises provide a versatile and highly functional alternative. 

[freeonlineworkouts]

7 Leg Workouts with Dumbbells

[gymft1]

Dumbbell leg workout Dumbbell leg exercises at home and in the gym for men and women

[fitnessmentor]

Unlocking the Power of Leg Exercises: A Guide

Legs exercises that are better than the back squat? Is it possible?

If you have small legs and think the only way to grow them is by squatting heavy, then you need to rethink your approach.

Troy Adashun explains how he switched up his leg training and managed to achieve impressive strength and muscle gains without using the barbell back squat.

He argues that there are many other lower body exercises that are better when it comes to hypertrophy of the lower body.

“I wanted to make this video because, contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to squat heavy weights to grow your legs. Today’s leg workout for growth will contain no barbell squats whatsoever.”

“When I started lifting, I thought squatting as heavy as I could was the best way to get bigger legs, but it turns out I was training more for strength than hypertrophy. Try this leg workout for bigger legs and feel the difference in the rep ranges, pacing of each rep, and overall exercise selection.”

“These leg exercises will blow up your legs in a short and intense workout. I call this type of training the balloon method, and it’s how I train to grow any muscle.”

Exercises that are Better than the Squat for Lower Body Muscle Gain

Legs Exercises that are Better: Dumbbell Bulgarian Split SquatProbably one of the most painful and effective leg exercises that exists.

Go nice and deep, and don’t cheat the movement.

You will feel this all the way from your glutes to your quads.

Stick to a 10- to 12-rep range for maximum muscle growth gains.

Keep the knees over the toes and overload each leg, one leg at a time. To make the exercise even harder, try paused reps. Hold the bottom position for at least 3 seconds to maximize time under tension.

Legs Exercises that are Better: Dumbbell Walking Lunges Super Set with Hands Over the Head Walking Lunges

This will further fatigue the legs in a functional and challenging way.

Again, the superset will extend the time under tension, which will result in more muscle growth.

Growth Tip: Add bodyweight versions of each exercise as a super set.

Legs Exercises that are Better: Dumbbell Sumo Squats

This is an excellent alternative if you are experiencing any lower back issues or are recovering from an injury.

It is impossible to load as heavy as you would for a back squat, and it forces you to keep your core and spine upright and tight.

You can choose to perform this with an elevated heel if you find ankle mobility an issue. Simply place your heels on a weight or bumper plate.

Make sure to squeeze at the top and concentrate on the mind muscle connection.

Legs Exercises that are Better: Leg Extensions Super Set with Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift

Go for 3 sets of 12 reps of both exercises. The RDLs must be performed immediately after completing the leg extensions.

Form Tip: Point your toes out slightly and squeeze your quads as tightly as possible at the top of the movement.

Troy Adashun believes that the following equation, performed within the right rep ranges, is a great principle for leg growth: “Intensity + Consistency = growth.”

TIME-STAMPS FOR VIDEO:

00:00 Why Squats are killing your gains

00:15 The truth about chicken legs

00:50 The perfect leg workout for fast growth

01:50 One of the most painful leg exercises you can do (but it works!)

03:00 DB walking lunges superset for growth

04:45 Great barbell squat alternative

05:20 Great superset for quads and hamstrings

As a final disclaimer, Troy states that consistent back squatting in the 10 – 12 rep range is a phenomenal way to grow your legs. However, he bebelieves that or beginner athletes this runs in parallel with a higher risk of injury than many of the other exercises that he included in his video.

Muscles of the legs

Your legs are full of lots of muscles that control movement in different ways. Some help you walk, while others help you run or jump. The quadriceps are located at the front of your thigh, while the hamstrings are located on the back side. Both groups of muscles work together to provide power and stability when you’re moving around.

Quadriceps (Quads)

The quads are the muscles that make up your thighs. They extend or bend your knees and straighten your hips. The quadriceps consists of four individual muscles: vastus lateralis, rectus femoris, vastus medialis, and vastus intermedius.

Vastus Lateralis

The Vastus Lateralis is one of your quadriceps muscles. It’s located on the outer side of your thigh, and it helps you extend your leg. The Rvastus lateralis is a large muscle that can be strengthened with exercises such as lunges and squats.

The vastus lateralis is located on the outer side of your thigh.

The vastus lateralis is located on the outer side of your thigh. The muscle extends from the middle of your knee to the top of your patella (knee cap), and it lies underneath a layer of fat.

The vastus lateralis is one of four large muscles making up the quadriceps group in your leg: rectus femoris, vastus medialis, and vastus intermedius are its three counterparts. A small portion of each has an anterior attachment point at your pelvis called an iliotibial band or ITB (pronounced I-T-B). This band helps stabilize and support these muscles as they bend your knee forward or back during exercise or daily activities like walking up stairs or climbing into bed after a long day at work.

Rectus Femoris

The rectus femoris is a quadriceps muscle. It makes up one-quarter of your thigh muscle and originates at your pelvis and inserts at the tibia and patella. This segmented muscle is responsible for flexing your knee joint, which helps you move forward when running or walking uphill.

ectus femoris also helps to stabilize your hip as you perform other movements that involve twisting or bending in different directions (for example, kicking a ball).

The rectus femoris runs down the center of your thigh.

The rectus femoris is one of the quadriceps muscles, located on the front of your thigh. This muscle runs down the center of your thigh from your hip to your knee, attaching to the patella (knee cap) in its final few inches.

This muscle is responsible for extending (straightening) and flexing (bending) the knee joint, which allows you to move forward and back in walking motions, as well as turn and twist when running.

Vastus Medialis

The vastus medialis is a muscle located on the inner side of your thigh. It attaches to your knee cap and helps you extend and flex your legs. It also helps you flex your knees by turning inwards. The vastus medialis can help prevent injuries like ACL tears because it is used to stabilize the knee joint during movement.

The vastus medialis is located on the inner side of your thigh. It attaches to your knee cap.

The vastus medialis is located on the inner side of your thigh. It attaches to your knee cap, and helps straighten your leg.

Vastus Intermedius

Vastus intermedius is located underneath the rectus femoris and extends from your hip to your knee. It attaches to your knee cap, which helps it extend and flex legs, as well as flex knees.

The vastus intermedius is located underneath the rectus femoris and extends from your hip to your knee.

