Dumbbell Lunge

How to Perform the Dumbbell Lunge

Stand upright with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides with your arms fully extended.
Take a large step forward with one leg, landing heel first.
Lower your body by bending both knees until your rear knee nearly touches the floor and your front thigh is approximately parallel to the ground.
Keep your torso upright and your core engaged throughout the descent.
Push through the heel of your front foot to drive yourself back up to the starting position.
Either alternate legs each rep or complete all reps on one side before switching.

Taking too short a step

Step far enough forward that your front shin stays vertical at the bottom of the lunge.

Front knee extending past the toes excessively

A slight forward knee travel is fine, but ensure most of the descent comes from dropping your hips straight down.

Leaning the torso forward

Keep your chest up and your torso perpendicular to the floor throughout the movement.

✓Builds unilateral leg strength to correct muscle imbalances.
✓Improves balance, coordination, and hip stability.
✓Highly functional movement pattern that carries over to walking, running, and sports.

●Focus on driving through the heel of the front foot to maximize glute and quad engagement.
●Keep your feet hip-width apart (not in a straight line) for better lateral stability.
●Perform reverse lunges instead if you experience knee discomfort with forward lunges.

Strength

4-5 sets of 3-5 reps at 80-90% 1RM

Hypertrophy

3-4 sets of 8-12 reps at 65-75% 1RM

Endurance

2-3 sets of 15-20 reps at 50-60% 1RM

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