Dumbbell Curtsy Lunge

Also known as: Dumbbell Curtsey Lunge, Curtsy Lunge

StrengthBalanceFunctional

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Body Part: Glutes

Description

Stand with a dumbbell at each side and your feet about hip-width apart. Step one foot diagonally back behind the other and bend both knees to lower into a crossed lunge. Push through the front foot to return to standing, then alternate legs while keeping your trunk facing forward.

How to Perform

Stand tall with your feet about hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides with your palms facing in.
Brace your core, keep your chest lifted, and shift most of your weight onto your front foot.
Step one foot diagonally behind and across your body, placing the ball of that foot on the floor. Keep your hips and shoulders facing forward.
Bend both knees to lower into a lunge until your front thigh is close to parallel with the floor, or as far as you can control comfortably. Keep the front knee tracking in line with your toes.
Push through the heel and midfoot of the front leg to stand up, bringing the back foot back to the starting position.
Return to your starting stance, then repeat with the other leg, alternating sides.

What Muscles Work

Primary Muscle:

Secondary Muscles:

Tips

Practice the crossover without weights before adding dumbbells.
Exhale as you stand and inhale as you lower.
Alternate legs evenly so each side gets the same number of repetitions.
Use a neutral grip with your palms facing inward.
Increase the number of clean repetitions before increasing the dumbbell load.

Common Mistakes

Letting the front knee collapse inward instead of tracking over the toes.
Crossing the back leg too far behind, which twists the hips and makes balance unstable.
Turning the torso toward the stepping leg instead of keeping the chest square and upright.
Dropping into the bottom position without control.
Letting the dumbbells swing or drift away from the body.
Pushing off the back foot instead of using the front leg to return to standing.