The vastus intermedius is located underneath the rectus femoris and extends from your hip to your knee. It is a quadriceps muscle, which means that it helps flex your knee.

Hamstrings

The hamstrings are located on the back of your thighs. These muscles help you extend and flex your legs. They also work with your quadriceps to flex or bend your knees, as well as help prevent injuries such as ACL tears.

If you’re an athlete who needs to increase speed, stability or power, having strong hamstrings is beneficial. For example: if you’re playing football (American or otherwise), having strong hamstrings will allow you to make sharper turns when running downfield because they help keep your body upright while sprinting instead of letting it fall forward when turning left or right at high speeds like it might otherwise do so easily without strong hamstrings supporting them!

Your legs are full of lots of muscles that control movement in different ways

Your legs are full of lots of muscles that control movement in different ways. The quadriceps and hamstrings are the main muscles on the front and back of your thigh, respectively. The vastus medialis is on the inside of your leg. Abductor muscles (the gluteus medius and minimus) support hip motion while adductor muscles (adductor longus, brevis and magnus) squeeze in from each side to hold things together!

[malebodytf]

“Ugh. Not again” said Nolan.

Every day, Nolan passed the chair, that one machine in the corner of the gym. And every day, it was there: a consistent shadow of sweat, like someone had sat there marinating in their own funk. And the culprit? Standing just a few feet away, near the pool of sweat, vacant eyes and jaw hanging like a brute, with a cocky smirk as he searched for his next chair victim. A massive, obnoxious, grunting slab of a man. A meathead in every sense of the word.

Nolan was never someone who sweat much. And even then, he was the clean type. A towel for every seat. Wipes before and after. Crisp. Respectful. He couldn’t understand how someone could treat a public space like that and still live so carefree.

All the other times, he refused to use any machine the gym gorilla had touched. But this time? This time, he’d had enough.

There it was in front of him. Damp. Glossy. Disgusting.

Nolan sighed. He pulled a handful of sanitized wipes and started scrubbing. The man’s scent was in the chair, like it had soaked into the very texture. Some of the droplets splashed onto his skin. He winced, wrinkling his nose.

But he needed this. He couldn’t let himself be overrun by that man’s dominance.

He sat. The faux leather was still warm. He shuddered but leaned into the exercise anyway. Basic dumbbells. Slow and controlled. Breathe in, exhale. Again.

Strangely, the movement felt good today. Maybe it was the rush of overcoming his disgust. Maybe something else. The reps felt easier. He was feeling the pump. His arms flexed just a bit fuller. Triceps popping. Abs feeling tight. His shirt clung a little tighter. And was that… sweat? Real drops on his forehead?

He stopped to drink water. Damn, he was sweating. And it felt... good. He felt big.

He continued. More sweat dripped, off his head, down his chest, soaking his shirt. Muscles pumped, biceps swelling. The dumbbells now heavier. His chest bloomed into two defined mounds, his shoulders broadening, shirt stretching tighter across his back. His breathing shifted, deeper, rougher. His voice dropped an octave.

He felt taller. Stronger. Powerful.

By the fourth set, his legs had thickened, quads like balloons, calves sculpted and solid. His glutes, rounded and tight. His breathing had shifted to deep, rhythmic grunts. He was a beast now, almost as massive as that original meathead. No... maybe more.

His shirt clung to his drenched body. He raised his arm, now covered in a dense patch of hair, and took a sniff.

Once, he would have never, not in public, not anywhere. But now? He sniffed again. Proudly.

His head felt foggy. Thoughts slowed, melted. But damn, bro, his smell? Delicious. Rank in the best way. Entrancing. A real man’s scent. He chuckled “huhuhu” deep and dumb, a laugh with no thought behind it.

For a flicker of a second, something inside him flinched. This wasn’t him. This wasn’t... Nolan.

But then, he flexed, and caught his reflection.

“Fuck…”

Veins pulsed, threatening to burst. His arms looked unreal. Sculpted. Huge. He grinned. Flexed harder. He looked swole.

He dropped the dumbbells with a satisfying clang. Heads turned. Yeah, let them think he was some rude, sweaty meathead. He didn’t care. In fact, he liked it.

He felt the final beads of sweat run down his body, the last traces of the man he used to be.

He slung a towel over his shoulder. Not to clean. Of course not. That was for massaging his biceps later.

Behind him, the chair remained, drenched. Wet. Stinky. Damp. Absolutely soaked in his sweat.

Nolan lifted his arms, stretched wide, took a deep breath of his own musk, and smirked. Anyone would be lucky to get a whiff of that manly essence.

[fictionismyreality3]

Let's Get Physical 18+

Warnings: 🚨sMuT🚨at the end, romance and everything that comes with it

Notes: compression shirt.... ghost in a compression shirt?

Being workout partners with Simon has its pros and cons. You get a free weight carrier, no longer having to lug the 50 pound dumbbell over to your bench when you need them.

"I can lift them, really, I just can't carry them."

"Yeah, 'course, luv."

Simon loves watching you workout. Even if you're more muscular because of it, he still knows he can pick you up and throw you around any way he wanted. And he loves watching the little expressions you make when doing hip thrusts, your face screwing up in effort and concentration.

Almost like the face you make when he fu-

Even though it can get annoying having a big, hulking shadow following you around the gym— he jus' wants to make sure y'doin the exercises right, sweetheart— it does come in handy when you're doing squats. Simon will stand menacingly behind you, glaring at anyone who even looks your way.

It's not his fault you keep ending up bent over a weight bench, your cute little cunny stuffed full with his cock. You just keep wearing those tight leggings, how is he supposed to control himself? And besides, what's the point of having mirrors in the weight section if he can't use them to watch you get dumb on his cock?

[mggslover]

Hey I loveddddd the legging pervert!spencer fic, I’d love another one, maybe a part 2, or maybe just another with the same reader and perv!spencer. I love your fics!

SWEAT FOR ME ´-

In which Spencer has a different kind of workout in mind.

pairing perv!spence x leggings!reader genre smut (18+) cw reader is part of the bau + certified gym rat, gym semi public sex, male masturbation, fingering and oral (f receiving), p in v, fwb relationship wc 3,8k a/n we have an official reader! yippie! this is not a pt. 2 but another story in this universe. tysm for this request! feel free to send in more for them :)

Being a loyal gym member came with its set of advantages.

