Dumbbell Lateral Step-Up

Lateral step-up with a dumbbell: the movement goes sideways.

• Compound
• Dumbbell
• Beginner

How to do it

• Stand beside the box and step up with the nearest leg
• Step up by pushing through the heel of the leg on the box
• Do not push off the bottom leg, and lower under control

Sets, reps and tempo

Ranges: 8–12 reps · 1–3 RIR

Tempo: Lower for 2–3 s under control, drive up with intent without bouncing out of the bottom

Common mistakes

• Pushing off with your bottom leg
• Taking a lateral step so long that you lose balance

Muscles worked

Primary

• Quads
• Glutes

Secondary

• Core / abs

Alternatives

• Dumbbell Step-Up
• Step-Up
• Bulgarian Split Squat