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Quads ยท Lunge

Dumbbell Step-Up

A compound lunge exercise for the quads and glutes, done with a dumbbell and a bench. It also works the hamstrings.

DumbbellBench Compound Reps and weight One side at a time Also called: step ups, box step up
Illustrations: Everkinetic, CC BY-SA 4.0 (licence)

Muscles worked

Primary

Quads and Glutes

Do most of the work.

Secondary

Hamstrings

Help during each rep.

  • QuadsFront of the thighsPrimary
  • GlutesHips and seatPrimary
  • HamstringsBack of the thighsSecondary

How to do it

  1. Pick your dumbbells. Choose a weight you can control for every rep of the set.
  2. Whole foot on the box or bench, trunk upright.
  3. Push through the front heel to stand up on the box, without pushing off the back foot.
  4. Step down under control.
  5. Control every rep. Do all the reps on one side, then the other. Stop the set when your form changes.

Common mistakes

  • Pushing off the back foot. Let the front leg do the work.
  • Box too high. Pick a height where the front knee is about level with the hip, or lower.
  • Dropping down. Step down under control.

Alternatives that train the same movement

General guidance, not medical advice. If a movement hurts, stop and ask a qualified coach or physio.