Legs · Dumbbell
Dumbbell Kneeling Hold to Stand
How to do the dumbbell kneeling hold to stand, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.

- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Lunge
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Kneel on both knees holding a dumbbell at your chest or by your sides. Drive through one foot to step it forward, then push up to a full standing position. Reverse the movement to lower back down to kneeling under control, then alternate the leading leg.
- 1Feel your glutes and quads drive you up from kneeling to standing
- 2Keep the dumbbell close and your torso tall throughout
- 3Lower back down slowly under control on each rep
Common mistakes
- Do not let your front knee cave inward as you stand
- Avoid leaning forward or rounding your back
- Do not drop hard onto your back knee on the way down
Muscles worked
The dumbbell kneeling hold to stand mainly works the glutes and quads, with the hamstrings, lower back, upper abs, lower abs, and adductors assisting.
- GlutesPrimary
- QuadsPrimary
- HamstringsSupport
- Lower BackSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- AdductorsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- ObliquesMinor
- CalvesMinor
- Hip FlexorsMinor
Kovo programs the dumbbell kneeling hold to stand for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More glutes exercises
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- How to do the airdyne bike
- How to do the arc trainer
- How to do the assault bike
- How to do the medicine ball atlas stone lift
- How to do the b stance hip thrust
Last reviewed June 2026.