The tenth anniversary of your membership at Quantico’s “Fit4FBI” was coming up. When you joined the BAU, you had signed yourself up for the FBI’s designated training center. Though it was essential for your job to be in good condition, this gym also had the natural pattern of people massively joining during the first weeks of January and collectively giving up around the holidays. 

You were one of the few customers that visited regularly. To be specific, every day that you weren’t out on a case. The gym felt like a refuge to you, a place to blow off steam and clear your head from the gruesome cases that seemed to always be on your mind.

You were quick to befriend the owner, Mr. Isaac Dalton, a man in his mid-sixties (but don’t be fooled by his age; there is no trainer as encouraging and persistent as him). It all started with your suggestion to introduce a boxing lesson as a break from the usual Wednesday Pilates classes. It seemed like a small thing to you — boxing has been part of your life since childhood. But to him? It meant everything. 

From that day on, you were his favorite customer. Hell, his favorite person even. You gained access to the staff dressing rooms, even to the staff showers — which were a huge upgrade from the shared customer spaces that made even a high school gym look good. Yes, it was that bad. You now knew where they were cutting on the budget to be able to afford the tablets and private jet.

But the best benefit that came with being a star customer was getting the title of rightful owner to a spare set of shiny keys. 

Going to the gym after closing hours was the best thing that could happen to you. You were sure that the handover of the keys was a moment that not even your future wedding or the birth of your first child could ever beat. No more eyeing the Smith machine while walking the treadmill, waiting for the right opportunity to take a sprint and claim it before someone else did. No more cleaning of seats because the people before you were too lazy to wipe their sweat away. And thank God, no more annoying people complaining in your ear about how exhausting working out is. Well… besides Spencer. 

“I- I can’t,” he panted, letting the dumbbells fall to the ground beside him. In moments like this, you couldn’t help but regret offering him personal training when the gym was supposed to be closed.

You placed your hands on your hips, not hiding the look of judgment as he lay on the training bench, chest heaving like he had just climbed Mount Everest. On heels. 

“I truly wonder what you did to pass the physical exam.”

“I was in a remedial training program,” he put his hand on his pounding heart, taking a deep breath before continuing. “They needed new agents in the field, so they made me an exception.”

Well, that explains it. 

You shook away your thoughts, extending your hand to help him up. With a groan he stood, legs wobbly as he held onto your shoulders. Your skin felt soft and cool, in contrast to his clammy hands. 

Naturally, he started massaging your shoulders, causing a small groan to leave your lips. Spencer was about to slide his fingers under the band of your sports bra, but you stopped him. 

“We should do a leg exercise next. Maybe your legs are stronger than your arms.”

Now it was his turn to groan. “Have you seen me? I’m not even standing straight right now.”

“I know, Bambi,” you chuckled jokingly. “People usually find leg extensions one of the easier exercises. You’ll be fine.” 

“That makes sense. Your legs are part of your body’s largest muscle groups. Studies have shown that your creatine kinase and myoglobin levels increase significantly after an arm exercise compared to a leg exercise.” He explained as you walked to the equipment at the back of the gym. 

You raised an eyebrow. “And that means?”

“It means that your arms are easier to get sore than your legs. They’re also easier to get damaged and heal after an extensive workout.”

You hummed, saving the information to the back of your mind. There must be a day when these random facts will come in handy.

Spencer continued his info dumping as you changed the amount of weights on the machine, putting the pin into 80 lb — a standard beginner’s weight. 

You clapped your hands when you were finished. “Okay, you’re all set up.” 

“What do I do?” He asked cluelessly.

“Take a seat.”

He did as you said, waiting for further instruction.

“And now you place your feet under the lever and lift it up. You can hold onto the handles for support.”

Spencer followed your instructions, holding onto the levers before he lifted his legs. He paused them at the top for a moment before slowly lowering them back down.

“That’s it. Good job.” 

Spencer didn’t respond to your compliment. Concentration was etched onto his face. His eyebrows were furrowed and his mouth slightly agape as he repeated the motion. His tongue poked out to the side as he counted the reps in his head, occasionally wetting his lips.

You looked at him. First to make sure he was executing the exercise correctly, but you quickly got distracted. Sweat dripped down his neck, the droplets falling into the white tank top that he wore. At this point it wouldn’t have made a difference if he wore a shirt or not, the fabric being so translucent that you could see the color of his skin. 

Your eyes traced him until they landed on his arms. He had a tight grip on the handles, making the veins that decorated his arms and hands look prominent. 

Your gaze fell even lower — and it really shouldn’t have — because now you noticed how his shorts have ridden all the way up to his thighs. It wouldn’t surprise you if they dated back to high school. The material clung tightly to him, and every time he tilted his legs, the shorts bulged around his crotch. 

To put it simply, he looked hot. Extremely hot. 

Get your head out of the gutter. He’s here to train, to gain more confidence in the field. Not to be your personal eye candy. 

You were supposed to stay with him the entire time, as a personal trainer does. But you don’t think you can stand here for a second longer trying to fight the urge to jump him.

“I’m going to do some sets on the Smith machine,” you pointed toward the device that stood a couple of feet away, still in clear sight. 

Again, no response from the still focused Spencer. 

You made your way over to the machine, picking out the weights that you wanted to add to the bar. In routine, you positioned yourself under the bar, placing your feet at shoulder-width, before bending your knees.

In the meantime, Spencer had completed his set of reps. He grabbed his water bottle from the ground next to him, feeling like a real gym jock as he gulped the contents down, then wiped his mouth with the back of his fist.

He looked up to find you. And he was so grateful that he had swallowed, or there’d be a fountain of water bursting from his lips right now.

He didn’t know what a Smith machine entailed, but he definitely didn’t expect to find you in a squatting position yet again. His eyes went to your ass first, obviously. Seeing how perfectly you filled out your leggings, the fabric clinging to every curve, giving the illusion that it could rip at any given moment. 

But then his eyes snapped to your upper back. How the muscles in your shoulders flexed as you lifted the bar of weights. There was something so enticing about how strong you were. He thought back on all the times he had pinned you down underneath him, not having realized that you could easily spin him around. Dominate him.

