Dumbbell Lateral Step-Up

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand sideways next to a sturdy bench or step, holding a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip at your sides.
2. Place the foot of the leg nearest to the bench firmly on the center of the platform, ensuring your entire foot is supported.
3. Stand tall with your shoulders back, core engaged, and your non-working foot resting lightly on the floor.

How to do it

1. Exhale and drive through the heel of the elevated foot to lift your body upward, extending the hip and knee of the working leg.
2. Avoid pushing off the ground with your trailing foot; ensure the elevated leg is performing the entirety of the lift.
3. At the top of the movement, stand fully upright with your trailing foot hovering or lightly touching the bench.
4. Inhale and slowly lower yourself back to the starting position over a 2-3 second count, maintaining strict control and balance.

Form checklist

• Keep the knee of the working leg aligned with your second toe; do not let it cave inward.
• Maintain an upright torso or a slight forward lean from the hips, avoiding excessive rounding of the spine.
• Ensure the trailing foot touches down softly to maximize tension on the working leg.
• Keep your hips level throughout the movement to ensure proper glute engagement.

Pro tips

• To maximize glute recruitment, hinge slightly at the hips and focus on driving the heel into the bench.
• Keep the toes of your trailing foot pointed up (dorsiflexed) to prevent yourself from 'cheating' by pushing off the floor with your calf.

Make it harder

• Increase the height of the step to increase the range of motion and hip flexion required.
• Add a high-knee drive with the trailing leg at the top of the movement to further challenge your balance and core.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the dumbbell lateral step-up work?

The dumbbell lateral step-up primarily targets the calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, and also works the adductors and hip flexors as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the dumbbell lateral step-up?

The dumbbell lateral step-up uses dumbbell.

Is the dumbbell lateral step-up good for beginners?

The dumbbell lateral step-up is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

Related exercises

• 3 Point Standing HopsIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
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• 4 Way Single Leg HopAdvanced · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
• Alternate Knee Cross Over Sit Against WallIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps