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Dumbbell Step-Up

When training the legs, most people think of the traditional squat and deadlift movements. While these should form the backbone of a well-organized resistance training program, they’re not the only movements to consider.

The dumbbell step-up uses a foundational exercise pattern with an added resistance challenge. The unilateral movement works on each side of the body separately, requiring stability, coordination, and muscular strength.

We discuss all you need to know about this versatile dumbbell leg workout below. We look at the form, programming, and main benefits.

How To Do

  1. Set up a low step height at around 6–8 inches. The height can change depending on your ability level.
  2. Ensure that you’re in a suitable space to step up without any obstruction.
  3. Grasp a suitable pair of dumbells and stand directly in front of the raised surface.
  4. Inhale and engage your core. Exhale and bring one leg to the raised surface, planting it in front of you.
  5. Shift your weight onto that foot and drive upwards until you're on top of the raised surface.
  6. Pause briefly at the top position. Inhale and lower back to the starting position. Change legs and repeat the same movement pattern.

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Tips From Expert

  • Use The Correct Height — Adjust the step-up height according to your ability level. Start at 6–8 inches and work up. This ensures the correct movement patterns take place.
  • Use One Leg At A Time — Your non-working leg should act as an accessory in each movement. Keep most of the weight on your working leg throughout each repetition.
  • Performed A Controlled Step-up Movement — Each repetition should be done under control using the correct movement pattern. Ensure you can maintain balance and stability throughout.
  • Use A Suitable Warm-Up — Perform aerobic exercise and dynamic stretches before. This increases body temperature and improves joint stability.

Optimal Sets and Reps

These are the ideal sets and reps for the dumbbell step-up movement. Use these alongside the specific loading recommendations.

Training TypeSetsReps
Strength Training3–54–6
Hypertrophy3–48–10
Endurance Training3–412+
Power Training3–51–3 (Explosive)
Optimal Sets & Reps of Dumbbell Step-Up

How to Put in Your Workout Split

The dumbbell step-up is a leg workout that combines full-body conditioning with a strength challenge. This gives you a hybrid exercise that works on multiple components of fitness.

Because of this, you can perform it in several ways:

  • Strength And Conditioning Workout — The dumbbell step-up works on both these performance elements. Add it to your workout alongside other strength exercises such as the weighted squat.
  • Bodyweight Fitness Circuit — The weighted step-up takes little time to set up and perform. Because of this, it’s a great exercise to add to a bodyweight circuit routine.
  • Weight Loss Program — The full-body movement pattern requires a large amount of energy. Use it as part of a functional weight loss movement. Include it alongside exercises such as high knees.

Use your one-repetition maximum or 1RM to find how much weight you should use according to your training style. This refers to how much you can lift for one repetition with good form. You must keep the correct form described above when testing your one-repetition maximum.

  • Strength And Power — 80%–100% of your 1RM.
  • Hypertrophy — 60%–80% of your 1RM.
  • Endurance — 40%–60% of your 1RM.

For strength and power training, allow 2–3 minutes of rest between sets. When training for hypertrophy and endurance, a shorter rest period of 60–90 seconds is enough.

Primary Muscle Groups

Quadriceps

Muscles located at the front portion of your upper legs, below your pelvis and above your knees. Consists of four parts.

Quadriceps

The quadriceps are a large muscle group at the front of the upper legs. They can be split into four muscle groups — the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius, and vastus medialis.

During the dumbbell step-up, they extend the knees during the concentric movement. This happens as you drive the knee up to stand when on the raised platform. Alongside this, they flex the hips to bring each leg onto the platform.

During the bodyweight step-up movement, the quadriceps showed an activation rate of approximately 15%-20%. This is a measure of how hard the muscle is working. As a weighted movement, the dumbbell step-up would be expected to show a higher activation.

Secondary Muscle Groups

Gluteus

Large, superficial muscles located at your buttocks just below your lower back area.

Gastrocnemius

Muscles located at the back of your lower leg and consists of your calf. Starts just behind your knee and extends to your ankle.

