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Exercise guide

Dumbbell Rear Lunge

How to do the Dumbbell Rear Lunge with correct form, the muscles it works, and where it fits a training plan you actually stick to.

CompoundDumbbellIntermediatePush
Primary muscles

Quads

Secondary

Calves, Glutes, Hamstrings

Equipment

Dumbbell

Step by step

How to do the Dumbbell Rear Lunge

  1. 1

    Stand with your torso upright holding two dumbbells in your hands by your sides. This will be your starting position.

  2. 2

    Step backward with your right leg around two feet or so from the left foot and lower your upper body down, while keeping the torso upright and maintaining balance. Inhale as you go down. Tip: As in the other exercises, do not allow your knee to go forward beyond your toes as you come down, as this will put undue stress on the knee joint. Make sure that you keep your front shin perpendicular to the ground. Keep the torso upright during the lunge; flexible hip flexors are important. A long lunge emphasizes the Gluteus Maximus; a short lunge emphasizes Quadriceps.

  3. 3

    Push up and go back to the starting position as you exhale. Tip: Use the ball of your feet to push in order to accentuate the quadriceps. To focus on the glutes, press with your heels.

  4. 4

    Now repeat with the opposite leg.

In Ascend

Log it, see it on your body.

Every Dumbbell Rear Lunge set you log feeds Ascend's anatomy heatmap — so your quads volume is visible at a glance — and counts toward your bodyweight-strength tier.

Related

More quads exercises

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