Legs · Dumbbell
Dumbbell Step-up Biceps Curl
How to do the dumbbell step-up biceps curl, 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
Stand in front of a box or bench holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides. Step one foot onto the platform and drive through your heel to stand all the way up. As you reach the top, curl the dumbbells to your shoulders, then lower the curl and step back down with control. Alternate legs.
- 1Your front glute and quad driving you up onto the platform
- 2Your biceps squeezing the dumbbells up at the top
- 3Your core holding you balanced and upright through the step
Common mistakes
- Pushing off hard with the trailing leg or hopping up
- Swinging the dumbbells up with body English instead of curling
- Letting your front knee cave inward or drift past your toes
Muscles worked
The dumbbell step-up biceps curl mainly works the quads, biceps, and glutes, with the forearms, hamstrings, and calves assisting.
- QuadsPrimary
- BicepsPrimary
- GlutesPrimary
- ForearmsSupport
- HamstringsSupport
- CalvesSupport
- Lower BackMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- Hip FlexorsMinor
Kovo programs the dumbbell step-up biceps curl 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.