Hamstrings

Muscles located at the back of your upper leg, below your glutes and above your calves. Consists of three muscles.

Soleus

Muscles located behind your gastrocnemius sitting slightly deeper. Runs down your leg and connects with the gastrocnemius to make your Achilles tendon.

Hip Adductors

Muscles located at the upper inside part of your legs between your quads and hamstrings.

Gluteus

The gluteus muscles are at the back of the upper legs. The main gluteus muscle is the gluteus maximus. The gluteus medius and minimus can also be classified here.

As you perform the step-up, your gluteus maximus extends the hips. This happens as each leg contacts the raised surface. This drives your body upwards as your knees extend.

Use the dumbbell step-up alongside these glute exercises with dumbbells for targeted glute work.

Hamstrings

The hamstring muscles are at the back of the upper legs. In hip extension, they bring the hips forward. In knee flexion, they decrease the angle between the upper legs and the lower legs by bending the knees.

As you step onto the raised platform, the hamstrings flex each knee. After this happens, they extend the hips as your quadriceps extend each knee to drive you upwards.

Hip Adductors

The hip abductor muscles are on the outside of the thighs. The primary abductors include the gluteus minimus, gluteus medius, and tensor fasciae latae.

Each of these performs hip abduction which is the movement of bringing the leg away from the body. This is used in many daily movements such as walking, getting up, and side-stepping.

During the dumbbell step-up, they stabilize the hips as each leg comes up and forward. Each hip abductor works as each leg is raised. This ensures a stable exercise position, allowing the other muscle groups to function normally.

Gastrocnemius

The gastrocnemius forms most of the calf musculature at the back of the lower leg. It’s the most superficial part of the calf, meaning it can easily be seen and touched.

When performing the dumbbell step-up, the gastrocnemius plantar flexes the ankles to bring each leg off the floor. This allows the knees and hips to flex before they extend as you stand up.

Soleus

The soleus is the smaller part of the calf muscle that can’t be seen as easily. During each step-up movement, it works with the gastrocnemius to bring the ankles off the floor. It also helps to maintain posture when standing next to the raised surface and when on top of it.

Equipment

Dumbbells

Flat Bench Without Rack

Dumbbells

You can use these for a wide range of unilateral and bilateral exercises. Avoid using momentum to lift. Ensure a secure grip to prevent drops.

Flat Bench Without Rack

This is great for pressing and pulling movements. Ensure the safety catch is firmly locked in. If you can't find this bench, use one with a rack for barbell exercises.

Variations

Exercises that target the same primary muscle groups and require the same equipment.

Squat To Overhead Press

Dumbbell Lunge

Dumbbell Goblet Squat

Bodyweight Bulgarian Split Squat

Dumbbell Split Squat

Dumbbell Walking Lunge

Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat

Dumbbell Jumping Squat

Dumbbell Lunge With Bicep Curl

Dumbbell Side Lunge

Alternatives

Exercises that target the same primary muscle groups and require the different equipment.

Hack Squat

Barbell Squat

Bodyweight Squat

High Knees

Standing Quadricep Stretch

Burpees

Jumping Jacks

Side Lunge

Jump Squat

Jogging

Who Should Do?

Endurance Athletes

The primary goal of endurance athletes is to increase their work capacity. Performing regular endurance and conditioning exercises can improve the capacity of their cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Part of this involves regular strength work to improve muscle function. 

The dumbbell step-up is a full-body strength and conditioning exercise. The step-up movement challenges the cardiovascular and respiratory systems by requiring repeated movement. Using the dumbbells requires additional strength which helps to develop full-body conditioning. 

Use it as part of a muscular endurance workout to develop these important determinants.

Functional Fitness Populations

Functional fitness athletes perform the majority of their training using functional movements. These closely resemble those used in daily living. When done regularly, these improve function by increasing important factors such as movement efficiency and coordination.

The dumbbell step-up uses a functional movement pattern that closely resembles those used in daily living. Because of this, it should form part of a functional fitness routine.  