A shiver soared through his body, straight to his pulsing cock. He looked down, embarrassed to find himself twitching, the tip of his cock begging to escape from under his shorts. He placed a hand on his bulge — meant to stop himself — but with the way you kept bending down, he had no choice but to rub his hand over his length. 

A breathy moan escaped his throat as he watched you. He imagined lying down on the ground beneath you — germs and safety hazards be damned — holding you by your hips as you’d press your bare cunt into his face. He’d make sure to make the most out of every squat, licking your folds and kissing your clit, before you stood back up.

Spencer didn’t know during which set his hand had found its way into his shorts, only that he struggled to keep quiet as he tugged on his length. His eyes rolled back as he circled his tip with his thumb, collecting precum and using it as lube to stroke the rest of his cock. 

He fantasized about you walking up to him, holding onto his shoulders as you’d climb on top of his lap. How you would free his cock from the restraints of his boxers. The way your mouth would open in a gasp at the sight of his throbbing length springing free. You would grab him by the shaft, rubbing his tip against your puffy lips before sinking down onto him. His hands would clasp onto your ass, massaging the flesh like his cock would massage your inner walls as he pumped his length into you. 

“Oh fuck,” he muttered, flicking his wrist faster as his gaze remained burnt on you. 

He had his eyes closed shut, nearing the brink of an orgasm, when he heard the loud clang of the bar attaching to the machine. At record speed, he adjusted his length, tugging his tank top over his shorts in an effort to hide how hard he was. He then wiped his hands on his shorts, just in time before you walked up to him.

“Hey,” you said, out of breath. “How did it go?”

“Good! Good. I completed all the sets, actually.”

A beautiful, bright smile tilted at the corner of your lips. It almost distracted him from the way your breasts pushed up in your sports bra, shining in a light coat of sweat. Almost. 

“I thought of another exercise we could do,” Spencer suggested.

Curiosity filled your mind. “Okay, gym rat. Let’s hear it.”

Spencer walked you to the hip abductor, a machine that trains the muscles of your inner thighs and glutes by sitting down and spreading your legs against the resistance of the padded weights. 

You waited for him to sit down, but he remained standing behind you. Your neck flushed with goosebumps as he leaned in, breath tickling the skin. “I want you to use it.” 

“Okay,” you chirped, trying not to show how much his proximity was affecting you.

“Uh, uh, uh,” he tsked as you stepped forward. He wrapped an arm around your waist, pulling you flush against him. And that’s when you felt it. His erection poking at your lower back. 

“You can’t possibly work out in an outfit like this,” he said, fingers playing with the waistband of your leggings.

You narrowed your eyes. “What do you mean?”

His hand slid lower into the fabric, fingers grazing your hip bones. “I think you should take these off. Don’t want it to be ruined with sweat, or you know, something else.”

You raised your eyebrow. “Is that a challenge, Reid?” 

“You never seemed to back down from one before,” he dared.

A glint of mischief flickered in your eyes. You hooked your fingers into the waistband of your leggings, and you swore you could hear him take in a sharp breath. 

You bent over. In an agonizing slowness, you pulled your leggings down, revealing the plumpness of your bare skin. 

“Jesus, you’re beautiful,” Spencer praised, eyes scanning the curves of your nude ass and legs.

You slipped away from his grasp, grinning as you took your place at the seat of the machine. As the manual explained, you spread your legs, grateful that you kept the weights at beginner’s level. 

You threw your head back laughing as Spencer kneeled in front of you, finally making the connection on what he was about to do. “You are absolutely insane. Do you know that I could crush your head with these weights?”

He hummed, not really caring about the possible consequences as he was face to face with your spread-open pussy. “It’ll be worth it.”

He reached out with his finger, drawing a line up your slick folds. “Also — considering your expertise in exercises like this, and the fact that the weights are way less heavy than the ones you’d usually choose — I estimate that my chances of not dying are pretty high tonight.” 

Before you could give a clever response back, he pressed his finger down on your clit. A shudder coursed through your body, accompanied by a flutter of butterflies.

“You’re so wet already,” Spencer mused. “What have you been thinking of?”

“Same thing as you,” you responded, thinking back on how hard his cock was when he pressed it against you. 

He continued trailing his fingers up and down your slit, warming you up, before halting them at your entrance. “Ready?”

You nodded hastily, anticipation pulling at your core. 

Spencer slipped a finger inside of you with ease, groaning at the sweet sound that escaped your lips. Being fingered never felt special before; that was until you met Spencer. Though it wasn’t fair to compare him to any of the other people you’ve been with. His fingers were heavenly: long, slender, soft. He pumped it in and out of your pussy before leaning in and capturing your clit with his tongue. Surprise washed over you, but you didn’t have time to adjust to the feeling. He clouded your mind by switching between flicking his tongue and sucking on the bundle, while his finger matched the steady rhythm. 

“Need more,” you whimpered, rolling your hips into his face. He hummed against your clit, the vibrations sending tingles through every part of your body. 

When he pulled back, his lips were glistening with your juices. “Can you handle another finger?” He asked as he swiped his tongue over his lips.

You quickly nodded, not even needing him to ask for permission. He stretched you out by inserting another finger, not stopping until he was knuckle-deep inside of you.

“I like this machine,” he stated, curling his digits up to your g-spot. “I don’t need to hold your thighs open to keep you from squirming.” 

You softly cried as the tips of his fingers hit your pleasure point, increasing his pace in a way that made you see stars. 

“You look so pretty. All spread out for me, letting me use you how I want.” He muttered, more to himself than to you, before he attached his lips back onto your pussy. 

The pleasure felt overwhelming. Spencer stimulated you with his hands and mouth in all the spots that he could. He was good at this. Too good at this. You felt almost sad when you felt the familiar heat building up, not wanting it to be over yet. 

Still, you gasped, “Just like that!” Your hands were gripping the handles of the machine for dear life as the tip of his tongue drew figure eights against your clit. 

Everything cut to white noise, your abdomen tightened, and your hips started spasming until you finally cried out his name.

Your body trembled in aftershocks as Spencer made sure to lap up your juices, not wanting a single drop to go to waste.

He stood up, taking his time as he lovingly grazed your cheek with his clean hand. “Felt good?”

You hummed in response. Your eyes fluttered to the obvious tent in his shorts, not able to ignore it. “That looks painful,” you observed.

