Legs · Dumbbell
Dumbbell Overhead Lunge
How to do the dumbbell overhead lunge, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Lunge
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Hold a pair of dumbbells locked out overhead with your arms straight and biceps by your ears. Step forward into a lunge until both knees are bent at 90 degrees, keeping the dumbbells stacked over your shoulders. Push through your front heel to return to standing and repeat on the other side.
- 1Hold the dumbbells overhead and feel your shoulders and core stabilize
- 2Drive through your front heel and engage your quads and glutes
- 3Maintain an upright torso throughout the lunge
Common mistakes
- Don't wobble or let the weight drift forward
- Avoid letting your front knee track beyond your toes
- Don't arch your lower back; keep your ribs down
Muscles worked
The dumbbell overhead lunge mainly works the quads and glutes, with the hamstrings and calves assisting.
- QuadsPrimary
- GlutesPrimary
- HamstringsSupport
- CalvesSupport
- Lower BackMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
Kovo programs the dumbbell overhead lunge 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 quads exercises
- How to do the resistance band squat
- How to do the resistance band squat to press
- How to do the resistance band thruster
- How to do the resistance band squat walk
- How to do the barbell squat
- How to do the barbell bulgarian split squat
Last reviewed June 2026.