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legs

Dumbbell Step Up

Holding dumbbells, you step up onto a box with one leg and stand up tall on it. A simple single-leg exercise for the thighs and buttocks.

beginnerdumbbellsbox

Dumbbell Step Up, start position
START
Dumbbell Step Up, end position
END
BEFORE YOU START2
  1. Use a box or step about knee height.
  2. Pick dumbbells you can hold at your sides for the whole set.
HOW TO DO IT

Get into position

  1. Stand facing the box with a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
  2. Place your whole right foot flat on the box.

Check: Your right foot is flat on the box and your trunk is upright.

Step up

  1. Push through your right heel to stand up on the box. Do not push off the floor with your back foot.
  2. Bring your left foot up to stand tall on the box.

Check: You are standing tall on the box on both feet without having pushed off the back foot.

Step down

  1. Step your left foot back down to the floor slowly, keeping your right foot on the box.

Check: Your left foot is back on the floor and your right foot is still on the box.

That is one rep. Do all the reps leading with one leg, then switch.

Breathe out as you step up; breathe in as you step down over 2 seconds.

MUSCLES WORKED
Dumbbell Step Up: muscles worked, front view
Dumbbell Step Up: muscles worked, back view

quadsglutescorecalves

Red marks the muscles doing the work; amber the assisting ones. Same body for every exercise, so guides compare at a glance.

COMMON MISTAKES3
  • Pushing off the floor with the back foot. Cheats the working leg. Fix: Let the back foot just lift; the front leg does the work.
  • Front knee caving in. Fix: Keep it pointing over your toes.
  • Dropping down fast. Fix: Lower over 2 seconds.
SAFETY1
  • Use a lower box if your knee goes far past your toes.
EQUIPMENT SETTINGS
  • box · height: knee height or a little lower
RELATED EXERCISES

easier: lunge

variants: bodyweight bulgarian split squat

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