Legs · Dumbbell
Dumbbell Single Arm Overhead Lunge
How to do the dumbbell single arm 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
Stand tall holding a dumbbell locked out overhead in one hand, arm straight and biceps near your ear. Step forward with one leg and lower until both knees are bent about 90 degrees, then push through the front heel to return. Keep the dumbbell stacked over your shoulder the entire time. Complete your reps, then switch sides.
- 1Your front leg's quads and glutes driving you back up
- 2Your shoulder and core working hard to stabilize the overhead weight
- 3An upright torso with the dumbbell fixed over your shoulder
Common mistakes
- Don't let the dumbbell drift forward or the arm bend
- Avoid letting your front knee track past your toes
- Don't arch your lower back; keep your ribs down
Muscles worked
The dumbbell single arm overhead lunge mainly works the quads and glutes, with the hamstrings, front delts, triceps, upper abs, lower abs, obliques, calves, and side delts assisting.
- QuadsPrimary
- GlutesPrimary
- HamstringsSupport
- Front DeltsSupport
- TricepsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- ObliquesSupport
- CalvesSupport
- Side DeltsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Lower BackMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Lower TrapsMinor
Kovo programs the dumbbell single arm 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.