“I really want to be inside of you.” He confessed. 

His words made you chuckle. Spencer always made sure to satisfy you first, before thinking of his own needs. Even when his achingly red tip had been leaking precum ever since he saw you in that gym outfit earlier today. 

“Where do you want me?” You purred, making a groan escape his throat. He loved the way you let him take direction, how you made it seem like he was the one in charge — when you were both completely aware of the fact that you could have him on his knees at any given time and at any place that you’d like. 

His eyes scanned the gym, landing on an empty bench. 

“That one.” He decided, like he chose some Sour Patch Kids in a candy shop. 

You got up — used to having shaky legs due to working out every day — and took Spencer’s hand in yours, guiding him to the sole bench next to the colored kettlebells. 

Spencer was glad you were holding his hand, or otherwise he’d have stumbled against every surrounding object, too entranced by the way your hips moved from side to side with every step that you took. If he wasn’t so hypnotized by the sight, he would’ve given your ass a slap — more like a tap — not enough to cause you pain, but enough for you to squeal. Enough for you to move to your tiptoes in reflex. Enough to see your ass shake. 

As if born ready, you laid down on the bench, spreading your legs that bent perfectly due to the position you’d just held for minutes. 

Spencer didn’t waste any time, pulling his shorts and boxers down in a single, swift movement, his cock jumping free from its confinements. You grinned when he also got rid of his tank top. You bit your lip as you looked at him, wet curls of hair sticking to his forehead and his chest glistening in a light layer of sweat.

His large hands wrapped around your ankles, holding you in place. He then tilted his hips until his length lined up with your needy pussy. A drip of precum spilled from his tip, cock aching as he took in how perfect you looked: your clit still swollen from his tongue, and your soft thighs glittering from the wetness that was still leaking out of you. 

In a single motion, he pushed himself in. His cock disappearing all the way in between your folds.

Your brows furrowed and your mouth hung open as he started moving his hips, not giving you the time to recover.

“‘M sorry,” he mumbled. “You just feel too good. So warm. Couldn’t wait.”

Your hands gripped around the air, needing something to hold onto as he fucked you deeply.

You settled on your tits. Cupping them through your sports bra, pinching your nipples that were so hard they poked right through the layer of fabric.

“Oh fuck, baby, you look so hot like that.” Spencer moaned. “I’m so lucky,” he said in awe. 

He opened your legs further — surprising you with your flexibility — as he hovered above you. His cock slipped in even deeper, your pussy swallowing him to the hilt. You could feel every vein as he massaged your inner walls, relieving you of your aching. He was close enough for you to dig your nails into his shoulder blades. He didn’t attempt to muffle his whimpers when you pressed little half-moon indents into his back. Your in-sync moans and the colliding of bare skin were the only sounds that echoed off the bare gym walls.  

Spencer anchored you in place with his length while his hand reached out to pull the cup of your bra down, freeing your breast. In a second his mouth was latched onto your nipple, sucking on it like he was a man starving. 

“Kiss me,” you whimpered, hands tugging at his hair. You needed to feel those soft, pink lips on yours. 

As much as he loved your tits, he obeyed in an instant. Hungrily locking his mouth with yours. He placed his bent arms on either side of your head, large hands cupping your face as he kissed you intensely. His tongue swiped against yours in the same exquisite way as the tip of his cock swiped the place inside of you where you needed him most. 

“Legs hurt,” he whined against your mouth. 

“Count it- fuck,” you moaned as he thrust deep into you. “Count it as an exercise.”

He chuckled breathlessly. “This might be the hardest one yet.”

Literally, you thought. But the word couldn’t make it past your lips, transforming into a high-pitched moan as he upped his speed.

“Just like that, please, Spencer,” you cried out.

There was no bigger motivation than your sweet pleas filling his ears. With all his might, he slammed into you, your pussy pulsing around him, making his vision hazy. All that was on his mind was you. How you felt. How you tasted. How he needed to spill inside of you. 

A string of yes’s repeatedly left your lips, signaling to him that you were close. 

“I’m going to come inside of you,” he announced, swallowing your moans by pressing his lips back to yours. 

You clawed at his back, bucking your hips up into him until a jolt of electricity shot through your body. Your back arched off the bench as you gave yourself over to the all-consuming feeling. It was not even a second later when Spencer’s legs gave out. His cock twitching as spurts of white filled your insides. 

He collapsed on top of you, feeling your racing heartbeat against him. For a moment you lay down like that, on the way too narrow bench. Enjoying each other’s presence as a comfortable silence filled the air.

Once his breathing had calmed down, Spencer seemed to notice a small, red flickering light that was attached to the ceiling. A security camera. 

“Hey,” he started, asking for your attention.

You made a small sound, too exhausted to speak. 

“You have the keys to the office, right?”

“No, just to the entrance. Why?”

[gingerteafairy]

abductor hacker machine (dave lizewski x reader)

You’re Dave’s gym crush. He’s never skipping leg day again.

tags n warnings: college!dave, language, highly suggestive, mentions of handjob, flirting, gym terms. word count: 2.3k masterlist

Dave had arrived at the gym early, excitement buzzing through him because it was back and arms day. The gym wasn’t too crowded, and Todd was just coming in—it felt like the perfect day for an upper-body workout.

“Hey, man. Feeling good today,” Todd greeted him with a quick high five before heading over to stretch.

“Yeah…” Dave nodded, walking to the pull-up bar. He grabbed it, letting his body hang as he stretched his spine, easing into a light isometric hold.

“Dude, I don’t know how you even manage pull-ups. That’s the hardest thing I’ve ever tried,” Todd said, his voice tinged with genuine admiration as Dave began the exercise with surprising finesse. His muscles flexed and tightened with each smooth motion, displaying a control that came from dedication.

That’s the sight you walked into when you entered the gym. The hot nerd was effortlessly pulling himself up on the bar, his form flawless, his focus unshakable. You couldn’t look away, watching until he finally finished, wiping sweat off his brow with the hem of his shirt. When your eyes met, Dave froze for a moment, then followed you with his gaze as you walked toward the squat rack. It was leg day for you.

He didn’t have a choice—he had to say something to his gym crush.

“Dude, where are you going?” Todd asked, puzzled.

