Legs · Dumbbell
Dumbbell Single Leg Step-up
How to do the dumbbell single leg step-up, 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
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand in front of a box or bench. Plant one foot on the platform, drive through that heel to stand up tall on it, then step down under control and repeat.
- 1Drive through your lead heel and feel your quad and glute lift you
- 2Keep your torso upright and core braced for balance
- 3Squeeze the glute at the top and control the way down
Common mistakes
- Don't push off or hop with your trailing leg
- Avoid letting your knee collapse inward
- Don't lean forward or let the dumbbells pull you off balance
Muscles worked
The dumbbell single leg step-up mainly works the quads and glutes, with the hamstrings, forearms, and calves assisting.
- QuadsPrimary
- GlutesPrimary
- HamstringsSupport
- ForearmsSupport
- CalvesSupport
- Lower BackMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- ObliquesMinor
Kovo programs the dumbbell single leg step-up 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.