Dumbbell Step Ups

How to do the Dumbbell Step Ups

1. Stand up straight while holding a dumbbell on each hand (palms facing the side of your legs).
2. Place the right foot on the elevated platform. Step on the platform by extending the hip and the knee of your right leg. Use the heel mainly to lift the rest of your body up and place the foot of the left leg on the platform as well. Breathe out as you execute the force required to come up.
3. Step down with the left leg by flexing the hip and knee of the right leg as you inhale. Return to the original standing position by placing the right foot of to next to the left foot on the initial position.
4. Repeat with the right leg for the recommended amount of repetitions and then perform with the left leg.

Muscles worked

Role	Muscles
Primary	quads
Secondary	calves, glutes, hamstrings
Equipment	dumbbell
Difficulty	intermediate
Type	compound

No dumbbell? Train the same muscles with these

Ordered by how likely you are to own the 6 options.

Bodyweight Walking Lunge Bodyweight Freehand Jump Squat Bodyweight Squats - With Bands Resistance Bands Bodyweight Squat Bodyweight Goblet Squat Kettlebell Kettlebell Pistol Squat Kettlebell

Easier than the Dumbbell Step Ups

Same movement pattern, lower entry difficulty — work up from here.

Barbell Squat beginner · Barbell Barbell Walking Lunge beginner · Barbell Bodyweight Walking Lunge beginner · Bodyweight

Harder than the Dumbbell Step Ups

Reverse Band Power Squat expert · Barbell Power Jerk expert · Barbell Overhead Squat expert · Barbell

Superset the Dumbbell Step Ups with

Opposing hamstrings work — alternate sets without extra rest.

Dumbbell Clean hamstrings Stiff-Legged Dumbbell Deadlift hamstrings Alternating Hang Clean hamstrings Double Kettlebell Alternating Hang Clean hamstrings

Common questions

What muscles does the Dumbbell Step Ups work?

The Dumbbell Step Ups primarily works the quads, with the calves, glutes, and hamstrings as secondary movers. Barbell Full Squat, Barbell Lunge, and Barbell Squat train the same muscle, across 9 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the Dumbbell Step Ups?

Dumbbells. Without dumbbells, Bodyweight Walking Lunge, Freehand Jump Squat, and Squats - With Bands train the same muscle, and 27 of the catalogue's options for this muscle need no equipment.

Is the Dumbbell Step Ups suitable for beginners?

It is rated intermediate. Start with Barbell Squat, Barbell Walking Lunge, and Bodyweight Walking Lunge and work up.

Where should the Dumbbell Step Ups go in a workout?

Early — the Dumbbell Step Ups is compound, working 4 muscle groups, so run it first or second while you are fresh, then superset Dumbbell Clean and Stiff-Legged Dumbbell Deadlift later.

Similar exercises

Barbell Full Squat Barbell Barbell Lunge Barbell Barbell Squat Barbell Barbell Squat To A Bench Barbell Barbell Step Ups Barbell Barbell Walking Lunge Barbell