“Uhm…leg press,” Dave replied quickly, his tone distracted as his focus stayed locked on you.

“Someone's not skipping leg day for once,” he shook his head, handing a dumbbell.

He watched you doing your exercise, trying to figure out the best thing to do or say. The best option was to go over to you, so he walked toward you with determined steps—but by the time he got there, you had already finished. Awkwardly, he turned around and headed for the calf machine instead. That was the next best option. Pretending nothing happened, however, was a mistake.

“You're such a loser, Dave Lizewski,” he muttered under his breath, grabbing any random weight to load onto the machine.

“Hi, excuse me.”

Dave could barely believe it when he turned around and saw you standing there. He almost dropped the weight and had to lean on the machine to strike a casual pose. Oh my God, she came over. She’s talking to me. She’s actually here.

“I didn’t catch that. What did you say?” he lied, removing one earbud. Of course, he had heard you. He just wanted to make sure this was real.

“I said hi,” you repeated, pulling out one of your own earbuds.

“Uh… hi. I’m great, and you?” he stammered awkwardly, noticing the slight confusion flicker across your face at his strange response.

“I’m glad you’re good…” you laughed softly, resting your hands on your hips. “Um… how much longer are you going to be on this machine?”

Idiot, idiot, idiot. Of course, it’s about the machine.

“I just started, but… d’you wanna share?” he asked hopefully. However, when you glanced at the amount of weight loaded onto the machine, you immediately decided against it. How on earth is this guy pushing all that weight with his calves?

“No, it’s fine… I’ll wait,” you replied, heading to a corner to check your phone while you waited.

Dave closed his eyes, cursing himself for how poorly the entire interaction had gone. He wiped the sweat from his face, which had only increased after talking to you, and rushed through the exercise with poor form, desperate to finish quickly. Without looking back, he walked away, leaving the machine free for you.

“Fucking idiot, i wanna die” Dave muttered as he walked over to Todd, who was finishing his shoulder workout.

“Hey, dude. Did you talk to her?” Todd asked, grunting as he set his weights down.

“I did, but now I’m gonna have to do every single posterior chain exercise known to man so she doesn’t think i’m a total loser,” Dave blurted, running his hand through his hair. His eyes wandered to you across the gym, finishing your set. “Fuck. I’m never coming back to this gym ever again.”

“Relax, man. She’s probably not even thinking about it,” Todd tried to calm him down, noticing Dave rubbing his forehead and checking his pulse.

“She is. She is, Todd. She's so fucking perfect and I just said do you wanna share like a total moron.” He whimpered, scratching his head.

“So, what’s the plan now? Glutes?” Todd chuckled, but Dave’s eyes lit up.“No… don’t tell me—are you serious?”

“I’m doing everything. It’s important for testosterone production,” Dave mumbled, walking over to the hip abduction machine and staring at it like it was some alien contraption. “Shit… I have no idea how this thing works.”

He sat down, looking around desperately for help—any help—praying for someone to rescue him. “Hey, God. I know i haven't been the best dude on earth, but please. I really need help, i need to do it. Send someone. Anyone. Just don't send a scary dude, please.”

Unfortunately for him, it was you who got there first.

“Just starting?” you inquired, placing your water bottle on the holder.

“Uh… yeah, I… uh, wanna try?” he murmured, blinking in slight panic as he stood up from the machine to let you take over. You smiled, taking the opportunity and settling in to begin your exercise.

And God, Dave had to muster every ounce of self-control not to stare at your legs or the muscles working with precision, he didn't even want to mention the word glutes because it seemed so fucking wrong in this moment. He turned to face the wall instead.

“These atoms are… amazing. Science is really evolving these days!” he blurted to the man next to him, pointing at the wall. “I’ve never seen anything like it. Is it some kind of new cement?”

“It’s plaster,” the guy replied, frowning in confusion before returning to his workout. “Weirdo.”

Dave turned back toward you, forcing himself to focus on your face. But then he saw you finishing and standing to the side. He had no choice now but to actually use the machine. Swallowing hard, he sat down.

“This can’t be that hard,” he whispered to himself, loading the machine with the maximum weight. He tried to open his legs, but the machine didn’t budge an inch.

“Wow, this machine is different, I know it. Heavier than I expected,” he chuckled nervously. You bit your lip to suppress a laugh of your own—it was pretty clear to you that this guy had never touched this machine before.

“Here, lemme help,” you offered, moving closer to him. He froze but nodded, letting you adjust his position.

“Sit back a little and tilt your torso forward,” you instructed, placing your hand lightly on the machine. “Set it to 30. Then, open your legs as wide as you can. You’ll feel better if you keep your glutes really really up, okay?”

“Okay,” he muttered, adjusting the settings. He tried again but barely moved the machine, the faintest clinking sound coming from the weights. She’s going to think I’m so weak. I'm dead. Dead, buried and dusted.

“Want me to show you?” you asked, and before he could think, he nodded. He jumped up, letting you take his place, but instantly regretted it the moment you sat down.

“No… uh, no need to worry about it…” he stuttered, flushing red as you adjusted the weight and got into position.

“I don’t mind helping,” you replied with a small smile, demonstrating the movement with flawless form. “Like this—glutes up and open as wide as possible.”

“Jesus Christ,” Dave squeaked, covering his face to hide his embarrassment and to resist the urge to glance back at you.

“So, you’ll want to do this fifteen times. Watch carefully, so you don’t mess it up,” you explained, your voice teasing, aware of the effect you were having on him. It was clear he was trying his best not to lose his composure, and you couldn’t deny he was adorable.

“Got it. I understand. Amazing. Perfect,” he blurted quickly, stuffing his hand in his pocket as if to shield himself from… whatever was happening internally. And this whatever was his cock awakening every single time you opened your legs and he could see your thighs and especially, the thing between them.

“Great. Want to give it a try?” you asked, standing up and stepping closer to him—closer than strangers typically stood.

“Uh… I, uh…” He took a deep breath, catching the faint scent of your perfume and noticing the sheen of sweat on your forehead. “I’m gonna go to the bathroom. Thank you for everything, the instructions and everything, all. Good… good workout!” And with that, he bolted.

