Dumbbell Lunge Squat

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand upright with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides with a neutral grip.
2. Engage your core and pull your shoulder blades back and down to maintain a neutral spine.
3. Look straight ahead to maintain balance and keep your chest open.

How to do it

1. Inhale as you take a controlled step forward with one leg, landing with your heel first.
2. Lower your hips until both knees are bent at approximately a 90-degree angle, ensuring your back knee hovers just above the floor.
3. Exhale as you drive through the heel of your front foot to push yourself back to the starting position.
4. Maintain a controlled 2-1-2 tempo (2 seconds down, 1 second pause, 2 seconds up).

Form checklist

• Keep your front knee aligned with your second toe and prevent it from caving inward.
• Maintain a 'tracks, not a tightrope' stance width to ensure lateral stability.
• Keep your torso upright or with a very slight forward lean to protect the lower back.
• Ensure your back knee stays directly under your hip at the bottom of the movement.

Pro tips

• To emphasize the glutes, take a slightly longer stride and lean your torso forward about 15 degrees.
• Focus on 'driving the floor away' with your front mid-foot and heel rather than just stepping back to maximize quad recruitment.

Make it harder

• Perform a 'Deficit Lunge' by standing on a small platform with your front foot to increase the range of motion.
• Add a 2-second pause at the bottom of each rep to remove momentum and increase time under tension.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the dumbbell lunge squat work?

The dumbbell lunge squat primarily targets the calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, and also works the abs and obliques as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the dumbbell lunge squat?

The dumbbell lunge squat uses dumbbell.

Is the dumbbell lunge squat good for beginners?

The dumbbell lunge squat is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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