Exercise Library
Dumbbell Curtsey Lunge
Dumbbell Curtsy Lunge — Stand upright with feet hip-width apart holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides. Step one leg diagonally behind and across your body (as if performing a curtsy) while bending both knees to lower your body until your front thigh is roughly parallel to the ground. Keep your torso upright, core engaged, and hips square. Push through the heel of your front foot to return to the starting position, then repeat on the other side in a controlled alternating pattern — this variation challenges lower-body strength, stability, and balance
Primary muscle
Quadriceps
Secondary muscles
glutes (including gluteus medius), hamstrings, and inner thigh muscles (adductors) — strengthens the lower body, improves hip stability, balance, and coordination
Equipment
Dumbbell
Category
Quadriceps
How to Do the Dumbbell Curtsey Lunge
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides and stand tall with feet hip width apart.
- Shift your weight onto your left leg and brace your core.
- Step your right foot back and across behind your left leg, landing on the ball of the right foot.
- Bend both knees and lower until your left thigh is near parallel to the floor, keeping your chest up and hips facing forward.
- Inhale on the way down and keep the front knee tracking over the toes.
- Push through the front heel to stand back up, exhaling as you return the right foot to the start.
- Complete all reps on one side or alternate legs, keeping the dumbbells hanging still at your sides.
Common Mistakes
- Rotating the hips: twisting the pelvis toward the trailing leg turns the exercise into a wobble; keep both hip bones pointing forward throughout.
- Crossing too far: stepping excessively behind the standing leg strains the front knee; a modest diagonal step is enough to load the glute medius.
- Collapsing the front knee inward: letting the knee cave as you lower loads the joint instead of the muscle; press the floor apart with the front foot.
- Leaning the torso sideways: tipping toward the dumbbells shifts balance off the working leg; stay tall with even weight in both hands.
Track This Exercise in the App
Log your dumbbell curtsey lunge sets in 1RM.fit and watch your estimated 1RM update automatically as you get stronger.