You watched him rush to the locker room, nearly bumping into everyone in his path. He was so adorable. If only you knew his name. As you tried to figure out a way to ask him without it seeming weird, Dave locked himself in a bathroom stall, sitting on the toilet and contemplating his situation. And, to be honest, it wasn’t looking great.

“Shit,” he muttered, glancing around, straining his ears to confirm no one else was in the bathroom, downing his shorts and boxers.

He took a deep breath, touching his erection, whimpering in the exact moment he thought about you and your hands with adorable little calluses from the workout routine, rubbing on his length. His cum spread on your gym top and sweaty face from bouncing on him like a fucking squat session.

“No, I can’t do this.” he murmured, dressing himself once again, sparing the thoughts away.

He left the stall, splashing water on his face and waiting for his body to calm down. Then, he looked at the paper glued to the bathroom mirror with a comic sans writing.

Hey, champ.

Please don't masturbate in the bathroom. It might clog the toilet. Thanks and good exercise!

- beast mode gym support

“you must be kidding me…” He cursed, splashing water to his face once again and looking at the mirror. One guy gave him a once-over, chuckling at his bulge. Embarrassed, Dave frowned and hurried out of the bathroom, only to come face-to-face with you.

“Oh, hi,” you greeted, breaking the silence first and meeting his eyes.

“Hey…” he replied, swallowing hard. “It’s super crowded in there—the men’s room.”

“Yeah…” you agreed, keeping your gaze on him. You wanted an opportunity, and here it was. “Hey… what’s your name? I mean, I taught you earlier, but I never asked.”

“Dave. Dave Lizewski,” he replied, grinning like an idiot, relieved to finally have a normal conversation. When you said your name, it was like a little piece of heaven to him. Beautiful, just like you. It fits you perfectly.

“It’s easier for me because of college. I think we always come around the same time,” you added, stepping away from the bathroom entrance and into the hallway.

“I’m in college too,” he blurted out quickly. “Uh… engineering. I used to draw a lot, and ended up liking it. Also because my friend Todd decided on it, and I’m terrible at making decisions.”

“That’s really cool. And tough,” you laughed, and for the first time all day, he didn’t feel like a total idiot. “If you ever need help, I’m here.”

“Of course… I mean, thanks for the help earlier with the… glutes,” he chuckled nervously, joining in when you laughed too. Please, smile more. Smile at me again.

“Sure,” you replied, taking note of how much more handsome he was up close. “So… see you tomorrow?”

“Yes, tomorrow. Definitely,” he said quickly, his eyes lighting up. “But tomorrow I’m not doing glutes… it’s back day.”

“Great. That way you can help me,” you said without thinking, surprised at your own boldness.

Dave nodded, his heart pounding harder than any cardio session could ever manage. “Yeah, of course. I won’t embarrass myself with that one.”

“You didn’t embarrass yourself,” you replied with a laugh, tilting your head slightly. God, this guy is so handsome.

“Oh, come on, now you’re just lying,” he joked, and you opened your mouth in mock disbelief.

“Careful, Lizewski. I might do heavy glute exercises on you,” you teased, though the playful threat only made Dave’s face turn as red as his gym shorts. “I mean… glute exercises with you. Uh, you know… something intense.”

“You can throw whatever you want at me,” he blurted out, biting his lip. “I mean weights. I can handle a lot of weight… like, a lot of weight…” he breathed, glancing at your thighs, imagining his hands lifting them up to his waist.

“That’s… good to know,” you replied, taking a deep breath to steady yourself. You blinked, realizing how bold you were being, flirting with a guy in the middle of the gym hallway, probably with half the room overhearing. “Uh, so… Dave…”

“Do you have a number?” he asked suddenly, his hand forming a fist as he mentally kicked himself for such a clumsy question. “I mean, of course, you have a number. Everyone does. I just… wanted to know if you’d share it, you know… so we could talk about, um, workouts?”

“Workouts, right,” you said, trying not to laugh as you swallowed the lump in your throat. You recited your number, and Dave immediately pulled out his phone to save it, as if it were the most valuable treasure in the world.

“Thank you,” he murmured, grinning as he slid his phone into his pocket, treating it like a priceless artifact.

“No problem. See you tomorrow,” you mentioned, finally retreating, your face flushed with both nerves and excitement.

“Yeah, tomorrow…” he murmured, lifting a hand in a small wave.

“Close your mouth, man. You look like an idiot,” Todd teased as he approached. Dave nudged him lightly, but Todd only laughed harder. “You got the girl. Congrats.”

“Not yet,” Dave replied, watching as you finally walked out the door. “But I will. Even if I have to do the hip abductor every fucking day.”

“Alright, Nicki Minaj. Let's eat some protein,” Todd quipped, earning an eye-roll from Dave, who grabbed his backpack and followed Todd out. As they left, Dave’s mind was entirely consumed with thoughts of you—and he mentally reviewed every back exercise to make sure he’d never mess up in front of you again.

[luveline]

hi jadey! if you are up for it, do you think you could write reader unexpectedly doing smth nice for coworker!james, maybe she’s being kind of shy and trying not to make it a big deal while he’s trying v hard to not be all giggly heart eyes kiss kiss at her LOL thank you in advance and ilysm <3

tysm ilysm <3 fem

“Hey, killer.”

You sidestep past James bag into the nook of your desk. “Killer?” you ask, quick to drop your bag onto your chair and unbutton your coat.

“Beth told me you killed a spider in the break room. That’s not cool.”

“It was looking at me funny.” You shed your coat. “Where’s Remus?”

“Coffee.”

James doesn’t give you half as much attention as you’d wanted, turning back to his computer with an impassive expression. You swallow a cough and grab your bag, desk chair creaking as you sit. There’s a memo from Remus already tacked to your desk that asks you nicely to send him a long list of files, each written in careful print, and then a second that says good morning.

You smile at it and set them aside.

Though James doesn’t like you much, and you’re not totally sold on him, you’re starting to feel like you’re part of a team. It’s a hearty feeling to belong somewhere, to know you’re valuable, even if you’re only punching numbers in and swapping spreadsheets. So you’d seen the green tube boxes in the shops and you’d decided on a whim to get them. Perhaps it would inspire some sweetness from James. If he stops putting your mug in the freezer, you’ll be happy.

“I got you something.”

James tilts his head to the side but doesn’t look up. “Huh?”

