Dumbbell Lunges

Starting position

1. Stand tall with your feet hip width apart, dumbbells hanging at your sides.
2. Shoulders down, back straight, core braced, eyes forward.

Execution

1. Take a long step forward with one leg, about 60–90 cm.
2. Inhale and lower yourself until your back knee almost touches the floor. Both knees are bent at roughly 90°.
3. Your front knee stays over your foot in line with your toes, and your torso stays upright.
4. Exhale, push off with your front leg and return to the start. Repeat on the other leg.

Common mistakes

• Step too short — the front knee travels far past your toes and gets overloaded.
• Front knee caving in.
• Leaning your torso forward — the lower back takes the load.
• Banging your knee on the floor — lower yourself under control.

Beginner tips

• Learn the movement without dumbbells, holding on to a support if balance is hard.
• A shorter step works the quads more; a long step with a slight forward lean targets the glutes.
• Do the same number of reps on each leg.

Alternatives

• Dumbbell Reverse Lunge — easier on the knees and easier to balance
• Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat — rear foot on a bench, more load on the front leg
• Barbell Lunges — for the gym once dumbbells get too light