Dumbbell Single Leg Step Up

The Dumbbell Single Leg Step Up targets your legs and improves balance.

  1. Stand in front of a sturdy bench or step with a dumbbell in one hand.
  2. Place one foot on the bench and push through your heel to lift your body up.
  3. Bring your other leg up to the bench, then lower back down to the starting position.
  4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch legs.

How to perform the Dumbbell Single Leg Step Up

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Dumbbell Single Leg Step Up using your dumbbell.
  2. Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your glutes.
  3. Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.

Coaching cues

  • Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
  • Drive force through your glutes rather than momentum.
  • Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.

Common mistakes

  • Using too much weight and losing positional control.
  • Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
  • Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.

Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.

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