The office lights aren’t as complimentary to his brown skin as the sun where it’s rising outside of your window. It warms his face and neck, and lightens the dark mop of his hair, his flyaways like silver scrapings.

You take one of the boxes from your bag and place it on the edge of his desk. You’ll give the second to Remus when he comes back.

“It’s one of your Smiskis,” you say, “but they’re exercise ones. I know you lift weights, there’s one with dumbbells. I want the hula hoop one.”

“Where did you get this?” he asks, looking at you with clear surprise. His thick brows rise. His smile is unmissable.

“They were three for two at Sainsbury’s. I got one for me and one for Remus, as well.”

James curls a lovely hand around the box. You pretend not to watch, quickly diverting your gaze to your bag to grab a Smiski for yourself. You can’t look up, can’t explain why on earth you thought it would be a good idea, really. You saw them and you thought of him and you’re entitled to lie about the two for three thing, it’s none of his business how much money you spend.

You dig your nail into the lid and rip it open.

“You look awfully smiley, Jamie,” Remus greets, approaching from your side to round the desks and place down his big mug of coffee. You chance a glance at the both of them and catch a half second of James’ ridiculous smile. “What made you so happy so early in the morning?”

“Nothing. Uh, just killer over here brought us some presents.” James tips the bag from inside of his box onto the desk mat.

“Really?” Remus asks.

You offer him his box over your monitors.

“Thank you,” he says. “What’s the occasion?”

“It’s nothing,” you say with a hurried shake of the head, looking down at your own mystery Smiski. They’re nondescript little people who glow with a green UV sheen, and you hadn’t seen the appeal to begin with, but each morning you make sure to fix James’ if he’s toppled over. He never tells you off for it. “I just want one for myself, that’s all.”

You open them in tandem. Your figurine is sitting with its legs out in a v-shape and arms stretching down to its toes. Remus’ is slightly smaller perched on a yoga ball. James, apparently having all the luck in the world, unveils a Smiski struggling to lift a dumbbell from the ground.

“I love him,” you say with a pleased laugh.

“He’s brilliant,” Remus says.

“Thank you so much.”

Your smile gets caught on your mouth. James’ tone isn’t strange but unfamiliar —he speaks without a hint of irony. His grin is full of an emotion you don’t recognise. Too happy. Too friendly.

“You’re welcome,” you say.

They’re both kind enough to ignore your mild breathlessness. “No, seriously, thank you, she’s so cool. I didn’t know we could get these ones yet over here.” James puts his weightlifting Smiski in pride of place atop his outgoings. “Sirius is going to be jealous. I'm sending him a photo.”

You feel Remus’ eyes on you. He stares until you look at him, eyebrows wriggling. “Thank you for my toy,” he says.

“They’re not toys, lovely Moony, they’re figurines,” James says, leaning down and angling his phone. He snaps a few photos from different positions. He can’t seem to stop smiling. “Aw, look at her. She’s sick as hell. She’s gonna get so swole.”

You wrinkle your nose and sweep your rubbish into the wastebasket. Swole isn’t the word you’d use. Ever. But if it makes him happy…

“This is the best thing that’s happened to me all week,” James mumbles to himself, before clearing his throat extra thoroughly. “This doesn’t change the fact that you killed that poor spider, you know. What was it doing to you?”

“I crushed her by accident opening a cupboard door.”

“Likely story.”

[abby-howard]

You mentioned deadlifting to prevent wrist and back pain/injury when drawing👀 I was wondering if you could share your workout routine if you haven’t already?

Definitely!! I love talkin about it haha. And I'll preface that this is just what I do, but if you want a professional's advice, I've heard good things about the book Draw Stronger by Kriota Willberg.

Tony and I usually work out 5/6 days a week, three days of lifting and two or three days of cardio, with at least one rest day a week. I always make sure to do a cardio warm up before lifting, between 15-30 minutes of either the stationary bike or rowing machine. That's what I have available, you can also run or do jump rope or whatever gets you goin'! Sometimes when it's a just-cardio day we go for long walks and talk about work. Good stuff gets done on those walks 👍

Our lifting routine is arm day, leg day, shoulder day, and we usually do 5x5 sets of everything-- so five sets of five reps per workout.

I sprinkle in farmer's walks really often, which are the best for wrist strength!! Especially if deadlifts are too intimidating (deadlifts are super good for your grip strength and back, but can be a bit scary because it's usually a high weight.) You just hold a weight in one hand, pretty much the highest weight you can hold while keeping your shoulders level, and walk in figure 8's (for balance) until your arm gives out. Then switch arms. Any time my hand starts to feel iffy, I do more farmer's walks and it helps!

More specifics under the cut:

On arm days we do mostly bench press and bent-over dumbbell rows, sometimes with abs worked in (I like to do windshield wipers or whatever it's called, where I hold the bar like I'm doing a bench press then bring my legs up on either side until my abs give out.)

For leg days, we do barbell squat and deadlifts. It's also fun to do the slam balls as part of leg day >:] Where you pick up a heavy ball and throw it down and scoop it up in a squatlike motion. It's a fun one!

There's ALSO a time-efficient leg workout I do when we're on deadlines where you do three minutes of wall sits in total, and can take as many breaks as you need, but for every break you do ten bodyweight squats. It usually leaves me feeling like jello.

Shoulder days are focused on lat pull-downs for me and pull-ups for Tony (I can only do pull-ups with a counterweight ToT), then shoulder press (where you sit up and lift a weight over your head.) It's good to pair opposite motions like pushing/pulling! I think we also tend to do bicep curls on these days? They're a grab-bag of whatever extra stuff we want to do.

This schedule is not super rigorous, but is enough that I push myself to do something almost every day while usually not being so exhausted that it cuts into my work. It's the kind of thing that I can keep up for the rest of my life, which is what I'm interested in! Maintaining a routine to protect my joints and mobility for as long as I can ✌️

I used to see working out and the gym in general as something I was punishing myself with, and that meant it was a miserable part of my day and working myself up to it was a mentally exhausting task. But Tony has been really helpful in shifting the way I view working out as something more like regular maintenance, and of course it helps that I found something I could work towards getting better at, which is strength training!

So while I recommend that artists work in some arm strength exercises, I do feel it's about finding something that feels like a part of your routine rather than something you dread doing every day.