Recreational Gymgoers

Recreational gymgoers should perform the majority of their training consisting of simple, compound moments. This allows them to develop the main training determinants. These include balance, stability, coordination, and muscular strength. 

The step-up uses a simple exercise pattern that resembles a commonly performed movement. It’s easy for recreational gymgoers to learn and add to their training routine. 

The weighted dumbbell provides a suitable intensity for them to develop foundational strength and conditioning. 

Who Should Not Do?

Those With Chronic Cardiovascular Issues

Those with chronic cardiovascular issues have reduced function. A common chronic example would be coronary heart disease. In 2022, 315 million people were diagnosed with coronary artery disease. 

Cardiovascular exercise is a great way to improve cardiovascular health. However, it needs to be performed at an appropriate intensity. This provides a suitable challenge without overwhelming the body. 

Those with chronic cardiovascular issues may find the dumbbell step-up too difficult to perform. In this case, the normal step-up movement may be a better option until cardiovascular health improves. This can be managed with the help of a qualified professional. 

Those With Knee And Ankle Problems

Those with knee and ankle issues present with reduced function and mobility. This means that normal movement and weighted exercise can’t be performed as efficiently. Inappropriate movement may lead to possible falls and injuries.

The dumbbell step-up requires mobility, coordination, and muscular strength. Each of these may be compromised when suffering from knee and ankle issues. 

Reducing the difficulty to the normal step-up movement might be more appropriate. Following this, the progression to using dumbbells can be made. 

Benefits Of The Dumbbell Step-Up

Builds Quads Strength

Building strength requires the right training intensity. When suitably challenged, the body adapts to the exercise stimulus by becoming stronger for the next time it happens. This is known as an adaptive response. 

The dumbbell step-up uses a weighted conditioning movement. This provides a challenging training intensity to develop strength in the primary muscle groups. In this case, it would be the quadriceps muscles. 

Whether added to a strength routine or conditioning workout, it provides a hybrid exercise to build quad strength. 

Improves Functional Activities 

Functional activities resemble movements used in daily life. Training using these movements helps to improve determinants of functional performance. This includes movement efficiency, coordination, endurance, and muscular strength. 

For example, the dumbbell deadlift resembles picking up shopping bags. The squat represents sitting down and getting up from a chair. Both of these movements are vital for everyday mobility and performance. 

The step-up is a functional movement pattern. Walking up the stairs, stepping onto a stage, or using a step to perform housework all use similar movement patterns. With this, the dumbbell step-up provides a weighted functional movement to improve functional activities. 

Enhances Balance And Stabilization

Balance and stability are important components of movement and general performance. Balance can be defined as keeping an even weight distribution to remain upright. Stability is the ability of the body to maintain and control posture when moving and against resistance.

The dumbbell step-up requires balance and stability to perform the correct movement pattern. Therefore, adding it to your training can improve these important aspects of mobility. The added balance and stability can also reduce potential injury risk, which is especially important at an older age. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Are dumbbell step-ups effective?

Dumbbell step-ups are an effective full-body exercise that develops conditioning and muscular endurance. The dynamic cardio movement offers several versatile programming options as a circuit or workout addition.

Are step-ups as good as squats?

Step-ups and squats are two different exercises. Both work similar muscle groups but in different ways. While both develop muscular endurance, the step-up is more of a full-body conditioning exercise.

How high should a dumbbell step-up be?

As a beginner, start with a low step-up height of 6–8 inches. Once you perfect this movement, raise the height as needed. The right height depends on your mobility and ability levels.

What are the disadvantages of step-ups?

The main disadvantage of step-ups is that they require a raised surface to perform them. Apart from this, they offer a range of useful benefits.

Resources

Endomondo.com refrains from utilizing tertiary references. We uphold stringent sourcing criteria and depend on peer-reviewed studies and academic research conducted by medical associations and institutions. For more detailed insights, you can explore further by reading our editorial process.

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